Clarion University SBDC Knowledgebase

Disaster Recovery Assistance - Main Page

2011-09-21T11:04:00.005-04:00

Information, links, resources, and research pertaining to small business disaster recovery issues.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2011-09-21
Revised: 2011-11-16

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Small Business Disaster Recovery Assistance
PASBDC Small Business Disaster Recovery Programs, PASBDC
PASBDC Small Business Flood Recovery Assistance, PASBDC
Google Search: small business disaster recovery assistance

Industry Analysis - Wine Industry

2011-05-24T12:33:00.003-04:00

Includes industry information, links, resources, and research for the wine industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2011-05-24
Revised: 2011-05-24

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SIC# 2084 Wines, brandy, and brandy spirits
NAICS# 312130 Wineries

Wine Industry
Small Winery Investmentand Operating Costs, Washington State University Extension, 2005
2010-2011 State of the Wine Industry, Silicon Valley Bank, 2010
Google Search: starting small winery
Google Search: united states wine industry analysis

Selling My Business - Main Page

2011-05-17T10:16:00.002-04:00

Information pertaining to business valuation and other information pertaining to selling your business.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2011-05-17
Revised: 2011-05-17

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Business Valuation
Basic Business Valuation, Lorraine M. Smith, ASA and Thomas B. Smith, ASA, March 9, 2000
Valuation Concepts, Clarion University Small Business Development Center, October, 2004
The Business Valuation Process: Buying/Selling A Business, Mark Stover, University of Wisconsin SBDC, 1999

Google Search: business valuation methods

Industry Analysis - Construction Industry

2011-04-01T12:18:00.003-04:00

Includes industry information, links, resources, and research for the residential and commercial construction and remodeling industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2011-04-01
Revised: 2011-04-06

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SIC# 152 General contractors-residential buildings
SIC# 153 Operative builders
SIC# 154 General building contractors-nonresidential buildings
SIC# 161 Highway and street construction contractors, except elevated highways
SIC# 162 Heavy construction, except highway and street construction
SIC# 17 Construction-Special trade contractors

General Construction Industry
Manufacturing & Construction Statistics, US Census Bureau
The Economic Impact of Construction in the United States, AGC of America, March 4, 2011
UDA ConstructionSuite 2011: Estimating and project management software for the construction industry.
Google Search: United States Construction Industry

Residential Construction and Remodeling Industry
US Residential Construction Market Outlook, Construction Suppliers & News, September 2010
Google Search: United States Residential Building Industry

Commercial Construction Industry
US Manufacturing Races While Construction Sags, NY Times, March 1, 2011
Google Search: United States Commercial Construction Industry

Marcellus Shale And My Business - Main Page

2011-02-13T23:31:00.125-05:00

The Clarion University Small Business Development Center provides small business consulting and training to new and existing businesses in the following region: Armstrong County, Cameron County, Clarion County, Clearfield County, Elk County, Forest County, McKean County, Potter County and Venango County. The heart of the Marcellus Shale natural gas formation is located in this region and growth in employment, new small business start-ups, and existing business expansion has been the result. This blog post is a one-stop Marcellus Industry web resource that provides entrepreneurs with: assisting organizations contacts, general industry information, drilling and rig activity, environmental considerations, future natural gas markets, landowner legal issues, and workforce development and training.

Main Table of Contents
Local Assistance
State Assistance
Federal Assistance
General Information
Drilling Rig Activity

Environmental Considerations
Best Industry Practices
Natural Gas Markets
Leasing Royalties Legal
Workforce Development Training
Jobs Employment Careers

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2011-02-14
Revised: 2011-05-31

Organizations with Marcellus Shale Information and/or Assistance

Local
Clarion University Small Business Development Center
330 North Point Drive Suite 100
Clarion PA 16214-3873
Phone: (814) 393-2060
Toll Free: 1 (877) 292-1843
Fax: (814) 393-2636
Email: sbdc@clarion.edu
Website: http://www.clarion.edu/sbdc/
Blog: Clarion SBDC Knowledgebase Blog
Facebook: Join Our Facebook
Directions: Gregory Barnes Center for Biotechnology Business Development
Hours of Operation: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm | Monday through Friday

Assistance: The Clarion University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides entrepreneurs with the education, information and tools necessary to build successful businesses. The Clarion University SBDC has assisted over 70 preventure and existing business clients that are directly or indirectly involved in the marcellus shale gas industry.

Publications: Marcellus Shale And My Business: Clarion University SBDC, March 2011
Marcellus Shale Gas Industry Facts: Clarion University SBDC, May 2010

Clarion Area Chamber of Business and Industry
21 North 6th Avenue
Clarion PA 16214
Phone: (814) 226-9161
Fax: (814) 226-4903
Email: info@clarionpa.com
Website: http://www.clarionpa.com/

Assistance: The Clarion Area Chamber of Business and Industry assists new and existing Clarion County businesses with locating their business and other general business issues. Marcellus Page

State
Marcellus Shale Coalition
4000 Town Center Boulevard Suite 310
Canonsburg PA 15317
Phone: (724) 745-0100
Fax: (724) 745-0600
Website: http://marcelluscoalition.org/

Assistance: This website provides general information about the Marcellus Shale industry including the production process, leasing information, exploration testing, and the drilling process. It also details their concern with communities, protecting the environment and the restoration of drilling sites. In addition, the site contains a library and a newsroom with the latest information in the industry and has a link to explore job opportunities within the industry. Marcellus Shale Coalition Members, Marcellus Shale Library

Natural Gas Forum For Landowners
236 Equinunk Creek Road
Lakewood PA 18439
Phone: (570) 798.0122
Webmail: http://www.pagaslease.com/contacts.php
Website: http://www.pagaslease.com/

Assistance: The Natural Gas Forum For Landowners' mission is to provide landowners with the information they need to make wise decisions about negotiating natural gas, oil and mineral leases. Article Archives

Penn State Cooperative Extention
College of Agricultural Sciences
201 Agricultural Administration Building
University Park PA 16802
Phone: (814) 865-2541
Website: http://extension.psu.edu/

Assistance: Penn State Extension offers practical how-to education and problem-solving assistance based on university research. We strive to help people make informed decisions to better their lives, businesses, and communities. Natural Gas and Marcellus Shale, Find Your Extention Office

Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research (MCOR)
Earth and Environmental Systems Institute (EESI)
320 Earth-Engineering Sciences (EES) Building
University Park PA 16802
Phone: (814) 865-1587
Fax: (814) 865-3191
Email: marcellus@psu.edu
Website: http://www.marcellus.psu.edu/

Assistance: The Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research (MCOR) is Penn State's education and research initiative on unconventional gas plays. We serve state agencies, elected and appointed officials, communities, landowners, industry, environmental groups and other stakeholders. We are committed to expanding research capabilities on technical aspects of developing this resource and to providing science-based programming while protecting the Commonwealth's water resources, forests and transportation infrastructure. Article Archives

Publications: Environmental Aspects of Marcellus Natural Gas Development in Pennsylvania: Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research, Dave Yoxtheimer PG, January 18, 2011

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey
3240 Schoolhouse Road
Middletown PA 17057
Phone: (717) 702-2017
Fax: (717) 702-2065
Webmail: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/about/georgelfb.aspx
Website: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/about/index.aspx

Assistance: To serve the citizens of Pennsylvania by collecting, preserving, and disseminating impartial information on the Commonwealth's geology, geologic resources, and topography in order to contribute to the understanding, wise use, and conservation of its land and included resources. Marcellus Page

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Oil & Gas Management
Rachel Carson State Office Building
PO Box 8765
Harrisburg PA 17105-8765
Phone: (717) 772-2199
Fax: (717) 772-2291
Website: http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/minres/oilgas/oilgas.htm

Assistance: This website contains fact sheets about Marcellus Shale, information about permits needed for drilling wells by county, and a well drilling fee calculator. In addition, you can find an Oil and Gas Operator’s Manual at this site. Marcellus Page

Publications: Marcellus Shale Gas General Information, Craig Lobins, Regional Manager, Oil & Gas Program, January 2011

Pennsylvania Economy League of Southwestern Pennsylvania
11 Stanwix Street, 17th Floor
Pittsburgh PA 15222-1312
Phone: (412) 281-1890
Fax: (412) 281-1896
Email: pcynar@alleghenyconference.org
Website: http://www.alleghenyconference.org/PEL/Default.asp

Assistance: This website contains archived materials regarding Marcellus Shale, such as the report on the Economic Impact of the Oil and Gas Industry in Pennsylvania. Archived Materials

Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association (PIOGA)
115 VIP Drive Suite 210
Northridge Office Plaza II
Wexford PA 15090-7906
Phone: (724) 933-7306
Fax: (724) 933-7310
Webmail: http://www.pioga.org/contact/
Webiste: http://www.pioga.org/

Assistance: PIOGA will be recognized as the leading Appalachian oil and gas trade association, promoting an environment favorable to the growth of the industry and developing Pennsylvania as an attractive state for oil and gas investment.

Publications: Producing Energy, Jobs and Opportunity For PA, Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association, Lou D’Amico, President & Executive Director, Januray 2011

Pennsylvania Landowners’ Association, Inc. (PLA)
PO Box 391
Waterford PA 16441
Phone: (814) 796-4023
Fax: (814) 796-1434
Email: info@palandowners.org
Website: http://palandowners.org/

Assistance: The Pennsylvania Landowners’ Association (PLA) is committed to protecting property rights and land use while encouraging responsible environmental stewardship.

Shale Gas Innovation and Commercialization Center
Bill Hall, Director
Phone: (814) 863-4881
Email: billhall@rrto.psu.edu
Website: http://www.sgicc.org/

Federal
American Gas Association (AGA)
400 North Capitol Street NW
Washington DC 20001
Phone: (202) 824-7000
Website: http://www.aga.org/

Assistance: AGA advocates on behalf of its members in both federal and state regulatory arenas.

AGA Search: Marcellus

America's Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA)
1201 New York Avenue NW Suite 1110
Washington DC 20005
Phone: (202) 789.2642
Email: info@anga.us
Website: http://www.anga.us/

Assistance: America's Natural Gas Alliance exists to promote the economic, environmental and national security benefits of greater use of clean, abundant, domestic natural gas. We represent 30 of North America's largest independent natural gas exploration and production companies and the leading developers of the shale plays now transforming the clean energy landscape.

ANGA Search: Marcellus

American Petroleum Institute (API)
1220 L Street NW
Washington DC 20005-4070
Phone (202) 682-8000
Webmail: http://www.api.org/contactus.cfm
Website: http://www.api.org/

Assistance: The American Petroleum Institute (API) is the only national trade association that represents all aspects of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Our more than 400 corporate members, from the largest major oil company to the smallest of independents, come from all segments of the industry. They are producers, refiners, suppliers, pipeline operators and marine transporters, as well as service and supply companies that support all segments of the industry.

API Search: Marcellus

EnergyInDepth
Email: energyindepth@energyindepth.org
Website: http://www.energyindepth.org/
Natural Gas Data By State: http://www.energyindepth.org/multimedia/

Assistance: America’s natural gas and oil producers, the majority of which are small, independent businesses with less than 12 employees are committed to strengthening America through the safe, responsible and environmentally-friendly development of domestic energy resources. Together, we’re working to keep energy affordable here at home, creating new jobs and minimizing our dangerous dependence on foreign oil.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, NE
Washington DC 20426
Phone: (866) 208-3372
Email: customer@ferc.gov
Website: http://www.ferc.gov/

Assistance: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulates interstate transmission of oil, natural gas, and electricity.

FERC Search: Marcellus

Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA)
1201 15th Street NW Suite 300
Washington DC 20005
Phone: (202) 857-4722
Fax: (202) 857-4799
Website: http://www.ipaa.org/

Assistance: IPAA is a national trade association headquartered in Washington, D.C. It serves as an informed voice for the exploration and production segment of the industry, and advocates its members' views before the U.S. Congress, the Administration and federal agencies. IPAA provides economic and statistical information about the domestic exploration and production industry. IPAA also develops investment symposia and other opportunities for its members.

IPAA Search: Marcellus

Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC)
Mailing Address:
PO Box 53127
Oklahoma City OK 73152
Location Address:
900 NE 23rd Street
Oklahoma City OK 73105
Phone: (405) 525-3556
Fax: (405) 525-3592
Email: iogcc@iogcc.state.ok.us
Website: http://www.iogcc.state.ok.us/

Assistance: The Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission advocates improving the way America operates through environmentally sound energy sources. Their website contains information on issues such as states’ rights, national energy policy, and various publications.

IOGCC Search: Marcellus

National Association of Royalty Owners (NARO)
15 West 6th Street Suite 2626
Tulsa OK 74119
Phone: (918) 794-1660
Toll Free: 1 (800) 558-0557
Fax: (918) 794-1662
Email: naro@naro-us.org
National Website: http://www.naro-us.org/
Pennsylvania Website: http://www.naro-us.org/Pennsylvania

Assistance: The National Association of Royalty Owners remains the only national organization promoting the rights, responsibilities and the definitions of citizens who own the natural resources in our country.

State Review of Oil & Natural Gas Environmental Regulations (STRONGER)
Ground Water Protection Council
13308 North MacArthur Blvd
Oklahoma City OK 73142
Phone: (405) 516-4972
Fax: (405) 516-4973
Email: mnickolaus@gwpc.org
Website: http://www.strongerinc.org/
State Reviews: http://www.strongerinc.org/reviews/reviews.asp

Assistance: This organization is designed to assist states in reviewing and documenting the environmental impacts of drilling processes. One item of particular interest on their website is the September 2010 Pennsylvania Hydraulic Fracturing State Review.

United States Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue SW
Washington DC 20585
Phone: (202) 586-5000
Fax: (202) 586-4403
Email: the.secretary@hq.doe.gov
Website: http://www.energy.gov/

Assistance: The mission of the Department of Energy is to ensure America's security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.

US DOE Search: Marcellus

United States Energy Information Administration
1000 Independence Avenue SW
Washington DC 20585
Phone: (202) 586-8800
Email: infoctr@eia.gov
Website: http://www.eia.doe.gov/

Assistance: The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment.

US EIA Search: Marcellus

Marcellus Shale Industry Articles, Resources, Information, and Links
An Emerging Giant: Prospects and Economic Impacts of Developing the Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Play: August 5, 2009 (pdf)
Derrick, Oil City, Venango County, Marcellus Shale Page
Drilling For Dollars: Economic Impact of Barnett Shale in Texas, The Perryman Group, 2008
Energy Boomtowns & Natural Gas: Implications for Marcellus Shale Local Governments & Rural Communities, Penn State Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, January 2009
FracTracker: Tracking the impacts of the natural gas industry - Piloting in the Marcellus Shale region.
GOMarcellusShale.com: Allows landowners, workers, and anybody involved in the Marcellus Shale industry to communicatee without being forced fed information certain entitities would like for us to consume and believe. This website provides us a platform to share information. A place to connect. And most importantly, a way to have a real voice in how this shale play, from New York to Ohio to West Virginia to Pennsylvania, develops.
List of gas companies, Penn State Cooperative Extention
List of service businesses related to the gas industry, Penn State Cooperative Extention
Marcellus Education & Training Center: Marcellus Shale Workforce Needs Assessment, Northern Tier (NTRPDC), Summer 2009
Marcellus Education Fact Sheet: Pennsylvania’s Gas Rush: Issues, Opportunities, and Education, Penn State College of Agricultural Science, 2008
Marcellus Education Fact Sheet: Marcellus Shale Exploration and Development: Organizing a Community Task Force, Penn State College of Agricultural Science, 2008
Marcellus Education Fact Sheet: Questions Citizens and Local Leaders Should Be Asking, Penn State College of Agricultural Science, 2009
Marcellus in the News Update, The Empowered Municipality, 8/6/2010
MarcellusFacts.com, 8/16/2008
Marcellus Shale: The Economic, Environmental and Social Issues (YouTube), WPSU TV, 2011
Marcellus Shale: What Local Government Officials Need to Know, Penn State College of Agricultural Science, 2008
Marcellus Shale Coalition Library, Marcellus Shale Coalition
Marcellus Shale Coalition Quarterly Magazine, Marcellus Shale Coalition: Current and past editions.
Marcellus Shale Fast Facts, PA Dept of Labor & Industry, Updated Monthly
Marcellus Shale Formation, Penn State Live, 1/17/2008
Marcellus Shale Gas Industry Facts, Clarion University SBDC, May 2010
Marcellus Shale Industry Snapshot April 2010 (pdf), PA Center for Workforce Info & Stats, April 2010
Marcellus Shale Natural Gas: Study Guide 1: From the Ground to the Customer, League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, 2009
Marcellus Shale Publications, Penn State Cooperative Extension
Marcellus Shale terms you need to know, Centre Daily Times, February 11, 2011
Natural Gas Exploration: A Landowner's Guide to Financial Management, Penn State College of Agricultural Science, 2009
NFG to construct 82 mile pipleline in western PA, National Fuel Gas Company, February 2010 (pdf)
Pennsylvania's Gas Rush (YouTube), WPSU TV, 2011
PickensPlan: America is blessed with the world's greatest wind power corridor and enormous reserves of clean natural gas. The Pickens Plan utilizes these tremendous resources to build a bridge to the future, a blueprint to reduce foreign oil dependence by harnessing domestic energy alternatives and buying time for us to develop even greater new technologies and distribution systems.
Pipeline: Your Marcellus Shale Community: Learn, See, Share, Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Playing Marcellus, Pennsylvania Business Central: Central Pennsylvania news concerning marcellus shale industry.
Potential Economic Impacts of Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, The Perryman Group, 2010
ShaleBiz.com was created to facilitate opportunities among those involved in the business of shale. From the mineral owner to the pipeline, for every well drilled, there are a host of individuals making shale energy production happen. This site provides a marketing & SEO tool for those seeking an edge in a highly competetive industry.
Shale Gas: Global game changer, Dallas Parker, PennEnergy, 2011
Some tips for doing business with Marcellus Shale firms, Anya Litvak, Pittsburgh Business Times, May 3, 2010
The Economic Impact of the Oil and Gas Industry in Pennsylvania, PA Economy League of SW PA, November 2008
The Economic Impacts of the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Play: An Update, Marcellus Shale Coalition, May 24, 2010
The Marcellus Shale: How your company could get in on the action, Anya Litvak, Pittsburgh Business Times, April 29, 2010
Trenton Black River Natural Gas Formation, WikiMarcellus, November 2010
Utica Shale - The Natural Gas Giant Below the Marcellus?, geology.com, 2011
Venango County Marcellus Shale First Gas Well Video
Who is Marcellus and What is Pennsylvania Doing with his Shale?, insidePOLICY, Pennsylvania Business Council, July 2010
Where is 'realist' position on Marcellus Shale drilling?, pennlive.com, March 25, 2011
Why does Marcellus Shale hold so much natural gas?, James R. Ladlee, Lock Haven PA Express, December 23, 2010
Google Search: Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Opportunities

Drilling Permit and Rig Activity Reports (Pennsylvania)
Includes permits issued by Month by Pennsylvania County by Well Type, Permits Issued By County Detail, New Wells Drilled By Month (Spud Report), and Miscellaneous Reports. At the bottom of the page there are links for prior years data. Under Permits Issued By County Detail Report, there is a report titled: Permits Issued by Operator with location information which provides information pertaining to active energy drillers by county.
2011 Permit & Rig Activity Reports (PA DEP)
2010 Permit & Rig Activity Reports (PA DEP)
2009 Permit & Rig Activity Reports (PA DEP)
2008 Permit & Rig Activity Reports (PA DEP)

Environmental Considerations
Assessment of the Greenhouse Gas Footprint of Natural Gas from Shale Formations Obtained by High-Volume, Slick-Water Hydraulic Fracturing, Robert W. Howarth and David R. Atkinson, Cornell University, January 26, 2011
Closed-loop systems: Innovative way to dispose of Marcellus drilling debris, Andrew Maykuth, Philadelphia Inquirer, February 13, 2011
Drilling Down into NY Times Story on Wastewater, Marcellus Shale Coalition, February 28, 2011
Evaluation of Impacts to Underground Sources of Drinking Water by Hydraulic Fracturing of Coalbed Methane Reservoirs: National Study Final Report, EPA, June 2004
Expert Says Marcellus Drillers Reusing Two-Thirds of Water, NGI's Shale Daily, March 23, 2011
Federal EPA Releases Plan to Study Hydraulic Fracturing - Study’s Conclusions Won’t be Ready until 2014, Marcellus Drilling News, February 2011
Hydraulic fracturing and the Marcellus Shale (Video), Cornell University, April 2010: This is a video of a committee meeting at Cornell University. The committee was charged with deciding whether or not to lease the University’s land for the purpose of Marcellus Shale drilling. Students, faculty, and community members present their views to the committee.
Hydraulic Fracturing Marcellus Shale, Chesapeake Energy Company, April 2011
Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission: out of balance?, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, March 13, 2011
Marcellus waste reports muddy, Laura Legere, thetimes-tribune.com, February 27, 2011
Marcellus Water Issue Overrated, Pennsylvania Official Says, NGI's Shale Daily, March 21, 2011
No Fracking Way: Gasland vs. Shale Gas, Eric Wesoff, greentechmedia, February 2, 2011
PAGasDirectory.com: provides information about upcoming natural gas seminars, in addition to allowing businesses to advertise to easily reach gas workers and their families.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Marcellus Shale Page, PA DEP
PSU Warns of Marcellus Shale’s Effect on Wildlife, Altoona Mirror, March 25, 2011
Water Use in Marcellus Deep Shale Gas Exploration, Chesapeake Energy Company, July 2010
Google Search: +"marcellus shale" +environment

Best Industry Practices: Safer, New, and Innovative Gas Production Technologies
Chief Oil & Gas Moves All Operations to Closed Loop Drilling, Chief Oil & Gas LLC
Hydraulic Fracturing Operations - Well Construction and Integrity Guidelines, American Petroleum Insitute, Ooctober 2009
Oil & Gas Production Best Practices, Oil & Gas Accountability Project, EarthWorks

Future Natural Gas Markets
General Natural Gas Markets
Natural Gas: A Workhorse in Waiting for Pennsylvania, Marcellus Shale Coalition, April 2011

Compressed Natural Gas
Natural Gas Vehicle Facts, Equitable Gas Company, March 2011
What Is Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Equitable Gas Company, March 2011
CNG Stations and Prices for the US, Canada, and Europe
Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center, US Dept of Energy
Google Search: compressed natural gas vehicle
Google Search: compressed natural gas uses

Local Compressed Natural Gas Industry Supplier
Vivian Sabatini
Senior Account Manager, Marketing & Sales
Equitable Gas Company
225 North Shore Drive
Pittsburgh PA 15212
Phone: (412) 395-2620
Fax: (412) 395-3507
Email: vsabatini@equitablegas.com
Website: http://www.equitablegas.com/

Electric Power Generating Plants
The Future: Natural Gas, Energy.gov
Google Search: future for natural gas and electric power

Landowners: Leasing, Royalties, Taxes, and Other Legal Issues
Forecast of the Potential Impact of Increased Royalty Income on the Pennsylvania Economy, 2008-2011, Penn State Workforce Education & Development Initiative, June 19, 2008
Landowners Wealth Management Directory: The purpose of our directory is to provide you with basic information about the management of the income you receive from leasing land and royalty payments.
Legal Brief: Intro to Gas Company Contracts Involving Work in the Marcellus Shale Region, Woolford Law PC, Timothy J. Woolford, Esq., March 2011
Legal symposium addresses community concerns and questions about Marcellus shale, Clarion University of PA, March 23, 2011
Natural Gas Exploration: A Landowner's Guide to Leasing Land in Pennsylvania, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, 2008
Natural Gas Leasing: Understand what you are signing, Ron Stamets, January 19, 2009, Natural Gas Forum For Landowners
Penn State drills down to project natural gas royalties, Penn State Live, June 23, 2008
Shale commission to make debut, Scranton Times Tribune, March 25, 2011
Who owns the natural gas?, Ben Wolfgang, republicanherald.com, February 9, 2011
Google Search: "natural gas lease" +cooperative +group

Marcellus Shale Industry Workforce Development and Training
Formal Training
Clarion University - Venango Campus: Department of Applied Technology, Associate of Applied Science in Industrial Technology, Program Major: Natural Gas Technology
Clearfield County Career and Technology Center: Offers 6 week program: Commercial Driver Training with Preparation for the Oil and Gas Industry.
Clarion University of PA, College of Arts and Sciences, Anthropology, Geography, & earth Science, Environmental Geoscience/Geology
Penn State University, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Energy and Mineral Engineering
Venango Technology Center: Natural Resources: Secondary education program for high school students pursuing a career in the oil and gas industry.
Google Search: marcellus shale job training

Articles and Websites
Jobs, Revenue and Opportunity for the Commonwealth, Marcellus Shale Coalition, June 2010
Marcellus Works: is a bold, new initiative introduced by House Republicans that is designed to secure Pennsylvania's energy future and create thousands of new jobs by creating incentives for the use of the clean natural gas which is plentiful under Pennsylvania's large Marcellus Shale formation.
Producing Energy, Jobs and Opportunity For PA, Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association, Lou D’Amico, President & Executive Director, January 2011
Students Train For Jobs In Marcellus Shale Drilling Industry, wjactv.com, February 9, 2011
Summary of Pennsylvania’s Six Workforce Investment Areas with Significant Marcellus Shale Activity, Northern Tier Regional Planning & Development Commission, 2011
Workforce Discussion of Marcellus Shale and and Pennsylvania's Northern Tier, Sue Mukherjee, Center for Workforce Information & Analysis, Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, June 2011

Workshops, Events, Webinars, and Online Training
Marcellus Shale Industry Emergency Training & Resources, PA Office of the State Fire Commissioner
Northwestern Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Showcase
Training: Register for 'Your Business & Marcellus Shale' seminar, Penn State Center for Business and Workforce Development
Your Business and Marcellus Shale (Webinars), Penn State Cooperative Extension: a series of five weekly webinars for small and medium sized businesses and entrepreneurs, designed to help them understand and take advantage of the business opportunities arising from Marcellus Shale.
Your Business and Marcellus Shale: Voices of Experience (Webinars), Penn State Cooperative Extension: a series of four weekly webinars for business owners and entrepreneurs to help them understand and take advantage of the business opportunities arising from the development of Marcellus Shale.
Your Business and Marcellus Shale: Building Business Connections (Webinars), Penn State Cooperative Extension: a series of six bi-monthly webinars for business owners and entrepreneurs highlighting successful businesses who are adapting to the opportunities. They share their stories to help other businesses learn how they can explore and take advantage of these opportunities.
Google Search: marcellus shale webinars

Jobs, Employment, and Careers
Jobs In Demand, PA Oil & Gas Association
Find a Job: Marcellus Shale Coalition
Find a Job: MarcellusShaleJobs.com: National marcellus shale industry job search database
Find a Job, PA CareerLink
Google Search: marcellus shale jobs +pennsylvania

Taxes For My Business - Federal 2010

2010-11-16T12:59:00.009-05:00

This is information pertaining to new federal tax laws and regulations that affect small businesses for their 2010 federal tax returns.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-11-16
Revised: 2010-11-16

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Go Back to Federal Taxes

2010 Federal Tax Law and Regulation Updates

2010 Tax Year: Small Business Tax Breaks
The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, signed by President Obama on September,
27, includes a bevy of tax breaks for small business owners. Here are the highlights:

Higher expensing for Section 179
For tax years beginning in 2010 and 2011, your business can immediately write off up to $500,000 of qualifying assets (including purchased software). The new $500,000 maximum allowance doubles the previous $250,000 maximum deduction.

More good news: The threshold for the Section 179 deduction phase-out rule jumps from $800,000 to $2 million, for tax years beginning in 2010 and 2011. Therefore, bigger businesses are now eligible for Section 179 deductions.

In addition, for tax years beginning in 2010 and 2011, up to $250,000 of qualified real property costs (for eligible buildings and improvements) can be deducted under Section 179. Before the new law, real property costs did not qualify for Section 179 deductions.

Bonus depreciation reinstated
The new law retroactively reinstates 50% first-year bonus depreciation for qualifying new (not used) assets placed in service by Dec. 31, 2010. This tax break expired after 2009, but it's now been resurrected for qualified assets placed in service by year-end.

Qualified small business stock (QSBS) exclusion increases
Previously, you could exclude up to 75% of the gain from QSBS acquired between February 18, 2009, and December 31, 2010, if you held the stock more than five years. The new law increases the potential gain exclusion to 100% for QSBS acquisitions made between September 28, 2010, and December 31, 2010. For such shares, the new law also removes the QSBS gain exclusion from the list of items that count as income for alternative minimum tax (AMT) purposes.

BIG tax whittled down to five years
When a C corporation converts to an S corporation, it may be liable for a "built-in gains" (BIG) tax on gains recognized in its first 10 years of operation.

First, the 10-year recognition period was reduced to seven years for built-in gains recognized in tax years beginning in 2009 and 2010.

Now, the new law cuts the recognition period down to five years for gains recognized in tax years beginning in 2011.

Maximum deduction for start-ups doubles
The new law increases the maximum deduction for qualified start-up expenditures to $10,000 for tax years beginning in 2010 (up from $5,000). The threshold for the start-up deduction phase-out rule increases from $50,000 to $60,000 for tax years beginning in 2010. For tax years beginning in 2011and beyond, the prior limits are schedu1ed to return.

Small business AMT offset
Normally, general business credits can't offset the AMT. But the new law allows eligible small businesses an AMT offset for general business credits arising in tax years beginning
2010. Also, eligible small businesses can carry back general business credits arising in tax years beginning in 2010 for up to five years. www.SmaIlBizTax.net

Special one-year health insurance deduction
For 2010 only, a self-employed individual can reduce his or her self-employment income by deductible health insurance premiums when calculating the self-employment tax.

Cell phone record-keeping relaxed
Cell phones and similar devices used for business will no longer be subject to super strict record keeping requirements for business versus personal use. This favorable change is retroactive to tax years beginning after 2009.

Retirement account transfers just got easier
Several provisions help facilitate transfers from 401(k), 403(b) and 457 retirement plans to designated Roth accounts.

Caution: The law also contains a tax bugaboo
Starting in 2011, taxpayers with income from rental real estate will generally have to file form 1099 information returns with the IRS whenever any service provider is paid $600 or more during the year. Starting in 2012, 1099s will generally have to be filed whenever any party is paid $600 or more during the year. Each payee that receives over $600 must be sent a copy of the Form 1099 sent to the IRS.

Other Information, Resources, and Links
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Information Center (IRS)
Google Search: 2010 federal tax law updates +small business

Clean Technology Development and Assistance Main Page

2010-11-04T11:56:00.007-04:00

These are contacts, resources, information, and links that will assist existing businesses or entrepreneurs in developing clean technology in their businesses.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-11-03
Revised: 2010-11-03

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Clean Technology Assistance

PASBDC Technology Commercialization Assistance
Center For Technology Transfer (Penn State DuBois)
New Product/Service Assistance - Main Page
Technology Commercialization Assistance - Main Page

Clean Technology Resource Center (CTRC)
The Pennsylvania State University
Penn State University Small Business Development Center
David Jordan
Business Consultant
The 329 Building, Suite 417
University Park PA 16802-7013
Phone: (814) 865-1862 or (814) 863-4293
Fax: (814) 865-6667
Email: daj7@psu.edu
Penn State SBDC Website: http://sbdc.psu.edu/
PASBDC Website: http://www.pasbdc.org/index/services/cleantech.asp
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

It is highly recommended that if you are interested in developing a new product or technology to contact your local Small Business Development Center first to complete a preliminary accessment to help determine your technology needs. Find a local SBDC in your area: http://www.pasbdc.org/index/resources/locations.asp

PASBDC Clean Technology Resource Center Helpful Resources
PASBDC Clean Technology Resource Center Services
Clean Technology Webinars
Clean Technology Resource Center Brochure (pdf)
Clean Technology Resource Center Program & Industry Overview (Power Point)
Clean Technology Resource Center Product Assessment Form (pdf)
Google Search: Clean Technology Assistance

Other Information, Links, and Resources
The Innovation Partnership (PA DCED)

Technology Commercialization Assistance - Main Page

2010-11-04T10:37:00.010-04:00

Buying/Purchasing Existing Business - Main Page

2010-10-19T10:28:00.004-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to purchasing an existing business.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-10-19
Revised: 2010-10-19

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Buying/Purchasing Existing Business

Buying a Business: Due Diligence Checklist (FindLaw)
Buying a Business (SBA)
Google Search: Buying a Business
Google Search: Purchasing Existing Business

Other Related Articles, Links, and Information

Non-Profit Businesses & Charitable Organizations

2010-10-08T14:56:00.003-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to non-profit businesses and charitable organizations.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-10-08
Revised: 2010-10-08

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Non-profit Businesses

Charitable Organizations
Pennsylvania Bureau of Charitable Organizations

Other Related Articles, Links, and Information

Advertising & Promotion - Email Marketing

2010-08-03T15:00:00.005-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's email marketing strategy.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-08-03
Revised: 2010-08-03

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Marketing My Business - Advertising & Promotion

Emailing as a part of your Marketing Strategy
Email Marketing Metrics Report July 2010 (mailermailer)
Email Marketing Best Practices pdf (L-Soft)
Google Search: email marketing tips

Other Related Articles, Links, and Information
Computers For My Business - Email Mining The Web
Computers For My Business - Avoid Being Blacklisted

Industry Analysis - Cleaning

2010-07-16T10:54:00.008-04:00

This is information and web links pertaining to the building Cleaning, janitorial, and maintenance services Industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Publish Date: 2010-07-16
Revised: 2010-07-16

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Building Cleaning, Janitorial, and Maintenance Services

Industry Analysis: Commercial & Residential Cleaning Services (SBDCNet)
Sample Business Plan (pdf) (Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center)
Google Search: Commercial Residential Cleaning Service Industry

Hiring & Firing - HIRE Act

2010-07-13T12:03:00.006-04:00

Information, resources, and links pertaining to the newly legislated Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, enacted March 18, 2010.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-07-13
Revised: 2010-07-13

Table of Contents
Employees/Human Resources - Hiring & Firing

Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act

Under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, enacted March 18, 2010, two new tax benefits are available to employers who hire certain previously unemployed workers ("qualified employees").

The first, referred to as the payroll tax exemption, provides employers with an exemption from the employer’s 6.2 percent share of social security tax on wages paid to qualifying employees, effective for wages paid from March 19, 2010 through December 31, 2010.

In addition, for each qualified employee retained for at least 52 consecutive weeks, businesses will also be eligible for a general business tax credit, referred to as the new hire retention credit, of 6.2 percent of wages paid to the qualified employee over the 52 week period, up to a maximum credit of $1,000.

HIRE Act: Questions and Answers for Employers (IRS)
FAQs About the Payroll Tax Exemption and Qualified Employers (IRS)
FAQs About Qualified Employees (IRS)
FAQs About Claiming the Payroll Exemption (IRS)

Industry Analysis - Tanning Salons

2010-06-14T10:26:00.009-04:00

This is information and web links pertaining to the Tanning Salon Industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Publish Date: 2010-06-14
Revised: 2010-11-05

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Tanning Salons

Industry Analysis: Tanning Salons (SBDCNet)
Google Search: "tanning salon industry"
Google Search: 2010 tanning industry growth
Google Search: IRS ISSUE IR-2010-073
IRS Issues Regulations on 10-Percent Tax on Tanning Services Effective July 1, 2010
IRS Excise Tax on Indoor Tanning Services Frequently Asked Questions
IRS Nine Tips on the 10 Percent Tax on Tanning Services
The Indoor Tanning Market, May 18, 2009 (looking fit)
Indoor Tanning Association (ITA)
Smart Tan

Other Information, Links, and Resources
Beginning 7/1/2010 there will be a 10% tax on tanning services.
Tanning service gift certificates are considered paid when redeemed.
Insurance invoice must include tax.
Complete Form 720, Part II. Pay with voucher 720V or EFTPS. Tax due end of the month every quarter.
Every business must have an EIN to submit the tanning tax.
UV beds are taxable.
Non-UV beds and spray tans are not taxable.
Charges must be recorded separately in order to track this.
Other exemptions are available as well.

Demographic Analysis - Global

2010-05-21T11:25:00.009-04:00

This is the starting point for entrepreneurs or anyone interested in starting, managing, or expanding a business in general to find demographic data for their business industry and target market. The demographic information in this post pertains to specific foreign countries.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-05-21
Revised: 2011-09-20

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Global Demograhic Analysis
World Fact Book (Central Intellgence Agency)
Africa

China

Europe
eurostat

South America

Industry Analysis - Wireless Telecommunications

2010-05-21T10:29:00.007-04:00

This is information and web links pertaining to the Wireless Telecommunications Industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Publish Date: 2010-05-21
Revised: 2010-05-21

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Wireless Telecommunications

Industry Analysis: Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (SBDCNet)
Google Search: US Wireless Telecommunications Industry Outlook

Government Regulation and Compliance - Renovation Contractors

2010-04-23T15:11:00.008-04:00

These are links and information pertaining to the new Federal law that came into effect as of April 2010. Contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-04-23
Revised: 2010-04-23

Table of Contents
Government Regulation and Compliance - Main Page

New Federal Contractor License Required

Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children. To protect against this risk, on April 22, 2008, EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning. Under the rule, beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

Information and Links To Get Licensed
EPA Requirements
Lead, Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program (Final Rule) pdf
Application For Lead Contractor Certification (LIBI-613L) (PA Dept L&I)
Accredited Renovation Training Programs

Other Related Information and Articles
New Contractor Certification May Cost You More (wgal.com)

Computers For My Business - Email Mining The Web

2010-04-15T11:29:00.005-04:00

These are links and information pertaining to mass emailing and website email mining.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-04-15
Revised: 2010-08-11

Table of Contents
Computers For My Business - Main Page

Small businesses that use mass emailing as a marketing tool to target their products and/or services can use software to mine potential customer emails. To mine emails from the Web you can either use MS Excel or purchase an existing email mining/extraction software from a email specialty software vendor.

Using Microsoft Excel 2007 as an Email Miner

Open Internet Explorer
Goto staff webpage of company website you want emails from
Copy url address: use this for an example: http://web.clarion.edu/SBDC/Personnel/default.asp

Block the url address, make it blue, Click and hold [ctrl] and Click [c]

Open Excel 2007
Click Data
Click From Web
In the New Web Query Window, In Address box, Click and hold [ctrl] and Click [v]
The Clarion SBDC staff page url should appear
Click Go
If any error messages come up Click No
You will notice a bunch of yellow arrows on the web page in the Web Query Window
Click the yellow arrow that has the area where the emails are located
It will make a box around the email area that you want
Click Import
All the text in that area will transfer to Excel

You can close the Web Query Window and clean up the excel spread sheet to have only email addresses in the first column (top to bottom) like this:
A1
sopher@clarion.edu
kroth@clarion.edu
.
.
.

You can save this file and use it to import data into a second party email blasting program or copy and paste emails into any email program.

In addition you can develop an Excel macro that automatically cleans the data and leaves only email addresses.

Or you can purchase an email extracting software that will do it for you:

Google Search: email extraction software

Other Related Articles, Information, and Links
Email Marketing Strategy and Tips

Suppliers For My Business - Main Page

2010-01-27T10:22:00.004-05:00

Includes information, links, programs, and resources for assisting small businesses with obtaining equipment, supplies, and inventory.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-01-27
Revised: 2010-01-27

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Suppliers (Main Page)

Supplies and Surpus Operations (PA Dept of General Services)
Pennsylvania's Surplus Property Programs
Surplus Sampler Monthly Newsletter: Contains surplus equipment, supplies, and inventory that the state is offering to sell or auction
Supplies and Surpus Operations Online Forms

Personal Contact Information:
Bureau of Supplies & Surplus Operations
Stuart Mosebey
Data Finance Manager
2221 Forster Street
Room G49
Harrisburg PA 17125
Phone: (717) 787-9038
Toll Free: 1 (800) 235-1555
Fax: (717) 772-2491
Email: smosebey@state.pa.us
Website
Personnel Listing
Organizational Chart

Google Search: "choosing suppliers"

Other Articles and Information
Choosing Suppliers (Inc)
How to Locate Wholesale Suppliers (Small Business Brief)

Employees/Human Resources - Local Consultants

2010-01-22T10:51:00.002-05:00

This is information on local human resource consultants that can help local small businesses on more in-depth large projects.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-01-22
Revised: 2010-01-22

Table of Contents
Employees/Human Resources - Main Page

Human Resource Consultants

To be added in the future when information becomes available

Employees/Human Resources - Leasing Employees

2010-01-22T09:46:00.004-05:00

These are links and information pertaining to leasing employees. Leasing employees is an alternative to hiring and maintaining all the responsibilities of having your own employees. When you lease employees, you usually pay a monthly or per payroll check fee to have the leasing company manage the your employee payroll, benefits, insurances, and payroll tax functions.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2010-01-22
Revised: 2010-01-25

Table of Contents
Employees/Human Resources - Main Page

Leasing Employees

Local Employee Leasing Company
Labor Services, Inc.
Rose Weaver
106 South 2nd Avenue
Suite D
Clarion PA 16214
Phone: (814) 226-6860
Fax: (814) 226-8205
Email: br_pat@usachoice.net
Hours of Operation: Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Fee Schedlule: LSIFeeSchedule.pdf (As of 01-25-2010, Subject to change at LSI's discretion)

Employee Leasing Information and Links
Employee Leasing Pitfalls (Life123)
The Benefits of Employee Leasing (allbusiness.com)
Google Search: employee leasing vs hiring
Google Search: advantages employee leasing

Employees/Human Resources - Unemployment

2009-12-07T10:14:00.008-05:00

These are links and information pertaining to unemployment issues

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-12-07
Revised: 2010-08-05

Table of Contents
Employees/Human Resources - Main Page

Unemployment Issues

Local Unemployment Assistance
Find Your Local CareerLink Office
Find A Job (CareerLink)
Google Search: "western pennsylvania unemployment assistance"

Pennsylvania Unemployment Assistance
Pennsylvania CareerLink Website
Health & Human Services Resource Guide
Pennsylvania Way to Work Program will provide 100 percent gross wage subsidies for private, not-for-profit and public employers that have eligible workers.
Google Search: "pennsylvania unemployment assistance"

Federal Unemployment Assistance
United States Department of Labor
Unemployment Insurance (US DOL)
Google Search: "federal unemployment assistance"

Industry Analysis - Internet Usage - Social Networking

2009-11-05T15:31:00.005-05:00

These are links and information pertaining to the Internet and Social Networking Industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-11-05
Revised: 2009-11-05

Table of Contents
Industry Information - Main Page

Blog Reference: Marketing My Business - Advertising & Promotion

Internet - Social Networking Industry Research
2009 Norton Online Living Report
Download 2009 Norton Online Living Report
Download the 2009 Norton Online Living Report Survey Data

Other Internet and Social Networking Links and Information
Google Search: online living +social +networking

Customer Service For My Business - Main Page

2009-10-02T10:52:00.006-04:00

These sources of information, links, programs, and resources for assisting small businesses with customer service issues.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-10-02
Revised: 2009-10-02

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Customer Service (Main Page)

Customer Service Point
Institute of Customer Service
Google Search: small business customer service

Other Articles and Information
Customer Service - The Lost Art: Christine Manning, September 2009, ezinearticles.com

Money For My Business - Main Page

2009-09-02T14:24:00.009-04:00

These sources of information, links, programs, and resources for obtaining capital to start and expand small businesses.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2006-10-13
Revised: 2011-07-29

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Money For My Business (Main Page)
Angel Investors
Banks
Ben Franklin Program
Commercial Loans (Other)
Export-Import Bank
Factoring (Obtain short-term financing from account receivables and inventory)

Financial Service & Community Development Organizations
Financing Programs - Local City & County Government
Financing Programs - Pennsylvania Government
Financing Programs - US Department of Agriculture
Financing Programs - US Small Business Administration
Financing Programs - Other Federal Programs
Grants
Securities (Offering)

Venture Capital

Disadvantaged In Business - Veterans

2009-08-31T09:53:00.011-04:00

Information, assistance, and links related to veterans in business.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Publish Date: 2009-08-31
Revised: 2011-03-06

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Veteran Business Assistance

Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers
Veteran Business Outreach Center: The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) provides entrepreneurial development services such as business training, counseling and mentoring, and referrals for eligible veterans owning or considering starting a small business. The Pennsylvania SBDC is host to the Federal Region III Veterans Business Outreach Center, also known as the Mid-Atlantic VBOC, serving veterans in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Mid-Atlantic Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC)
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia District Office
Contact: Sharon K. Rogers
3819 Chestnut Street Suite 325
Philadelphia PA 19104
Toll Free: (877) 699-8262
Fax: (215) 573-2135 or (717) 233-4690
Email: skrogers@wharton.upenn.edu or info@vetbizmidatlantic.org
Website: http://www.vetbizmidatlantic.org/

States Covered: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, District of Columbia

VBOC Services for Veterans
Veterans' Frequently Asked Questions
Other Veteran's Resources
Veteran Business Outreach Center Client Release Form

If you are not in the Mid-Atlantic region, Find your local VBOC.

United States Department of Veteran Affairs
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Staff Listing
Small Business Points of Contact Listing
Small Business Programs and Socioeconomic Goals
Veteran Entrepreneurs
Mentor-Protégé Program
Search for Loans, Grants & Financing
Small Business Assistance for Veterans (SBA)
OSDBU Document Library
OSDBU Resource Library
Small Business Advocate Newsletter

United States Small Business Administration (SBA)
Office of Veterans Business Development
Patriot Express Pilot Loan Initiative
Military Reservists Economic Injury Loans
Veterans Business Development Officers
Veterans Business Outreach Program

Other Veteran Owned Business Assistance Links
VeteranOwnedBusiness.com
VeteranOwnedBusiness.com Blog
vetfriends.com
Veteran-Owned Business Doing Business With Department of Defense (DOD)
giveavetachance.com
Google Search: veteran owned business assistance

Industry Analysis - Real Estate

2009-08-21T10:26:00.006-04:00

This is information and web links pertaining to the Real Estate Industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Publish Date: 2009-08-20
Revised: 2009-08-20

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Real Estate

Real Estate Outlook (Prudential Investment Management)

Google Search: US Real Estate Industry Outlook

Government Regulation - Building Occupancy Permits

2009-08-19T15:33:00.005-04:00

This is informationa and web links pertaining to Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code regulations (PA UCC) and Pennsylvania's building occupancy permits.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Publish Date: 2009-08-19
Revised: 2009-08-19

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PA UCC and Building Occupancy Permits

In the past before the passing of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code regulations (PA UCC) the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (PA Dept of L&I) was the government agency directly responsible for receiving applications, approving, assigning, and renewing building occupancy permits to businesses and organizations in Pennsylvania.

Recently, the PA Dept of L&I has given local Pennsylvania municipalities the option of taking the responsibility of inspection, permitting, and enforcement of Pennsylvania building occupancy permits. As a result of the PA UCC, most local municipalities have taken over the responsibility for the inspections and the permits. Many municipalities have a person on staff that does the inspection, permitting, and enforcement of the code or they may contract with a certified third party to do the inspection, permitting, and enforcement of the occupancy permits. Some municipalities have decided not to take on the responsibility from the PA Dept of L&I and chose to keep the PA Dept of L&I as the authority to enforce the codes and issue permits. A list of the municipalities that have either chosen to opt-in or opt-out are listed here by county: county listing.

PA Dept of L&I, UCC Plan Review and Inspection Requirements

For more information, contact:
Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
Phone: (717) 787-3806, Option 1, then Option 8
Fax: (717) 783-5002
Questions faxed over are answered quickly. The phones are at times swamped.

Industry Information - Retail

2009-08-14T11:10:00.004-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to the retail industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-08-14
Revised: 2009-08-14

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Retail Industry

General Retail Information, Articles, and Links
The National Trust Main Street Center
MainStreet News Article Database (MainStreet News)
Great American Main Street Awards

Computers For My Business - Avoid Being Blacklisted

2009-08-07T10:09:00.007-04:00

These are links and information pertaining to mass emailing and the avoidance of being considered a spammer and avoiding being blacklisted.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-08-07
Revised: 2010-08-03

Table of Contents
Computers For My Business - Main Page

People using email sometimes send one email to multiple people or email accounts. If the number of people you send the email to is somewhat large, as many as only 30, the email servers receiving the emails can electronically label the sender of the "mass" emails as a spammer and may blacklist your email account and/or server that you are sending from.

When you are blacklisted your email and/or server or server ip address is blocked from many servers that are subscribed to the blacklist. Meaning the emails you send are not always delivered.

Avoid Being Labeled A Spammer And Avoid Being Blacklisted
The methods described here are not guaranteed to avoid getting blacklisted but have helped avoid blacklisting in the past.

Manual Method: If you have a list of say 100 classmates you want to email a class reunion invitation to: send in groups of 20, 15 minutes apart. This is the least safest way, but is cheap and easy.

Constant Contact: Web based software that manages your email lists and groups and provides the backbone that avoids blacklisting. You import your email addresses to online software database and send them from there. $15 per month for 0-500 addresses. This is a safer method, but costs money and there is a small learning curve.

madmimi: Competitor to Constant Contact. 100 or less email addresses is free. 100 to 500 is $8 per month.

mailchimp: Another web-based email marketing software and database. 100 or less email addresses 6 or less mailings a month is free. 100 to 500 is $10 per month.

listrak: Another web based software that is more robust and more expensive. The website has a nice information and resources center.

Other Related Articles, Information, and Links
Email Marketing Strategy and Tips

Industry Information - Outside The US

2009-07-29T11:18:00.003-04:00

These are links and information pertaining to various industry information and research outside the United States.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-07-29
Revised: 2009-07-29

Table of Contents

Industry Information - Outside The US

Canada
Canada Business
Industry Canada

France (To be published in the future)

Mexico (To be published in the future)

Russia (To be published in the future)

Problems With My Business - Debt Problems

2009-07-15T13:55:00.001-04:00

This is the starting point for business that are having debt problems or issues with paying creditors.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-07-15
Revised: 2009-07-15

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Debt Problems
Corporate Turnaround (ASBDC)

Problems With My Business - Main Page

2009-07-15T13:52:00.004-04:00

This is the starting point for business that are having problems or various issues with their small busineses.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-07-15
Revised: 2009-07-15

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Problems With My Business
Bankruptcy
Debt Problems

Economic Analysis - Global

2009-07-15T09:28:00.009-04:00

This is the starting point for entrepreneurs or anyone interested in starting, managing, or expanding a business in general to find economic data for their business industry and target market. The economic information in this post pertains to all countries and is global in nature.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-07-15
Revised: 2011-09-20

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Global Economic Analysis
World Fact Book (Central Intellgence Agency)
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
OECD Frequently Requested Statistics

By Country

Europe
eurostat

Insurance For My Business - Workers Compensation Insurance

2009-06-17T09:23:00.015-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to workers compensation insurance.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-06-17
Revised: 2011-03-11

Insurance For My Business - Main Page
Goto Table of Contents

Workers Compensation Insurance

Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
Workers' Compensation Underwriting
State Workers' Insurance Fund (SWIF)
Determine Workers’ Compensation Premiums By Industry
Workers’ Compensation SWIF Rates and Minimum Premiums (December 2010)

Pennsylvania Insurance Department
Workers' Compensation Page
Your Guide to Workers' Compensation Insurance
Current Insurance Providers By Lost Cost Multiplier (PCM) (Excel) (March 2011)
Determine Workers' Compensation Classification Codes by Industry
PCRB Classification Codes (February 2010)

Pennsylvania Compensation Rating Bureau (PCRB)
Bureau Rating Values
Loss Cost and Expected Loss Factors for Pennsylvania Workers Compensation Insurance (Excel) (April 2011)
Loss Cost and Expected Loss Factors for Pennsylvania Workers Compensation Insurance (Text) (April 2011)
Classification Inquiries
Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Manual (April 2011)

Google Search: Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Insurance

Company Information - Main Page

2009-06-04T10:39:00.011-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to company information.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-06-04
Revised: 2011-03-17

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Company Information

Bloomberg BusinessWeek: The Fifty Most Innovative Companies
glassdoor.com
Google Business Directory
Dun and Bradstreet Million Dollar Database (Subscription Fee) (Free Trial)
Hoovers Company Database (Subscription Fee)
InfoUSA.com (Subscription Fee)
Manta
Motley Fool
MSN Money
ThomasNet: find manufacturers, distributors and service providers
Yahoo Company Info
Google Search: Company Research

Industry Analysis - Book Publishing

2009-05-27T15:02:00.004-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to the book publishing industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-05-27
Revised: 2009-05-27

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Book Publishing Industry SIC Code: 2731 NAICS Code: 511130

SBDCNet Book Publishing Industry Research (SBDCNet)

Google Search: "book publishing industry"

Economic Stimulus Package - Main Page

2009-05-18T10:40:00.005-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to the United States Government Ecionomic Stimulus Package and how it may affect your small business.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-05-18
Revised: 2009-10-13

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Economic Stimulus Package

Economic Stimulus Package Website (SBA)
Economic Stimulus Oversite By State (stateline.org)
Economic Stimulus Package Available Financial Services
Recovery.com
2008 Economic Stimulus Act Provides Tax Benefits to Businesses (IRS)
Google Search: "economic stimulus package"

Business Legal Issues For My Business - Business Legal Issues

2009-05-12T10:49:00.008-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining legal issues pertaining to small businesses.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-05-12
Revised: 2009-09-23

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Small Business Legal Issues

Free online legal assistance: Nolo Website
Free online legal issue podcasts: Nolo Podcasts
Online Legal Blogs: Nolo Blogs
Avvo: is an online resource dedicated to providing information and guidance on legal matters. The site profiles lawyers, and includes information on each lawyer's experience, areas of practice, disciplinary history, and even client ratings. According to Avvo, "profile data comes from many sources, including state courts and bar associations, lawyer websites, and information provided by lawyers."

Google Search: free small business legal assistance

Industry Analysis - Oil and Natural Gas

2009-04-23T14:07:00.009-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to the oil and natural gas extraction/production industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-04-23
Revised: 2011-02-28

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Oil and Natural Gas Extraction Industry SIC Code: 1311 NAICS Code: 221111

Agricultural Entrepreneurship Program (Univ Pitt SBDC)
Marcellus Shale And My Business - Main Page
Oil & Gas Journal
Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association (PIOGA)
Petroleum Marketing Annual 2009, August 2010 (Energy Information Administration, US Department of Energy)

Google Search: "united states oil and gas industry"
Google Search: +united +states "oil and gas industry" +forecast +outlook
Google Search: +"pennsylvania oil and gas industry"

Industry Analysis - Freight Brokerage

2009-04-23T10:35:00.006-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to the freight/trucking brokering industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-04-23
Revised: 2009-04-23

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Industry Analysis - Main Page
Industry Analysis - Transportation

Freight/Trucking Brokering Industry SIC Code: 8742 NAICS Code: 541614
How to Start a Freight Brokerage Business (Entreprenuer Magazine)

Google Search: "starting freight brokerage"
Google Search: "freight brokerage industry"

Industry Analysis - Funeral Homes

2009-04-22T09:49:00.002-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to the funeral home industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-04-22
Revised: 2009-04-22

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Funeral Home Industry SIC Code: 7261 NAICS Code: 812210

Funeral Homes and Funeral Services (SBDCNet)
National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)
International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association (ICCFA)
Funeral Ethics Association (FEA)
Google Search: "Funeral Service Industry"

Accounting - Software

2009-04-15T09:47:00.008-04:00

These are contacts, information, resources, and links that may help business's research, choose, and train on various accounting software packages.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-04-15
Revised: 2010-07-20

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Accounting Software

Find Accounting Software For Your Business

Software Packages
Quickbooks (Intuit)
Sage Peachtree

Other Information, Links, and Articles
Quickbooks and Quickbooks Training

Industry Analysis - Transportation

2009-04-08T09:33:00.005-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to the transportation industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-04-23
Revised: 2009-10-13

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Transportation Industry

North American Transportation Statistics Database

Local Passenger Transportation
Motor Freight and Warehousing
Freight/Trucking Brokerage
Water Transportation
Air Transportation
Pipelines (Except Natural Gas)
Transportation Services
Communications
Electric, Gas, and Sanitary Services

Independent Contractors/Freelance Workers - Main Page

2009-04-02T15:03:00.006-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to Independent Contractors and Freelance Workers.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-04-02
Revised: 2010-08-24

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Independent Contractors/Freelance Workers

General Information & Assistance
Labor Union, Redefined, for Freelance Workers (NY Times)
Freelancers Union (Join and get group rates for insurance and benefits)

New Product/Service Assistance - Center For Technology Transfer

2009-03-24T15:56:00.003-04:00

The Penn State DuBois Center For Technology Transfer was established to help generate fresh ideas and solutions to real problems and access business resources with no charge for any of the consultation provided.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-03-24
Revised: 2009-03-24

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The Penn State DuBois Center For Technology Transfer

Sally Moran
Technology Transfer Coordinator
Penn State DuBois Campus
DEF Education & Technology Center
Room 102B
Phone: (814) 375-4803
Fax: Unknown
Email: sallymoran@psu.edu
Website: http://www.ds.psu.edu/

Industry Analysis - Solar Energy

2009-03-20T09:30:00.011-04:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to the solar energy industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-03-20
Revised: 2010-04-15

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Solar Energy Industry NAICS Code: 333414 SIC Code: 3433

Solar Energy/Solar Panels
Solar Energy Industry Analysis (SBDCNet)
US Department of Energy (DOE)
Solar Energy Technologies Program (DOE)
Solar Energy Association List
Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
American Solar Energy Society (ASES)
International Solar Energy Society (ISES)
Google Search: "solar energy industry analysis"
Google Search: "solar panel industry"
Google Search: "solar panel business"
Google Search: solar energy government regulation

Other Information and Related Sites
gstriatum.com Solar Energy Website

Marketing My Business - Nutritional Labeling

2009-03-06T11:10:00.014-05:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's nutritional labeling strategy.

Published By: Alan L. McConnell, Food Industry Specialist (PennTAP)
Publish Date: 2009-01-01
Revised By: Knowledgeman
Revision Date: 2009-04-12

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Marketing My Business - Product/Service

Nutritional Labeling Facts Regulations

Nutrition Labeling Options
First, please understand that you are not required to have Nutrition Facts on your product until you produce more than 100,000 units of product (same recipe) in a year. If you produce less than 10,000 units in a year, you don’t need Nutrition Facts, and you don’t need to tell anyone that you aren’t putting it on. If you produce between 10,000 units and 100,000 units in a year, then you still are not required to have Nutrition Facts; but you must notify the FDA once per year stating that you are exempt and that you are not going to put nutrition information on your label. The annual exemption notification to the FDA may be completed online.

So, unless Nutrition Facts is important to your customers, you may decide to skip that for now. Or, you may simply want to put Nutrition Facts on your sales sheets or other promotional literature – it’s your choice. Note, however, that you cannot make any “nutrition-related” claims on the label or in your sales literature unless you include the full Nutrition Facts label on the product.

There are three ways to get a Nutrition Facts label for a food product; all three are totally acceptable to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA):

Laboratory Analysis
Receive an actual lab analysis of your finished product. This will cost between $450 and $650 per product, depending on the lab. You can find a listing of Pennsylvania testing laboratories and other states as well, here: http://www.pafoodventures.psu.edu/labs.html.

Database Analysis
The second way to get a label is by having someone do a “database analysis” from your recipe. Fees for that service range from about $50 to $350, again depending upon the company. Here is a link to a list of many food consultanting companies that will do database analysis: http://www.cooltoad.com/links/show.php?c=186126&PHPSESSID=4f. Below are three consultants that I have dealt with personally in the past:

Wendy Hess, R.D., C.D.E.
115 Charlotte Street
Burlington VT 05401
Phone: (802) 863-3038
Fax: (802) 658-6376
Email: info@nutrient-analysis.com
Website: http://www.nutrient-analysis.com/index.html

Wendy’s fee is about $80 per label. With that, she will give you a “photo ready” Nutrition Facts panel and/or the electronic file for printing from your computer or your label printer’s equipment. She will also provide alternative formats for the Nutrition Facts label if needed, at no extra charge. She will provide you with a “Non-Disclosure Agreement” stating that she will not use, share, or sell your recipe. Wendy also does nutrition consulting for an hourly, or project-based, fee.

Tom Lonczynski (pronounced lawn zin ski)
PO Box 1151
Conyngham PA 18219
Phone: (570) 233-0551
Fax: (570) 454-1399
Email: tclonczy@ptd.net

Tom’s fee is about $50 per label, and he may discount multiple labels at the same time, depending upon their complexity. Tom will give you a “photo ready” Nutrition Facts panel and/or the electronic file for printing from your computer or your label printer’s equipment. He will also provide alternative formats for the Nutrition Facts label if needed. Tom will provide you with a “Non-Disclosure Agreement” or will gladly sign one that you provide. Check with Tom about his turn-around time, he may not be able to meet your requirements depending upon how quickly you need the information.

Concept Nutrition, Inc.
Lauren Swann, RD
4201 Neshaminy Blvd. PMB #206
Bensalem PA 19020-1609
Phone: (215) 639-1203
Fax: (215) 604-0156
Email: laurenswann@comcast.net or info@foodfactswork.com
Website: http://www.foodfactswork.com

Lauren does a full range of nutrition labeling and consulting and will provide a properly formatted Nutrition Facts panel. Inquire for pricing.

Anyone developing a Nutrition label from database values will require the full recipe; the accuracy of the label depends upon you providing them with an accurate and complete recipe. Recipe quantities should, ideally, be in terms of weight (pounds, ounces or grams) rather than volumetric measurements like: cup, teaspoon, and gallon.

Do-It Yourself Database Analysis
A third way to complete your nutrition labels would be to purchase a Food Labeling database program for your own use. With that, you could create as many labels as you liked, when you wanted them. You could also see the immediate effect of recipe changes on the Nutrition Facts panel (such as changes in salt content affecting the sodium amount, etc.)

There is a fairly comprehensive list of nutrition analysis/nutrition labeling programs at: http://www.nutribase.com/links.shtml. I reviewed all of the links on that site. Most of those programs are strictly recipe/diet analysis tools and don’t do labels. Several that can do labels are quite cumbersome and not user friendly (as I discovered after downloading their trial versions).

Three programs to consider:
Nutritionist Pro Food Labeling Software, http://www.nutritionistpro.com/foodlabeling.php, for $595. Annual updates for additional fee. Trial downloads.

Genesis R&D, http://www.esha.com/genesissql, for $5,000.00. Annual updates at $300 per year. Trial downloads.

Nutribase Clinical Edition, http://nutribase.com/, for $695. No-fee updates (within version). Trial version available.

The first two are well-recognized and respected in the food processing community. Nutribase is not as well known and may be best suited for dieticians as opposed to food processors.

Other Nutritional Labeling Information, Tools, and Links
Starting A Food Business (PA Food Ventures)
Nutrition Checklist (Wendy Hess RD, CDE)
Nutritional Analysis Worksheet (Wendy Hess RD, CDE)
Food Labeling News (Wendy Hess RD, CDE)
Google Search: Nutrition Labeling

For more nutrition labeling assistance please contact:
Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP)
Alan L. McConnell: Food Industry Specialist
Penn State Harrisburg
323 Church Hall
777 West Harrisburg Pike
Middletown PA 17057
Phone: (717) 948-6520
Cell: (717) 649-0397
Email: alm4@psu.edu
Website: http://www.penntap.psu.edu/

Marketing My Business - Product/Service

2009-03-06T11:02:00.003-05:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's product/service (branding, packaging, labeling, logo, etc) strategy.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-03-06
Revised: 2009-03-06

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Marketing My Business - Main Page

Product/Service Strategy

Branding
Packaging
Labeling
Nutritional Labeling
Logo

Accounting - Uncollectible Accounts

2009-02-25T15:15:00.002-05:00

These are information, documents, resources, links, and that will assist businesses with uncollectible accounts issues for accounting.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-02-25
Revised: 2009-02-25

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Uncollectible Accounts

Estimating Uncollectible Accounts (CRF)
Google Search: "uncollectible accounts"
Google Search: "estimating uncollectible accounts"

Industry Analysis - Child Day Care

2009-02-20T11:29:00.004-05:00

These are links, information, and resources pertaining to the child day care industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-02-20
Revised: 2009-02-20

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Child Day Care Industry NAICS Code: 624410 SIC Code: 8321
US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Child Care Bureau (CCB)

Child Care Links
National Association of Child Care Professionals (NACCP)
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
CDC School and Childcare Vaccination Surveys

Google Search: child day care industry

Training For My Business - WEDnetPA

2009-02-19T16:06:00.006-05:00

The Workforce and Economic Development Network of Pennsylvania is a Pennsylvania state funded program that provides reimbursement of training funds to qualified Pennsylvania companies.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-02-19
Revised: 2009-10-13

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Workforce & Economic Development Network of Pennsylvania (WEDnetPA)

Western Pennsylvania WEDnetPA Coordinator:
Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Division of Continuing Education
Juanice Vega - Director
210 Still Hall
Clarion PA 16214
Phone: (814) 393-2227
Fax: (814) 393-2741
Email: continuinged@clarion.edu
Website: http://www.clarion.edu/267/

Clarion University of PA Division of Continuing Education WEDnetPA Information
Workforce and Economic Development Network of Pennsylvania (WEDnetPA)
WEDnetPA Guidelines
WEDnetPA Guaranteed Free Training Brochure
WEDnetPA Annual Report
WEDnetPA Newsletter
WEDnetPA 2009-2010 Year At A Glance

Advertising & Promotion - Aerial Advertising

2009-02-11T09:45:00.005-05:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's trade show strategy.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-02-11
Revised: 2009-02-11

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Marketing My Business - Advertising & Promotion

Aerial Advertising
Information Provided By: Arnold Aerial Advertising
Aerial Advertising Facts
Aerial Billboards
Google Search: "aerial advertising"
Google Search: "aerial advertising effectiveness"
Advertising Age Search: "aerial advertising"
Outdoor Advertising Association of America: Outdoor Media Formats
Outdoor Advertising Association of America: Facts & Figures
Outdoor Advertising Association of America: Airborne Advertising

Advertising & Promotion - Twitter

2009-02-09T14:57:00.012-05:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's internet Twitter marketing strategy.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-02-09
Revised: 2009-10-13

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Marketing My Business - Advertising & Promotion

Twitter as a part of your Marketing Strategy

What is Twitter?

Twitter has grown into a real-time short messaging service that works over multiple networks and devices.

Why do so many people seem to like Twitter?

Simplicity has played an important role in Twitter's success. People are eager to connect with other people and Twitter makes that simple. Twitter asks one question, "What are you doing?" Answers must be under 140 characters in length and can be sent via mobile texting, instant message, or the web.

Twitter's core technology is a device agnostic message routing system with rudimentary social networking features. By accepting messages from sms, web, mobile web, instant message, or from third party API projects, Twitter makes it easy for folks to stay connected.

Isn't Twitter just too much information?

No, in fact, Twitter solves information overload by changing expectations traditionally associated with online communication. At Twitter, we ask one question, "What are you doing?" The answers to this question are for the most part rhetorical. In other words, users do not expect a response when they send a message to Twitter. On the receiving end, Twitter is ambient--updates from your friends and relatives float to your phone, IM, or web site and you are only expected to pay as much or as little attention to them as you see fit. The result of using Twitter to stay connected with friends, relatives, and coworkers is that you have a sense of what folks are up to but you are not expected to respond to any updates unless you want to. This means you can step in and out of the flow of information as it suits you and it never queues up with increasing demand of your attention. Additionally, users are very much in control of whose updates they receive, when they receive them, and on what device. For example, we provide settings for scheduling Twitter to automatically turn off at dinnertime and users can switch off Twitter updates at any point.

Twitter uses in business:

Use Twitter to promote specific articles on your web sites, forums and blogs.

Twitter.com is one of many Web 2.0 technologies that allows you to let people know what you're currently busy with. It sounds a bit silly but it actually has a very real business use.

I use it to share interesting sites and articles with people who are "following" my updates. That means that people who have selected to be notified about what I'm doing will see a notice on their Twitter page about what web sites I'm visiting and so on.

The benefit is that I can build a reputation for myself by linking to interesting stuff out there and then use that reputation to get people to visit MY articles on the same topic.

It's not much in the beginning but, once you have a few thousand people following you (not hard to do if you're intesting), you have an on-top supply of traffic to your web site!

You can use it to promote affiliate products or whatever you like. Pretty neat!

How Can Twitter Help My Business?

A lot of people just don’t get Twitter, they don’t see any value in it. Now if you are using it from a purely personal perspective then really, it is nothing more than a time consuming distraction.

The value comes if you have some kind of business/service/organisation that you want to promote. For example, you might have a standard online or offline business, or perhaps you are an artist, musician etc and want to get your work out into the community… Maybe you work for a charity and would like to gain more public awareness of it. There are many reasons why you might want to go looking for an audience beyond just your own friends and family.

It is well known that the more contact you make with a customer, the more likely you are to make a sale. These days it is much more ‘in vogue’ to sell by not selling, rather than doing the hard-push sales pitch. Twitter is a way of doing that. With Twitter you can chat to people in a friendly way and give them nudges and hints about what you’re doing in your world. Look at the benefits:

It reminds them that you exist
It shows them that you are human
It allows you to mention new offers immediately
It allows you to form a more casual relationship

How to Get Twitter Followers:

When you first join Twitter you will have no followers. You can send updates but the only people likely to see them are the people who are currently surfing the public timeline on the Twitter homepage and that moves pretty fast. You aren’t going to get many followers from there! How then, should you get followers?

Ask For Them Directly
If you are creating a personal account just email your friends, tell them about Twitter and encourage them to sign up and then follow you. If you have a business and you have an email list then you could email the list and do a similar thing. If you have some kind of website, access to a forum etc then post a message about it - write a blog post etc.

One word of warning though - if you are approaching this from a purely business perspective then you need to have something to offer your customers. What I mean is, if you use your Twitter account to just pitch, pitch, pitch, you will not get many followers. Twitter is not something that can be effectively used as a direct selling medium without adding extra benefits.

Stalk Your Targets!
When you start following somebody on Twitter they will get an email telling them of the fact and in that email is a link to your profile. This notification can be turned off but it is on by default and most people leave it on because it is nice to know when somebody starts following you. Human curiosity will result in many of those people checking out your profile and possibly following you back.

This is rather like the strategy of linking to other bloggers if you want them to notice you. You link to them, they see it in their stats and they are curious as to who is talking about them so they check out the link. If they like what they see, they may turn into another reader. The principle is the same with Twitter but there is a caveat here - when they click on your profile, they will see a transcript of your most recent updates. If those updates don’t look interesting or there are none there then not many people will follow you.

This is a tricky situation to get around in the beginning because you have no followers so you feel as though you are talking to yourself. However I’ll show you how you can get your word out there even without followers!

Networking in Your Niche
Unless you are using Twitter just to hook up with your friends, you probably have some kind of niche that you relate to. So for me, that niche is Internet marketing. A musician would have his own niche within the music industry, a charity would also have some kind of niche. You get the picture.

The key is to get out there into your niche and network. To use myself as an example again, I gained most of my initial followers on Twitter via the Thirty Day Challenge. I was a frequent user of the forums (I still am, I am a moderator now) and in my signature I put a link to my Twitter account. When people read my posts on the forums they might click the links in my signature to check me out and maybe follow me.

I’m going to assume that you have some kind of online presence - whether that is a blog, some other website, an account on Facebook etc. If you don’t, then now is the time to create one! Wherever you present yourself on the Internet you should make your Twitter profile known. This also applies to other social networks.

The idea is to participate in the communities within your niche which naturally draws people to you. There is usually some kind of profile feature - whether its just a link in a blog comment, a forum signature of a fully blown profile such as that on Facebook. Everywhere you go online you have the opportunity to say who you are and when you do so, make sure you tell people where they can find you.

Useful Twitter Accounts to Follow
I’ve talked a lot about how you can get other people to follow you but of course let’s not forget the other side of Twitter - finding interesting people for you to follow. Obviously I don’t need to tell you to start following your friends and interesting people from your niche if you have one but these days there are more and more interesting Twitter accounts popping up.

Resources, Links, Articles, And Information
Twitter Website
Twitter Online Tutorial (The Red Recruiter)
Twitter Success Stories 2009/07/15
Twitter Demographics 2009/05/11 (Social Media Optimization)
A similar web application: LinkedIn
Google Search: "how can twitter help my business"

Industry Analysis - Travel/Tourism

2009-02-06T10:35:00.013-05:00

These are links,information, and resorces pertaining to the Travel/Tourism industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-02-06
Revised: 2009-09-20

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Industry Analysis - Main Page

Travel/Tourism Industry

Pennsylvania Tourism Programs

Pennsylvania Wilds
Pennsylvania Wilds Website
Pennsylvania Wilds Overview
What Can Pennsylvania Wilds Do For You
Print Pennsylvania Wilds Brochures/Guides
Pennsylvania Wilds (DCNR)
Contact Pennsylvania Wilds
Pennsylvania Wilds Three Year Report (PA Wilds)

VisitPA.com
VisitPA.com Website
List Your Business On VisitPA.com
Contact VisitPA.com
VisitPA.com Tourism Industry Statistics
VisitPA.com Annual Reports
Pennsylvania Tourism Trends
PA Tourism Economic Impact Reports
PA Travel Profile Reports
PA Tourism Special Reports
511PA: Pennsylvania Travel Information Service: provides travelers with reliable up-to-the-minute traffic, transit and weather information they need to help them reach their destination in the most efficient manner when traveling in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Travel/Tourism Industry Information
Google Search: pennsylvania tourism data

Other Travel/Tourism Industry Links and Information
The State of the Cruise Industry in 2009 (Travel Industry Wire)

Money For My Business - Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant

2009-01-15T14:11:00.006-05:00

The Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program, administered by DEP's Office of the Small Business Ombudsman, provides a 25 percent reimbursement grant, up to a maximum of $25,000, to enable Pennsylvania small businesses (businesses with 100 employees or fewer) to acquire certain pieces of equipment or adopt certain processes that promote energy efficiency. Well-designed energy efficiency projects can help small businesses cut operating costs and increase competitiveness, while simultaneously reducing Pennsylvania's energy demand. The reimbursement grants can be applied toward the cost of purchasing and installing numerous energy efficient items and systems, including geothermal heat pumps; energy efficient HVAC, lighting, and refrigeration systems; insulation and air sealing projects; etc.

The Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program will begin accepting applications on January 12, 2009 through May 1, 2009 or until funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2009-01-15
Revised: 2011-03-05

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Go Back to Grants

Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program
The funding for Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program is exhausted. Please click the link below to see if it has obtained additional funding. If the link is dead, the grant is CLOSED and is not currently excepting applications.
Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program Details (PADEP)

Please contact the Clarion University SBDC EMAP Program for assistance with applying for this grant.

Government Regulation and Compliance - Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

2008-12-22T14:46:00.003-05:00

These are links and information pertaining to the consumer product safety.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-12-22
Revised: 2008-12-22

Table of Contents
Government Regulation and Compliance - Main Page

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008

Google Search: "Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008"
2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (Consumer Product Safety Commission)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
CPSIA Power Point Presentation (National Standards Foundation)
CPSIA Requirements/Timeline (National Standards Foundation)
CPSIA Sample Certificate Layout (National Standards Foundation)
CPSIA Resources (Toy Industry Association)
Possible Soultions to Improve the CPSIA (Handmade Toy Alliance)
Apparel and Footwear Product Safety Standards (American Apparel and Footwear Association)

Consumer Product Safety Related Blogs
CPSIA - What Children’s Clothing Designers and Manufacturers Need to Know
CPSIA is saving our schools, one kindergardner at a time
CPSIA Requirements

Payment Methods For My Business - Credit Cards

2008-12-19T10:38:00.009-05:00

These are links and information pertaining to setting up to your business for accepting credit cards for payment of your products and services.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-12-19
Revised: 2009-12-21

Table of Contents
Payments Methods For My Business - Main Page

Setting Up Your Business To Accept Credit Cards

Transparent Financial Services (TransFS)
Interchange Plus
What is Interchange
Largest Merchant Acquirers
Reading a Merchant Statement
Signature Debit vs. PIN debit
Reading an Interchange Plus Merchant Statement
Payment Gateways
Largest ISOs
Merchant Account Costs
Getting a Good Deal on your Merchant Account
Intuit Payment Solutions (Intuit.com)
Credit Card Processing Pricng Comparison (Intuit.com)
BestMerchantRates.com: a nationally recognized leader in the credit card processing industry, Large Corporate Pricing is universally recognized as the most fair, transparent and simplified pricing structure. Until recently, only the largest merchants have been able to obtain this pricing. We offer "Large Corporate Pricing for Everyone."

Other Links and Information
Trends in Business Credit Cards for 2010 (Small Business Trends)

Payment Methods For My Business - Main Page

2008-12-19T10:27:00.010-05:00

These are links and information pertaining to the various methods that business's can accept payments for their products and services.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-12-19
Revised: 2009-10-13

Table of Contents

Payment Methods

Cash
Currency:
Legal Tender Status (US Dept of Treasury)
Reporting Cash Payments of Over $10,000 (IRS.gov)
IRS Form 8300
Checks:
Accepting Cash and Checks (FindLaw)
Accepting Checks (entrepreneur.com)

Traditional Credit
Credit Accounts:
Why You Need a Credit Policy: By Michelle Dunn, August 06, 2009 (entrepreneur.com)

Electronic Credit
Credit Cards: Setting Up Your Business To Accept Credit Cards

Electronic Cash
Debit Cards:
Should your Business Accept Debit Cards? (streetdirectory.com)
The RIGHT way to accept debit cards in your business (Credit Card Merchant News)
Electronic Check Processing:
Guide to Electronic Check Processing: By Lisa Hephner, PaySimple (business.com)
Electronic Payments:
Amazon Payments
Google Checkout
Paypal

Other Information and Links related to payment methods
Payments and Collections (entrepreneur.com)
Safety First! Protecting Your Business When Accepting Payment: By Rachel Newhouse, September 9, 2009 (handmadenews)
The Ultimate Guide to PayPal Alternatives: By Lela Davidson, June 1, 2009 (bizzia.com)

Google Search: payment methods for my business

Business Ethics For My Business - Main Page

2008-11-26T10:56:00.003-05:00

These are links and information pertaining to Business Ethics for small businesses.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-11-26
Revised: 2008-11-26

Table of Contents

Business Ethics

The Business Ethics Links Library (BELL)
Google Search: "business ethics"

Industry Analysis - Logging

2008-10-23T10:00:00.011-04:00

These are links and information pertaining to the Logging industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-10-23
Revised: 2009-10-13

Table of Contents
Industry Analysis - Main Page

Logging Industry
SIC Code: 2411 NAICS Code: 113310

Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group (AHUG)

Allegheny Forest Alliance
22 Greeves Street
Kane PA 16735-1361
Phone: (814) 837-9249

Allegheny National Forest (ANF)
Forest Resources Association (FRA)
National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA)
Pennsylvania Forest Products Association
Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council
Pennsylvania Landowners' Association
Penn State University (School of Forest Resources)
Penn State University (Natural Resources Extention)
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)
United States Forest Service (USFS)

Google Search: "hardwood industry"
Google Search: "Pennsylvania hardwood industry"
Google Search: "logging industry"
Google Search: "Pennsylvania logging industry"

Starting Or Expanding My Business - Evaluating Idea

2008-09-17T10:07:00.012-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's trade show strategy.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-09-17
Revised: 2011-04-06

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Evaluating Your New Business Idea

Articles, Information, Links and Resources
Breakthrough Ideas for 2010 (Havard Business Review)
Breakthrough Ideas for 2009 (Havard Business Review)
The Best Industries for Starting a Business Right Now, Inc., April 2011

Google Search: evaluating your business idea
Evaluating Your Business Idea (Missouri Small Business Development Centers)
Evaluating Your Business Idea, Feasibilty Study Template (PDF)
Evaluating Your Business Idea (Nolo)
Evaluate Your Idea (Small Business BC)
Evaluating Your Business Idea FAQ (FindLaw)

Ben Franklin Program - Innovation Adoption Fund

2008-08-27T11:38:00.006-04:00

Information pertaining to the new Ben Franklin Program: Innovation Adoption Grant.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-08-27
Revised: 2009-10-14

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Money For My Business - Ben Franklin Program

Ben Franklin Technology Partners Innovation Adoption Grant

Innovation Adoption Fund to help manufacturers, researchers team up (KeystoneEdge.com)
Innovation Adoption Grant Program
Innovation Adoption Grant Program (Request For Proposal)
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA

Advertising & Promotion - Trade Shows

2008-08-25T09:41:00.008-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's trade show strategy.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-08-25
Revised: 2008-08-25

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Marketing My Business - Advertising & Promotion

Business Trade Show Strategy

Your Guide to Trade Shows, Exhibits & Conventions (TradeShowHandbook.com)
Trade Show Guides, Tutorials and Tips
Trade Show Directories and Listings
Convention and Event Centers Directory

Planning For My Business - Main Page

2008-08-13T09:59:00.013-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to strategic planning for your business. This topic covers strategy and planning topics to help your business compete and be profitable in the United States and the World.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-08-13
Revised: 2011-05-17

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Planning For My Business

Strategic Planning
The Strategic Planning Process (QuickMBA)
Build a Strategic Framework: Mission Statement, Visions, Values, and more (About.com)
Strategic Planning Resources (About.com)
How to Ensure your Strategic Plan Becomes a Valuable Tool (Brody,Weiser, & Burns)
The Ten-Step, One-Day Strategic Plan (About.com)
Anatomy of a IT Strategic Plan (CIO)
Annual Planning: Strategic Steps That Could Save Your Business (BNET)
Best Practices – Strategic Planning (Foundation for Community Association Research)
Resources: Lessons Learned: Table of Contents: (includes many good articles) (NEA)
Mistakes: Strategic Planning Don’t (and Do’s) (CIO)
Strategic Planning (in Non-profits or for-profit organization) (Free Management Library)
Strategic Plan Outline (Clarion University SBDC)
Intuit 2020 Report: Tweny trends that will shape the next decade, Intuit 2010

Strategic Business Risk
The top 10 risks for business (Ernst & Young)
Ernst & Young Article Database (Ernst & Young)
Ernst & Young Business Risk Services

Taxes For My Business - S Corporation

2008-07-29T10:34:00.010-04:00

Information, resources, and links related to your business's tax strategy for a S-Corporation.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-07-29
Revised: 2009-09-22

Table of Contents

S-Corporation Tax Considerations

Federal Taxes

Income Tax & Payroll Taxes
IRS Web Page For S Corporations (IRS)

Officers of an S-Corporation
Distributions and other payments by an S-Corporation to a corporate officer must be treated as wages to the extent the amounts are reasonable compensation for services to a corporation.

Income Tax Withholding
Federal Social Security Tax (FICA): 6.2%
Federal Medicare Tax: 1.45%

S-corporation companies with employees must pay their share of social security, plus match what the employee contributes. Therefore they would have to pay 12.4% on the first $94,200 of wages. They would also have to match the employee’s medicare tax. They would then have to pay 2.9% for medicare no matter how much the employee’s wages were.

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA): 6.2 % on 1st $7,000 of wages
The FUTA tax is 6.2% of your employee’s FUTA wages. However, you may be able to take a credit of up to 5.4%, resulting in a 0.8% net of tax. The credit for 2008 is limited unless you pay all the required contributions for 2008 to your state unemployment fund by April 15th, 2009. The credit you can take for any contributions for 2008 that you pay after April 15th, 2009, is limited to 90% of the credit that would have been allowable if the contributions were paid by April 15th, 2009.

Pennsylvania Taxes

Pennsylvania Unemployment Tax (PAUTA)
S-corporation Employees: 3.752% on 1st $8,000 of wages
S-corporation major shareholders and officers: 3.752% on 1st $8,000 of wages (*see note below)
*(The business owner or S-corporation major shareholder) that receives a paycheck or salary from the S-corporation is required by Pennsylvania law to pay unemployment taxes the same as any other employee of the s-corporation. The business owner or S-corporation major shareholder that receives a paycheck or salary from the s-corporation is not eligible to receive unemployment benefits from the state of Pennsylvania if the s-corporation fails or closes.

PA Unemployment Compensation Information abd Documents (PA Dept L&I)

Pennsylvania Income Tax
An S-Corporation is taxed like a partnership or sole proprietorship, rather than a separate entity. Thus, the income is passed through to the shareholders for tax liability purposes. The shareholders individual tax returns will report the income or loss generated by an S-Corporation. The corporation is required to pay a 1% local tax for each employee in the company.

Calculating Your Estimated Tax Payments (Business Owners Toolkit)

Other facts:
An S-Corporation is limited to 75 shareholders.
The S-Corporation is not taxed on earnings because all income and losses are passed through to the shareholders.
A form K-1 must be distributed to all individuals.
Even if you receive a salary, you still have to make estimated tax payments if the amount being withheld is insufficient.

Many S-Corporations reduce compensation payments to shareholder employees in hope of limiting the amount of FICA and Medicare taxes.

Federal Social Security Tax (FICA) = 12.4% on $87,000 of wages (6.2% employer, 6.2% employee) per individual.
Federal Medicare Tax = 2.9 % on all wages (1.45% employer, 1.45% employee) per individual. A company with employees must pay his or her share of social security, plus match what the employee contributes. Therefore they would have to pay 12.4% on the first $87,000 of wages. They would also have to match the employee’s medicare tax. They would then have to pay 2.9% for medicare no matter how much the employee’s wages were.

Compensation Issues For S-Corporations (The CPA Journal)

It is attractive to limit compensation and allow more income to flow through the S-Corporation without payroll taxes (avoid self employment taxes). S-Corporations income passed through to stockholders is subject to state and federal income tax, but it is not subject to self employment tax when employee/stockholders receive adequate compensation (salaries) for their labor and management input to the business. Pay of corporation employees (salaries) are subject to payroll taxes in the same manner as is the case for employees in any other type of economic activity.

If a S-Corporation generates substantial cash (earnings) not used in the operation of the corporation, that cash can be distributed to a shareholder on the basis of his or her ownership interest and not as a taxable dividend distribution.

Google Search: s-corp compensation tips

Additional Information, Articles, and Links
Tax Tips & Audit Strategies for S-Corporation Shareholders (About.com)

Advertising & Promotion - Print Media

2008-06-12T00:20:00.009-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's print media marketing strategy. This includes advertising and promotion strategies involving newspapers, magazines, professional journals, sales flyers, coupons, brochures, and other print media vehicles.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-06-12
Revised: 2009-03-05

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Marketing My Business - Advertising & Promotion

Traditional Print Media Marketing Strategy

Google Search: "effective print media"

Brochures
How To Create Brochures That Get Action (Professional Advertising)
Pennsylvania On Display (PA's Official Broschure Distribution Program)
Google Search: "effective brochure"

Coupons
How To Put The Profit-Producing Power of Couponing To Work For You (BusinessKnowHow)
Google Search: effective sales coupons

Magazine
Magazines Available (Amazon.com)
Google Search: "effective magazine advertising"

Newspaper
Pennsylvania Online Newspapers (By County)
Pennsylvania Newspapers (NewsLink)
Press Release Grader
Web Windows Newspaper advertisement specialists
Google Search: "effective newspaper advertising"

Professional Journal
Business Trade Journals Directory (Yahoo)
Journals By Subject Area (Wikipedia)
Google Search: "advertising in trade journals"

Sales Flyers
Writing A Great Sales Flyer (EzineArticles)
Google Search: effective sales flyers

Yellow Pages
YellowPages.com
Google Search: "yellow pages"
Google Search: "effective yellow page advertising"

Business Legal Structure - Main Page

2008-06-09T11:37:00.042-04:00

Advertising & Promotion - Direct Sales

2008-06-09T11:15:00.006-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's direct sales marketing strategy.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-06-09
Revised: 2009-09-10

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Marketing My Business - Advertising & Promotion

Direct Sales Marketing Strategy

Google Search: how do I develop a successful sales staff

Articles and Information
Relationship Marketers (Boring Marketers Have Skinny Kids) bizjournal 2008/04/28

Tools
gladhandle: Web-based software that helps salespeople communicate and followup with their clients.

Money For My Business - Securities

2008-06-07T22:58:00.006-04:00

Businesses that are growing that have exhausted their ability to finance their growth through personal capital or bank loans may want to consider finding individuals to finance and invest in their company. These security offerings may be debt securities like corporate notes and bonds or equity securities like corporate stock. Below are websites, links and information pertaining to this type of capital acquisition.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-06-07
Revised: 2008-06-07

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Money For My Business - Main Page

Securities (Offering)

Pennsylvania Securities Commission (PSC)
PSC Entrepreneur Education Program
Entrepreneur Education Program Brochure
Raising Small-Business Capital Brochure

Other Securities Offering Assistance
US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Q&A: Small Business and the SEC
Small Company Offering Registration (SCOR) Information
North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA)
NASAA SCOR Assistance and Information
SCOR Forms
U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy
Google Search: "Small Company Offering"

Money For My Business - Other Commercial Lenders

2008-06-07T14:01:00.014-04:00

These are other commercial lenders other than banks that offer commercial loans, lines-of-credit, second mortgages, cashflow based loans, and home equity loans for people who want to start or expand their business. In some cases these lenders will finance your business when you get denied by traditional banks. These are the lenders that do business in the Clarion SBDC's 10 county area of operation.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-06-07
Revised: 2011-02-15

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Money For My Business - Main Page

Commercial Loans (Other)

Cashflow Based Loans
Smart Funding Solutions
Newnan Georgia
Phone: (888) 269-4246 Extention 2
Email: support@smartfundingsolutions.com
Website: http://smartfundingsolutions.com/

Financing Guidelines (pdf)
Business Owner Financing Broshure (pdf)
Consulting Financing Broshure (pdf)

Grand Opening Funding
Smart Funding Solutions’ Grand Opening Funding is for restaurants only. Restaurants that are scheduled to open within 30 days and need additional operating capital for the grand opening can qualify for up to 100k. The funds will be dispersed after 3 days of operation.

S.M.A.R.T business loan
Start Making A Return Today. Small and mid-sized businesses with a good cash flow and consistent payment behavior can qualify for business credit from $5,000 up to $100,000. By reviewing business performance, in addition to credit history, we can extend business credit loans to companies we believe in, but may have been considered too risky by traditional lenders.

Consultant Financing
Smart Funding Solutions’ Consultant Financing is a cash-flow based financing program designed to help small business owners who are denied from traditional lending sources qualify for up to 100k in working capital if they are currently working with an expert or consultant to help grow their business. The business owner can also use the funding to engage an expert or consultant. The expert may consist of a business consultant, coach, marketing, education or training program.

Google Search: cash flow based financing +pennsylvania

Commercial Real Estate Loans
CommercialBanc
Janus Mortgage

Google Search: commercial real estate loans +pennsylvania

Equipment Collateralized Loans and Leases
At their basic level, equipment loans are not that different from car loans. Just as a car is the collateral in a car loan, the equipment is the collateral in an equipment loan. When equipment loans go into default, repossession can occur. The keys to getting affordable rates on equipment loans are good credit, reasonable debt ratio, and a solid operating history for your company.

If your credit rating is less than stellar or you don't have a very long operating history, you may want to consider equipment leasing as an option over loans. Equipment leasing is generally easier to get for new business owners, and it has the benefit of leaving the costs of obsolescence with the leasing company.

If your credit rating is good enough for you to qualify for both a equipment loan and a equipment lease, you will need to do some financial calcualtions to see which scenario is better for your situation. Some of the factors that will affect your decision will be the life of the asset, the interest rates of the loan/lease, the terms of the loan/lease, closing costs of the loan/lease, the cost of equipment obsolescence, cash flow maximization, and of course tax considerations.

Be careful with solicitations via telephone, mail, fax, and emails from various equipment collateralized lenders. Many of these are bad deals. When I find some legitimate trustworthy firms that provide this type of financing, I will add them to this post.

Google Search: equipment collateralized loans

Government Regulation and Compliance - PA I80 Toll

2008-05-27T10:52:00.007-04:00

This is informationa and web links pertaining to Pennsylvania's proposal to convert Interstate 80 from a taxed based public highway to a toll road.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Publish Date: 2008-05-27
Revised: 2009-10-14

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Converting Pennsylvania Interstate 80 (I80) Into Toll Road

I80 Information and History (pahighways)
I80 Information and History (Wikipedia)
Pennsylvania General Assembly Act 44 Legislation
Bill Number: HB 1590
Scarnati: New Transportation Plan, Eliminates I-80 Tolls
Scarnati: Transportation Funding With Sound Fiscal Restraint (PDF)
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC)
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell - Act 44 Legislation (PTC)
PTC I80 Toll Proposal Information
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
No Toll on Interstate 80 Website
Google Search: +Pennsylvania +"HB 1590"

Government Regulation and Compliance - Main Page

2008-05-27T10:29:00.012-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to government regulations and compliance that affect your small business.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-05-27
Revised: 2010-04-23

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Government Regulation and Compliance

Globally
DoingBusiness.org: What's the impact of government rule-making on business activity, particularly with regard to small and medium-size companies? Find out with the annual Doing Business reports. Doing Business not only measures the impact of laws and regulations, it does so throughout the business lifecycle.

United States
Americans With Disabilities Compliance
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008

Pennsylvania
Building Occupancy Permits
Lead, Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program: Pennsylvania rennovations and painting contractors as of April 2010 are required to be licensed for lead removal on buildings built before 1978
Uniform Construction Code (PA Dept L&I)
Converting Pennsylvania Interstate 80 (I80) Into Toll Road

Business Information For My Business - Internet Searches

2008-05-22T15:17:00.008-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to conducting business research via the internet and various search engines.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-05-22
Revised: 2009-10-14

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Search Engines
Major Search Engine List and Descriptions
Google
Yahoo
Ask
AllTheWeb
AOLSearch
HotBot
AltaVista
Gigablast
Bing
Lycos
Netscape Search
Open Directory
MSN

Other Global Search Engines
Community-Based Search Engines
Guides To Search Engines
Other Search Engines By Category

Conducting Internet Searches
Google - Basic Search
Google - Advanced Search
Google - Discussion Groups Search
Google - Image Search
Google - Video Search
Google - Map Search
Google - News Search
Google - Shopping Search
Google - Microsoft Site Search
Google - Other Searches and Products
Google Search: defining more efficient google search
Defining Search Phrase For Google
20 Tips for More Efficient Google Searches

Websites - Website Evaluator

2008-05-22T12:50:00.009-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's website evaluation strategy.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-05-22
Revised: 2010-05-21

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Marketing My Business - Websites

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Your Businesses Website

Published By: Martin Brill
International Trade Specialist
Kutztown University Small Business Development Center
2986 North Second Street
Harrisburg PA 17110
Telephone: (717) 720-4230
Fax: (717) 720-4262
Email: mbrill@paonline.com
Website: http://www.kutztownsbdc.org/
Publish Date: 2004-03-31
Updated: 2004-03-31

Just 5 years ago, a website made you the "talk of the town" and perhaps unique among your peers … but that's history. Today, it is commonplace and indeed expected that you have a web site just as you have an email address and a telephone! How good is your web site and is it effective in helping you achieve your business objectives? In this recessionary climate of careful spending and cut-throat competition, each business must maximize the benefit of its web site. After all, you invested scarce time and money to create the web site. Are you reaping the benefits?

Here is a quick test. The purpose of this evaluation tool is to provide you with a non-technical framework to judge the effectiveness of your web site. Like most other analytical tools, the value of the output will depend on the effort you expend. Why not take a few minutes and analyze your web site within the 9 categories below so that your e-business is "all that it can be."

A. Purpose - 10 Points

1. The company has a specific business reason for creating and maintaining the web site.
2. The web site meets this objective.

B. Message - 15 Points

1. The home page downloads reasonably fast, within 6 seconds of accessing the site.
2. Company name and logo are easily found and they are present on every page.
3. The business of the company is clearly stated even for non-technical people.
4. The message of the web site is consistent in design, color and content with the company's printed materials.
5. The web site address is easy to remember.
6. The web site appears on company letterhead, product literature, advertising and promotional items.

C. Design - 15 Points

1. Type size is large enough to read easily, even with background/side-light.
2. The web site is logically organized.
3. The English is grammatically correct, easy to understand and without idioms.
4. The background color provides a good contrast to the print, photos and symbols.
5. Print outs from the site are clear; photocopies and faxes of the same are readable.
6. The space is well utilized without waste or clutter.

D. Content - 15 Points

1. The web site adequately and accurately markets the key advantages of the company's products or services.
2. Photos, if used, contribute to conveying the company's message and they download quickly.
3. The web site is updated at least monthly and preferably weekly.
4. There are several ways to access the various pages and topics within the web site.
5. There are short biographical sketches of key personnel included in the text.
6. The web site is linked to other useful, non-competitive sites, such as a chamber of commerce, economic development agency, complementary products and/or trade association. Check these links bimonthly to make sure they are current.
7. Included in the web site is a company mission statement and brief corporate history. While this is not essential when marketing to other US businesses, foreign prospects want to understand the company and its philosophy prior to consider entering into business relationships with an oversea company. Once you have a web site, you are an international company!

E. Competition - 10 Points

1. The company benchmarks its web site against at least 3 competitors.
2. The company checks competitors' web sites at least once per month.

F. Ease of Contact - 10 Points

1. The address, telephone, fax and email of the company are easily found and readable.
2. The site includes a button to send email directly to you. Email inquiries from the web site are promptly answered.
3. Key divisions of the company are identified and can be contacted through the web site email window.
4. The web site has a button to access the site in Spanish. After all there are over 30 million Hispanics in the US alone. Are you willing to ignore this market?
5. The site is translated into other languages if the company sells in overseas markets.
6. The site contains a map and directions to your company. Remember to revise the map and directions for detours, changes in exit numbers or road repairs.

G. Sales - 10 Points

1. If the company is selling product online, terms (such as postage extra) are clear and consistent throughout the site. Does the company accept credit cards and which ones?
2. State approximate delivery dates.
3. The return policy and warranty periods are clear.
4. Terms for overseas sales are specified if different from domestic sales.
5. At least quarterly, a company employee purchases an item from the web site to test ease of purchase and promptness of fulfillment.
6. Web customers and prospects are contacted periodically about new products, sales and perhaps trade shows.

H. Search Capability – I5 Points

1. The company uses a metasearch engine, such as www.dogpile.com with various combinations of key words to see where the web site and those of its competitors appear within the search engine. Remember if you goal is to be found by buyers from Internet searches, your company must appear in the first 10 or 20 listings or you are likely invisible to the customer.
2. The company conducts a metasearch at least monthly to see how the company's ranking changes within the various search engines.

I. Bonus – I5 Points

1. Your site contains a search button so visitors may explore your site by the key words of interest to them.
2. You regularly gather and analyze statistics information from your host, especially, how long visitors spend at your site, which are the most popular pages and how they arrived at your site. The number of "hits" is meaningless.
3. You offer specials and coupons on your web site.
4. New or obsolete products are sold on your web site.
5. You have portions of your site accessible by code to suppliers or customers.
6. You have privacy policy and security information clearly stated.
7. You keep a listing of Internet customers that you use as a test market for new products and services.
8. You create an electronic newsletter for your Internet customers.
9. You successfully place your link on other relevant sites-such as non-competing products, non-profit organizations and perhaps product-related online "malls."

Rating

90-100 -- Your site is on the cutting edge and meeting your expectations. Or you are just very kind to yourself and the web master!

80-90 -- Hitting most of your objectives. Some fine-tuning will put you over the top.

70-80 -- You have all the basics. Some attention to details will help you achieve your goals.

60-70 -- This is an opportunity to redefine your e-cornmerce goals and examine how your web site can meet these goals. This may mean in practice a major redesign of the web site to improve effectiveness.

60 or below -- Well, at least you are honest! Use this reality test as a free wake up call to action. You must do better to stay on the cusp of competitiveness in your industry.

Other Website Evaluation Information, Links, Tools and Resources
Bartlett Website Evaluator (Bartlett Communications)

Your website visitors could be using any number of website browsers and your page will vary in look and function depending on the browser being used. BrowserShots is a website that allows you to evaluate how your website views and functions on various brands of web browsers.

Advertising & Promotion - Websites

2008-05-22T09:30:00.052-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's internet website marketing strategy.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-05-22
Revised: 2011-09-21

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Marketing My Business - Advertising & Promotion

Developing a Website as a part of your Marketing Strategy

About Web Design
What is a Website? (Wikipedia)
What Web Page Editor Should I Purchase? (PC Magazine)
What Web Page Editor Should I Purchase (ConsumerSearch)
General Web Page Development Information
Web Design Assistance (Microsoft)
Google Search: "website help my business"

Free and Open Source Web Design Software
Free Web Editors (thefreecountry.com)
Amaya
KompoZer
Mozilla SeaMonkey
Trellian

Purchase Web Design Software
Adobe Dreamweaver
Coffee Cup
Homestead SiteBuilder
Microsoft Expression
NetObjects Fusion

Outsourcing Web Your Design
WebCards.com
Find Web Design Businesses (DesignFirms.org)
Find Web Design Businesses (SuperPages.com)

Evaluating Your Existing Website
Website Evaluator (Martin Brill, Kutztown SBDC)

Website Design and Evaluation Assistance
PennTap
e-business/e-commerce Technology Assistance

Local Web Design Consultants

Clarion, Forest, & Venango Counties
USA Choice Internet Services
John Webb
PO Box 1306
679 Colbert Avenue
Oil City PA 16301
Phone: (877) 872-6382 Ext 224
Website: http://www.cust.usachoice.net/usachoiceproductsandservices
Annual fee for hosting website: $30 to $40 per month
Fee to develop website: $150 to $1,000
Cost to maintain website: $35 to $50 per hour

CS Online Internet Services - Computer Showcase
Joe Gayetty
PO Box 339
Seneca PA 16346
Phone: (814) 677-2447
Website: http://www.cstechplus.com/internet/webdesign.asp

Annual fee for hosting website: $10 to $25 per month
Fee to develop website: $300 to $1,000
Cost to maintain website: $65 per hour

Computer Support
Fred Cherico
860 South 5th Avenue
Clarion PA 16214
Phone: (814) 226-7456
Website: http://www.computersup.com/

No web hosting available
Call for pricing for website development

Webdesignable
Dave Andrews
PO Box 17 (Mailing Adress)
1230 Cemetary Road (Location Address)
Cooksburg PA 16217-0017
Phone: (814) 744-8689
Email: david@webesignable.com
Website: http://www.webdesignable.com/

Services: Web design, content writing, graphic design, web hosting, SEO and database integration, ecommerce including shopping carts

Pricing: New commercial website: Based on project size and time
Updates: $30/hour
Web hosting: $9/month billed annually
Shopping carts: Based on project size and time
SEO: Based on project size and time
Database integration: Based on project size and time

Examples of websites developed: http://www.clarionmall.com/, http://www.thecommonsatfranklin.com/, http://www.clarionstore.com/, http://www.fun-bank.com/, http://www.cookforest.org/, http://www.macbethscabins.com/, http://www.cornerstone-physicaltherapy.com/, http://www.dujairport.com/, http://www.flyfranklin.com/, http://www.slateaccents.com/, http://www.steelerware.com/

Clearfield County
A&D Data Systems
Custom Computer Programming
Tom Aravich, Owner
Phone: (814) 371-5844
Email: aravich@ad-datasystems.com
Website: http://ad-datasystems.com/

Black Moshannon Systems
Software Development
Robert Snyder, Owner
Phone: (814) 345-5657
Email: sales@moshannon.com
Website: http://www.moshannon.com/

Eagle Haven Computer, Inc.
Computer Retailer
Joseph Colna, Owner
Phone: (814) 765-5779
Email: joecolna@eaglehaven.com
Website: http://www.eaglehaven.com

Krise Kustom Programming
Prepackaged Software Services Custom Computer Programming
Scott Krise, Owner
Phone: (814) 375-2227
Email: scottkrise@verizon.net

Jefferson County
All Nite Web Designs
Olivia Dobbins
49 Jackson Run Road
Punxsutawney PA 15767
Phone: (814) 952-0837
Email: olivialdobbins@allnitedesigns.com
Website: http://allnitedesigns.com/

Annual fee for hosting website: starting at $15.00 per month (includes free web statistics and email)

Fee to develop website: starting at $300.00 (free quotes available)

Fee to maintain website: starting at $30.00/hour (free quotes available)

Other services available: logo design, existing web site analysis, limited photography services (free quotes available)

Vision
246 West Mahoning Street
Punxsutawney PA 15767
Phone: (814) 938-5864
Fax: (814) 938-9648
Email: info@vismarkgroup.com
Website: http://www.vismarkgroup.com/

McKean County
protocol 80, Inc.
69 Birch Street
Bradford PA 16701
Toll Free: 1 (877) 277-4795
Local: (814) 558.2850
Email: jeremyc@protocol80.com
Website: http://www.protocol80.com/

Note: There are many more companies that do this. These are just a few local companies that have been in business for some time that I am familiar with.

Note: Price is not everything: quality, speed, and ease of use of the web page is very important. Also the past experience of the web site developer is important. Get the website addresses to websites that each of these businesses have developed and compare them. In addition, look at these web developers own websites to see what they have developed in-house for their own website.

Other Links, Articles, And Information
Are You Committing These 4 Common Website Errors? (Small Business Trends) 2009-07-28
Beginner's Checklist for Small Business Search Engine Optimization
Click For Help (Wall Street Journal 2006)
ClickZ Stats (Online Marketing Trends and Stats)
Create a QR Code to enable customers and potential customers to instantly learn more about a business, by visiting a mobile version of the business' Place Page on any supported phone.
E-Marketing: Marketing your business/products/services online (SBDCNet)
Internet and consumer choice (Pew/Internet 2008)
Starting a web-based business (quittingyourjob.com)
Webcards are an easier alternative to creating Websites
Website Development Articles & Tools (DevMechanic)

Advertising & Promotion - Blogging

2008-05-09T10:07:00.006-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's internet blogging marketing strategy.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-05-09
Revised: 2008-05-09

Goto Table of Contents
Marketing My Business - Advertising & Promotion

Blogging as a part of your Marketing Strategy

What are Blogs & How and Where Do I Set Up My Blog
What is a Blog? (Wikipedia)
Blog Software List and Information (Wikipedia)
Blogger Website (Free)
TypePad (Free Trial)
LiveJournal
Google Search: How can I start Blog?

Articles And Information
Should My Business Develop A Blog?

Industry Analysis - Agriculture

2008-05-06T14:59:00.008-04:00

These are links and information pertaining to the Agriculture industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-05-05
Revised: 2009-07-15

Table of Contents
Industry Analysis - Main Page

Agriculture Industry
SIC Code: 0???? NAICS Code: 11????

Agricultural Entrepreneurship Program
Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA)
University of Scranton SBDC Agribusiness and Food Specialty Center

Business Assistance Programs & Organizations - Agricultural Entrepreneurship Program

2008-05-06T14:28:00.066-04:00

The Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence (IEE) has an Agricultural Entrepreneurship Program that addresses emerging trends such as agri-tourism, the buy-local movement, and organic and specialty products. They help maintain private farm ownership by teaching succession planning, facilitating young farmer entry into capital intensive industry, and coordinating educational opportunities for improved management skills and introduction to new technologies.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-05-05
Revised: 2011-03-01

Goto Table of Contents
Goto Business Assistance Programs & Organizations

For more information and assistance contact:
Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence
University of Pittsburgh, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
230 South Bouquet Street
1800 Wesley W. Posvar Hall
Pittsburgh PA 15260
Phone: (412) 648-1544
Fax: (412) 648-1636
Webmail: http://katz.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_07cP9gZh8ivQCvq
Website: http://www.entrepreneur.pitt.edu/special-programs/agricultural-entrepreneurship

Agricultural programs available:
Miscellaneous Agricultural Entrepreneurship Services
Natural Gas Lease Assistance
Methane Production Assistance
Switchgrass Pellet Assistance
Dairy Farming Assistance

General Agriculture Assistance
Center For Dairy Excellence (CDE)
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Penn State Agricultural Cooperative Extension Agents
Penn State Ag Science Magazine
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau
Clarion-Forest-Venango Farm Bureau
Brady D. Kadunce, President
PO Box 8736
510 South 31st Street
Camp Hill PA 17001-8736
Clarion Phone: (814) 226-5405
Camp Hill Office: (717) 761.2740
Email: bradyk2@verizon.net
Website: http://www.pfb.com/
Penn State School of Agriculture

The Clarion-Venango-Forest County Farm Bureau meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm at the Clarion VFW. Meetings are open to the membership. Directions

Farm and Land Owners Natural Gas, Oil, Timber, & Minerals
Goto Marcellus Shale Industry Main Page

Farm Methane Production
Biomass Energy Resource Center, Inc. (BERC)
PSU Search: Farm Methane Production
Should I Invest In Methane Production On My farm?

Switchgrass Pellet Production
PSU Search: Switchgrass Pellet

Money For My Business - SBAdvantage Grant

2008-04-29T10:52:00.016-04:00

Small Business Advantage is a grant program providing 50% matching grants, up to a maximum of $7,500.00, to enable a Pennsylvania small business to adopt or acquire energy efficient or pollution prevention equipment or processes. Well-designed energy efficient or pollution prevention projects can help small businesses cut costs and reduce the risk of regulatory problems, while simultaneously protecting the environment.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-04-29
Revised: 2010-10-06

Goto Table of Contents
Go Back to Grants

Small Business Advantage Grant (SBAdvantage)

The Small Business Advantage Grant Program has REOPENED as of October 4, 2010. As in past years the grant will be awarded on a first-come first-served basis until the approximately $1 million in funding is depleted. Applications will be accepted until Nov. 5, 2010, but applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible since program funds are limited and eligible applications are approved as they are received.

Additional information can be found on this link:
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/financial_assistance/10495/advantage_grant/553249
Click on the following link: 2010/2011 Guidance Document and Application to view the grant programs guidelines and application.

Please contact the Clarion University SBDC EMAP Program for assistance with applying for this grant.

Money For My Business - Factoring

2008-04-28T11:15:00.005-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's financing and capital acquisition strategy via factoring or the acquisition of short-term working capital by selling your past and/or future accounts receivables at a discount to paper value.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-04-28
Revised: 2010-10-14

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Money For My Business - Main Page

Factoring (Short-term financing of working capital)

Answers About Factoring
Factoring (How it works)
How to More Effectively Convert Your Accounts Receivable into Cash

Merchant Advisors
Oakridge Capital Group
Diamond Business Credit: Diamond Business Credit is a privately owned, entrepreneurial lender providing asset-based loans to companies that can not secure traditional bank financing.
Google Search: factoring receivables
Google Search: factoring inventory

Marketing My Business - Distribution

2008-04-10T14:35:00.007-04:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's product and services distribution strategy.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-04-10
Revised: 2008-04-10

Goto Table of Contents
Marketing My Business - Main Page

Products and Services Distribution

Distribution Channels

Manufacturer
Barcoding
Direct Selling (Manufacturer Produces and Sells)
Agent (Manufacturer's Representative or Broker)
Distributor (Wholesaler)
Dealer/Reseller (Retailer)
Consumer (End User)

Computers For My Business - Main Page

2008-04-04T22:31:00.029-04:00

These are links and information pertaining to computer hardware and software that can help you plan, develop, and maintain your small business computer systems.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-04-05
Revised: 2011-03-17

Table of Contents

Computers For My Business

Hardware

Computer Systems: Where to configure and purchase computer systems and accessories.
Computer Support
CS Technologies Plus
Dell
Gateway
HP/Compaq

Software

Computer Utilities: Free software that will help you avoid viruses, spyware, and popups. In addition there are various utilities that will help you clean your computer of old outdated files and registry entries, windows updates, defrag utilities, and other useful utilities.
Microsoft Windows Updates
Spybot - Search & Destroy
SuperAntiSpyware
Ad-Aware
CCleaner
EasyCleaner
Eusing Free Registry Cleaner
Auslogics Registry Defrag
AusLogics Disk Defrag
DirMS-S
avast! Antivirus
Google Toolbar
Norton Removal Tool Removes stubborn Norton AntiVirus program completely
Free Fonts Add new font styles to your computer (free fonts)

Email Software and Tools
Gmail
Yahoo
Google Search: free email account
Mass emailing: Avoid getting accused of being a spammer and being blacklisted when sending one email to multiple legitimate email addresses.
Mass emailing: Email Mining The Web, Learn how you can use the Web to mine emails for your target customers for use in email campaigns.

Other Handy Tools
Convert File To Another Format: Somebody emails you a file in a software format that you do not have on your computer. Example: Someone sends you an OpenOffice document file and you want to open it in Word. Go to online-convert website and it will ask you for the file you have and you will browse and load it online and then it asks you for the file format you want to convert it to, and you choose Word 97/2000/xp and it converts it for you online. You then just save it to your hard drive and load it in Word.

Open Source Software Availability (Whats Out There)
Open Source Software For Windows
Open Source Software List From Wikipedia
Mohawke's Best of the Best Free and Open Source Software Collection

Business Applications: Open source or free word processors, spreadsheets, databases, presentation managers, and various other business productivity applications.
OpenOffice

Website and Blogger Applications: Open source or free website and blogging software applications and utilities.
Google Blogger

Other Software and Tools For Small Businesses
15 Free Web-based Applications To Start Your Business
The Freelancer’s Toolset: 100 Web Apps for Everything You Will Possibly Need (Codswallop)

Industry Analysis - Construction and Building Inspection

2008-03-03T11:34:00.009-05:00

These are links and information pertaining to the Construction and Building Inspection industry.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-03-03
Revised: 2011-04-01

Table of Contents
Industry Analysis - Main Page

Construction and Building Inspection Industry
SIC Code: 7389 NAICS Code: 541350

American Society of Home Inspectors
California Employment Development Department
International Code Council
Lead, Renovation, Repair, and Painting Required EPA Licensing (April 2010)
Pennsylvania Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (PA Attorney General)
Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor Registration Application (PA Attorney General)
Pennsylvania Building Occupancy Permits
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (PA Dept L&I)
Search For Registered Contractors In Pennsylvania (PA Attorney General)
US Department of Labor (Occupational Outlook Handbook)
US Department of Labor (Industry Profile)

Searches
Google Search: "Construction and Building Inspectors"
Google Search: "Construction and Building Inspectors" +Industry
Google Search: "Home Inspection" +Industry

Electronic Commerce - Ebay Stores & Dropoffs

2008-02-14T11:39:00.010-05:00

These are links, research, and information pertaining to starting an eBay Store, becoming a registered eBay Trading Assistant, or starting an eBay Dropoff Center. The difference between an eBay registered Trading Assistant and a eBay Drop Off Center is the eBay Drop Off Center has a physical presence or a store front somewhere.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-02-14
Revised: 2008-05-22

Table of Contents
Industry Analysis - Electronic Commerce

Blog Reference: e-business - Main Page

Starting eBay Store
eBay Store Website
Cost to open an eBay Store
Google Search: opening eBay store
Google Search: profitable eBay products

Becoming an eBay Trading Assistant
eBay Trading Assistant Program
Registered eBay Trading Assistant Database
Becoming An eBay Assistant (theallineed.com)
Google Search: eBay trading assistant

Starting an eBay Drop Off Business
An eBay Drop Off Business is a Registered eBay Trading Assistant that has a physical store front or a brick and morter place of business to allow drop offs and inventory services.
Google Search: eBay drop off

Industry Information - Manufacturing

2008-02-14T10:53:00.007-05:00

These are links and information pertaining to various manufacturing industry information and research.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-02-14
Revised: 2011-05-24

Table of Contents
Industry Information - Main Page

Industry Information Manufacturing (By Industry in Alphabetical Order)
Appliances
Automotive
Boat Building and Repair
Clothing
Computer
Concrete
Firearms & Guns Manufacturing
Hardwood & Forest Products
Jewelry
Liquor Distileries/Wine/Breweries
Metal Finishing
Powdered Metal

Marketing My Business - Market Research

2008-01-30T15:37:00.017-05:00

Information, topics, and links related to your business's marketing research efforts.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-01-30
Revised: 2011-10-14

Goto Table of Contents
Marketing My Business - Main Page

Marketing Research Tools
Demographics - United States, Pennsylvania, County, & Municipality
Market Research (Rutgers University Librarys)

Target Market (Analyze)
Demographics - Specific Topics
EasyGraphics Market Report (Login)
Easy Analytic Software, Inc Website
Demographic Report By Zip Code
Segmentation and Targeting (ACNielsen)
The Housing + Transportation Affordability Index (CNT)
US Religious Landscape Survey (The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life)

Developing Marketing Surveys
SurveyMonkey: Online marketing survey software using email. Free 10 question 100 response survey, Smart Survey Design: This guide form SurveyMonkey, provides information on writing successful and effective survey questions, creating survey flow and layout, calculating response rates, tips for increasing response rates, and the pros and cons of online surveys.

Other Market Research Tools
Cayenne Consulting
ClickZ Stats (Online Marketing Trends and Stats)
Marketing Research Roundtable (Forum)
Marketing Research Software
STAT-USA: The University of Central Florida Library has put together this guide linking you directly to the original sources of the data previously found in STAT-USA. Some sources are still fee-based, though many are free. Use this for market research reports, industry statistics, economic indicators of all sorts, and foreign trade information.
quirky.com: Social networking comes to new product development with Quirky. Registered members can submit ideas and have them evaluated by the community and Quirky staff. If a product idea “passes” with enough votes and support from staff, presales begin. Only if there are enough presales does a submission actually get put into production.
Wikipedia (Market Research)

Training For My Business - PASBDC

2008-01-29T15:53:00.003-05:00

These are training assistance and programs that are available through the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center System.

Published By: Knowledgeman
Published: 2008-01-29
Revised: 2009-02-20

Goto Table of Contents
Goto Training For My Business - Main Page

For training assistance, please contact:
State Director's Office
Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers
University of Pennsylvania
The Wharton School
3819-33 Chestnut Street Suite 325
Philadelphia PA 19104-3106
Email: pasbdc@wharton.upenn.edu
Website: http://www.pasbdc.org/

The PASBDC system has the following training programs available:

Pennsylvania Statewide Workshop Schedule
Starting a Business Online Tutorial (Registration Required)
PASBDC Online Small Business Training (SmallBizU)(Registration Required)

Other PASBDC System Online Educational Resources are located on the following Page on the PASBDC website: PASBDC Online Educational Resources (Scroll down and view whole page)