Duquesne University to Help Unemployed Workers Become Entrepreneurs

Assistance is available for unemployed Sewickley residents who want to pursue business ownership. 

Duquesne University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) plans to deliver a program to help unemployed individuals in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties transition into entrepreneurs.

As part of the project, funded by the center through the U.S. Small Business Administration's Portable Assistance Project, the SBDC will consult with unemployed workers and provide training to assist them in pursuing business ownership. 

The program is called "Transitioning Employees to Entrepreneurs in Motion (TEEM): Opportunities for Southwestern Pennsylvanians to Pursue Business Ownership in the Changing Economy." 

Participants who join TEEM will work in small groups to learn specific strategies to transition from employment to entrepreneurship.

“The displaced workers in our region need assistance to successfully transition into self-employment and business ownership,” Dr. Mary McKinney, director of Duquesne’s SBDC, said in a news release. “People who are out of work and want to start a business should contact us; we can help.”

TEEM members will receive 15 hours of training, five hours of consulting and a certificate of completion.

Specifically, attendees will learn how to: Register a business; write a business plan; craft a marketing strategy; understand social media; create marketing materials; prepare financial projections; and think like an entrepreneur.

The U.S. Small Business Administration awards SBDC Portable Assistance Project grants to provide services and assistance to increase small business success and viability in communities suffering economic hardship because of a major disaster or economic downturn in their service areas.

For more information or to register, call 412-396-1633 or visit www.duq.edu/sbdc.

Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter

Check out some of today's other top stories here.