Local Legislators Partner with Bucknell SBDC During National Small Business Week

In celebration of National Small Business Week May 4-8, 2015, the Bucknell University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will present two programs to inspire and assist entrepreneurs and small business owners.

These programs are being offered at no charge thanks to the sponsorship and assistance of partners such as legislators and banks. They serve as the kick-off of a month-long series of business startup and growth programs.

State Representative Lynda Schlegel Culver will partner in a First Step Pre-business Workshop on Wednesday, May 6, at 9 a.m. in Sunbury.

This workshop will help aspiring entrepreneurs take the First Step to successful business ownership and includes topics such as evaluating business ideas, developing a business plan, and exploring financing options. Individuals who have always dreamed of being their own boss or who plan to launch a new venture will benefit from this program, and can seek follow up consulting services from the SBDC confidentially and at no fee. Program partners include PA State Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver, Purdy Insurance Agency, and Sunbury Revitalization Inc.

U.S. Congressman Tom Marino will host Patents and Intellectual Property for Small Business on Friday, May 8, at noon at Bucknell University.

Presenters from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will describe patents and other forms of intellectual property; and highlight services and resources for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Program attendees including inventors and other innovators will be able to contact SBDC staff regarding specialty product development and engineering consulting services. This workshop, which is being offered in partnership with the USPTO, Congressman Marino, and Bucknell University, will include lunch.

Events are offered at no charge, but preregistration is required. Register for these events by visiting www.bucknell.edu/SBDCevents, by phone at 570-577-1249, or by email to sbdc@bucknell.edu.

The SBDC continues to mark National Small Business Week with further programming and outreach to entrepreneurs throughout the month, with additional programs including:

• May 13, Lewisburg: Understanding Small Business Taxes: Reporting Income or Losses. Brian Elsasser, CPA/CVA, will lead this workshop covering Schedule C tax topics such as eligible expenses, depreciation, business use of home, and more. Program partners include Wagner, Dreese, Elsasser and Associates, a tax, accounting and consulting firm.
• May 14, Danville: Start-up and Small Business Legal Issues. Attorney Kristina Magolis will discuss how business owners can prepare their firms for growth and protect themselves from litigation. Program partners include the Danville Business Alliance, Columbia/Montour Chamber of Commerce, and Service 1st Federal Credit Union.
• May 27, Lewisburg: Tech Meetup. This monthly "meetup" is a networking event where business owners and innovators explore themes at the intersections of technology and entrepreneurship, and of Bucknell and the community. Program partners include the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership and the Bucknell University Entrepreneurs Incubator. Each meetup features light fare from a local small business "success story" client of the SBDC. There are more than 10,000 Tech Meetups throughout the country. Members recently participated in the social media promotion of the first ever Tech Meetup at the White House.

For more than 50 years, the President and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have proclaimed National Small Business Week to highlight how important small businesses are to our country's economic strength and to helping the United States compete in today's global marketplace. www.sba.gov/nsbw

The Bucknell SBDC serves entrepreneurs in Union, Northumberland, Juniata, Montour, Perry, and Snyder counties as a member of the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (PASBDC) network. Each year the Bucknell SBDC helps more than 30 entrepreneurs achieve their dream of starting their own business. In the past five years, businesses assisted by the Bucknell SBDC have increased their sales by almost $40 million and created more than 400 local jobs. www.Bucknell.edu/SBDC

The Pennsylvania SBDC is the only statewide, nationally accredited program that provides high quality one-on-one consulting, training and information resources to empower new and existing businesses. The SBDC program is a public/private partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development through the Partnership for Regional Economic Performance program, and 18 universities and colleges across the Commonwealth. http://pasbdc.org/