Ben Franklin News
On June 26, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin demonstrated Governor Wolf’s new PA Business One-Stop Shop, a tool designed to help entrepreneurs in all stages of starting and running a business, at Ben Franklin TechVentures. Secretary Davin also hosted a roundtable discussion that included Ben Franklin client companies, to discuss the challenges and successes of the small business community.
“The Wolf Administration is committed to supporting entrepreneurs through every stage of starting and running a business, and the PA Business One-Stop Shop is one of the best resources available to make that process as easy as possible,” said Secretary Davin. “The PA Business One-Stop Shop and Ben Franklin Technology Partners are two very different types of support that work hand-in-hand to ensure our entrepreneurs can spend their efforts on business strategy and innovation rather than fighting red tape.”
To address identified areas of need for entrepreneurs and small business owners across the commonwealth, Secretary Davin demonstrated the PA Business One-Stop Shop, a tool to assist potential business owners with planning a business, registration and permitting, hiring employees, and funding and technical assistance. For entrepreneurs looking to start a business, the PA Business One-Stop Shop consolidates information from many agencies into one easy-to-use website, and any questions can be directed to a single phone number that provides one-on-one customer service by phone. It is intended to take the guesswork out of many business operations and procedures, and serves as an equalizer for any who want to start and run a business in Pennsylvania.
“Expert advice, financial and technical support, and proven networks are crucial for tech-based entrepreneurs,” said Chad Paul, President and CEO of the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania. “The right information at the right time can make the difference between success and failure for early-stage firms.”
The roundtable discussion enabled the innovators to share with the secretary their experiences with the support provided by the commonwealth, including technical and financial support through Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as the challenges the business owners have faced and how they have overcome those challenges.
Panelists included:
Paul Aemisegeo, President, PayrollMart, www.payrollmart.com
Joe Cellucci, President, Xverity, http://www.xverity.com/
Kyle Flanigan, CEO, US Specialty Formulations, www.usspecialtyformulations.com
Mike Hoerres, CEO, Cernostics, www.cernostics.com
Tom Stine, CEO, Viddler, www.viddler.com
Kevin Turcotte, President and CEO, Universal Cross-Connection Control, http://universalccc.com/
Phil Williams, President, Game Face Grooming, www.gamefacegrooming.com
Ben Franklin TechVentures is a high-tech workspace and community for early-stage companies and was launched by the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, one of four regionally-based DCED-funded Ben Franklin Technology Partners that provides early-stage firms and established manufacturers with funding, business and technical expertise, and access to a network of innovative, expert resources. Since 1983, the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania has created 18,056 new jobs, retained 31,840 existing jobs, and started 511 new companies.
The PA Business One-Stop Shop can be found at business.pa.gov. For more information about the Wolf Administration’s commitment to helping businesses grow and thrive, visit the DCED website or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.
Coverage via Morning Call: https://bit.ly/2IzXz1k; Lehigh Valley Live: https://bit.ly/2Kt3B5M; Lehigh Valley Business: https://bit.ly/2Kzg1fT
