Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Last fall, three Centre County friends were discussing the idea of transforming their passion for riding bicycles into a business opportunity. With the assistance of the Penn State Small Business Development Center, the three decided on a unique business model for Central Pennsylvania: a bicycle touring business targeting women. (more)
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Penn State Small Business Development Center's First Step Seminar on Sept. 30, is designed exclusively for entrepreneurial-minded students, faculty and staff who have a business idea and need help carrying it out. (more)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Family physician Wei-Shin Lai invented the SleepPhone to help her fall asleep after late night calls from patients and hospitals. She wanted to listen to soothing sounds to relax, but could not find a pair of headphones that were comfortable to wear as she slept. After a consultation with the Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the company Acoustic Sheep was born. The company now employs eight people and sells SleepPhones all over the world. This is just one example of how the SBDC, which provides one-on-one consulting and seminars to small businesses and entrepreneurs in Centre and Mifflin counties, has helped a new business to start. (more)
Friday, April 03, 2009
What do Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Napster and Dell have in common? All were created by young entrepreneurs with a dream. A new Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC) seminar, exclusively for students, faculty and staff, will offer the basics on starting a business -- from assessing ideas to regulations and obtaining financing. (more)
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Greg Anderson's idea for a small business was simple: a place in which residents in the Huntingdon, Pa., college town where he lived could sip on gourmet coffee or tea and eat from a unique menu -- and, if they needed to, do their laundry in a back room. Plus, Anderson wanted an environmentally friendly company, with biodegradable to-go materials; locally grown produce; and energy-efficient heating, air conditioning and washing machines. For help, Anderson approached his local Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which in turn reached out to environmental expertise at the Penn State SBDC. (more)
Friday, January 16, 2009
Small business owners already run lean in most cases. So many of the things that a larger company can do to pare back in a poor economy already are part of the small business owner's repertoire. What can small business owners do to weather the storm? Two new series of workshops, offered by Penn State Outreach's Small Business Development Center in the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, starting Jan. 23 on the University Park campus, will focus on different topics related to helping small business owners during hard times and provide a forum for these business owners to brainstorm with each other. (more)
