Coatesville to offer 9-week business skills workshop

Program offered in partnership with Kutztown University Small Business Development Center

COATESVILLE » Entrepreneurs in the Coatesville-area looking to take their start-up, emerging of existing small business “to the next level,” can participate in a workhop designed to help them with their goals.

In partnership with the Kutztown University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and local business experts, the city of Coatesville will offer a nine week workshop — “Business Skills for Success for the Entrepreneur.” The program kicks off Tuesday, March 17 at City Hall, and will run from 6 to 8 p.m. each Tuesday.

“This program is a reboot of the successful CREATE workshop and training series Kutztown University offered in 2018,” James Logan, Coatesville assistant city manager, said in a press release. “The city has many local entrepreneurs and small businesses that just need a little guidance to get them to the next level.”

The program is designed for entrepreneurs of any age, and the weekly sessions will be led by business professionals.

“I found the business skills workshop extremely helpful,” Amber Little-Turner, who participated in a previous workshop presented by the university two years ago, said in the release. “Although I had been in business for a while, I had the opportunity to redraft my business plan, create an effective presentation for potential lenders and increase my knowledge about how to market my business.”

Among the topics planned for the upcoming workshop are : Feasibility and idea development; navigating building codes, permits, licensing and regulations; business planning and taxes; financing; market analysis and marketing plan development; expansion and improvement strategies and marketing and social media strategies.

The workshop will also include an opportunity for each qualifying business to make a live presentation in a “Shark Tank” setting and open a pop-up in Coatesville, according to Logan.

“Kutztown is thrilled to be back in Coatesville partnering with entrepreneurs, start-ups, as well as existing businesses and the Coatesville community in order to help them start, grow and prosper their businesses,” Kecia Sturdivant, assistant director of Kutztown University Small Business Development Center, said in the release.

There is a one-time fee of $50 to participate in the full program. Registration for the program will remain open through April 7.

For more information or to register for the workshop, contact Kecia Sturdivant at sturdiva@kutztown.edu or James Logan at jlogan@coatesville.org or call 484-646-5903.

For more information about the Kutztown university Small Business Development Center visit www.kutztownsbdc.org