Small Business. Resource Guide for. Businesses Poised for Growth page 14. PAGE 16 Counseling. PAGE 28 Capital. PAGE 48 Contracting

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1 Resource Guide for Small Business U.S. Small Business Administration Eastern Pennsylvania Edition Businesses Poised for Growth page 14 PAGE 16 Counseling PAGE 28 Capital PAGE 48 Contracting

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4 content SMALL BUSINESS PHILADELPHIA FEATURES 6 Introduction 6 Administrator s Message 10 Regional Administrator s Message 12 District Director s Message 14 Feature Article The Making of an SBA Gazelle 16 Counseling Getting Help to Start Up, Market and Manage Your Business 16 SBA Resource Partners 22 SBA s Learning Center 24 Reaching Underserved Communities 26 Are You Right for Small Business Ownership? 27 Writing a Business Plan 28 Capital Financing Options to Start or Grow Your Business 28 SBA Business Loans 30 What to Take to the Lender 41 Surety Bond Guarantee Program 42 Small Business Investment Company Program On the Cover: Kyong Tremblay and her daughter Stephanie Horn working together at the family business, Horn Jewlers. See story on inside back cover. 42 Small Business Innovation Research Program 43 Small Business Technology Transfer Program 45 SBA Loan Program Chart 47 SBA Lenders Program Chart 48 Contracting Applying for Government Contracts 48 How Government Contracting Works 49 SBA Contracting Programs 52 Getting Started in Contracting 54 Disaster Assistance Knowing the Types of Assistance Available for Recovery 56 Advocacy and Ombudsman Watching Out for Small Business Interests 57 Additional Resources Taking Care of Start Up Logistics 60 Business Organization: Choosing your Structure 61 Other Assistance 64 Lender Listing Reni Publishing Publishers of Small Business Resource Advertising Phone: Fax: Staff President/CEO Joe Jensen jjensen@reni.net English/Spanish Small Business Resource Advertising Nicky Roberts nroberts@reni.net Martha Theriault mtheriault@reni.net Kenna Rogers krogers@reni.net Production Diane Traylor dtraylor@reni.net SBA s Marketing Office: The Small Business Resource Guide is published under the direction of SBA s Office of Marketing and Customer Service. Director of Marketing Paula Panissidi paula.panissidi@sba.gov Graphic Design Gary Shellehamer gary.shellehamer@sba.gov SBA s participation in this publication is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of the contractor or any advertiser or other participant appearing herein. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Printed in the United States of America While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the information contained herein is accurate as of the date of publication, the information is subject to change without notice. The contractor that publishes this guide, the federal government, or agents thereof shall not be held liable for any damages arising from the use of or reliance on the information contained in this publication. SBA Publication # MCS-0018 This publication is provided under SBA Contract # SBAHQ05C Philadelphia Small Business Resource Visit us online:

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6 The U.S. Small Business Administration FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR Take Your Business to the Next Level At the SBA, one of our core missions is to provide access to capital in an inclusive manner. But that s not the end of our commitment to America s small business owners; it s only the start. We know small businesses need reliable lending to grow, but we also know how important it is to provide information regarding business fundamentals, regulatory compliance, capital management, public contract bidding, exporting and networking to create new opportunities and new customers. Two of three graduates of the SBA s Emerging Leaders program go on to increase their revenue; three out of four make new hires and nearly half secure government contracts. I ll never forget meeting the head of a public utilities company when I was a banker in Los Angeles. His company was committed to working with more underserved businesses and he told me he had a strong preference to contract with companies whose executives had been through programs like this one. He said Emerging Leaders are more sophisticated. They speak the language of business and know how to run sound operations and how to problemsolve. Learn more about this program in the Counseling section of this guide. The SBA is also focused on the unique opportunities presented by international commerce. Over the next decade, one billion consumers are going to join the global middle class. The SBA s State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) program can help small businesses sell to them. We re also focused on helping more of our military veterans apply their military leadership skills to their dream of business ownership through Boots to Business. Most of the job creation in our economy comes when small businesses get the counseling, capital and contracts they need to implement their expansion plans. This guide will give you fresh ideas about how the SBA can work with your small business to scale up and reach even greater heights. Go to to learn more about how the SBA can support your growth strategy. We look forward to working with you to help your business realize its full potential. Warmest regards, Maria Contreras-Sweet Administrator U.S. Small Business Administration 6 Philadelphia Small Business Resource Visit us online:

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10 The U.S. Small Business Administration FROM THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR This Resource Guide is one of many tools we offer entrepreneurs to help start or grow businesses. The U.S. Small Business Administration is here to help these entrepreneurs navigate business opportunities and continue to be the backbone of our nation by creating jobs, and fueling our continuing economic recovery. To accomplish this goal, we must continue our work to modernize the SBA, so that we re accessible and relevant to the business community in the 21st century. Some of what you re seeing in 2015 includes LINC, SBA One, and a more intensive push to get small businesses reaching into international markets. LINC (Leveraging Information & Networks to access Capital) is a new online referral tool connecting small business borrowers with nonprofit lenders from the Microloan, Community Advantage (CA), & 504 Programs. Prospective borrowers complete an online questionnaire, which is then forwarded to all LINC lenders operating within a particular county. Those lenders decide then to either opt in, or opt out of further loan discussions with the applicant. Answers come within 48 hours, rather than weeks of pounding on pavement and knocking on doors. SBA One takes everything online and presents businesses to financial institutions through the Internet. It automates the uploading of documents and generation of forms and allows for electronic signatures. On each 7A loan it will save banks hours of processing time and, of course, money. The combination of the recently instituted predictive credit scoring and SBA One will incent more banks to partner with us to promote underserved lending, generate more loans in general, and ignite economic activity. President Obama s decision to reestablish diplomatic relations with Cuba and ease some commercial and travel restrictions is a step toward increased freedom and economic opportunity. American businesses, small and large, stand to gain access to an important new market for goods and services just miles from our shores. SBA will be there to help with capital access and trade opportunities. Last year, the SBA shattered its record for export finance, supporting $2.8 billion in export sales. It is clear we can do even more to help our smaller firms reach the 95 percent of global consumers who live outside of our borders. For starters, we guarantee 90 percent of export loans (working capital, line of credit, or fixedasset financing) on amounts up to $5 million. We also have an expedited approval process on export loans under a half-million dollars. The Administration recognizes entrepreneurs and small business owners as the true engines of our economy. Their adaptability and innovativeness, while creating jobs and civic stability, are what makes this country great. The SBA is your resource to make your business dream a reality. Visit our website, call, or visit our local district offices to get started! Best Wishes, Natalia Olson-Urtecho Regional Administrator U.S. Small Business Administration Mid-Atlantic Region (Region III) 10 Philadelphia Small Business Resource Visit us online:

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12 Message From The District Director SBA Programs - A Recipe For Success The U.S. Small Business Administration brings a powerful recipe to the table, chock full of ingredients to help small businesses thrive. As SBA s new Director for the 40 counties of eastern Pennsylvania, I recognize my District is fortunate to have successful small business owners in nearly every business imaginable. These small business owners use many different ingredients and are always adding more to their recipe for success to help them compete and win in their marketplace. I hope the information in this guide will open your eyes to new ingredients and better recipes to help start, build or grow your business. SBA s Administrator Maria Contreras Sweet and our mid-atlantic Regional Administrator Natalia Olson- Urtecho are committed to making SBA a Smart, Bold, Accessible agency - the right ingredients for supporting small businesses and our nation s economy. SBA s Three C s of Capital (financing), Counseling (technical business advice) and Contracting (doing business with the federal government) are important ingredients for small business success. SBA s Capital Access programs provide access to microloans, loan guarantees to lenders and disaster recovery loans to small business owners. An exciting change in FY 14 in our loan programs allowed for SBA s guarantee fee to be waived for loans under $150,000. In SBA s Eastern Pennsylvania District our banking partners made 1,171 SBA loans for $426.4 million in our flagship 7(a) program in FY 14. As a comparison, in FY 13 our lending partners made 1,061 SBA loans for $466 million and 991 SBA loans for $326 million in FY 12. Total unit loan volume increased over 10% versus FY 13, while the average sized loan dropped to $364,000 from $439,000. This is good news for small businesses in eastern Pennsylvania, because it means there has been more access to smaller dollar loans, which are typically the toughest for borrowers to access. I believe that the elimination of fees on loans under $150,000 was a major driver in the increase in smaller dollar loans in our District. These results are a direct reflection of the strong relationships the District enjoys with our lending partners, certified development companies and micro-lenders and the success of our lender education and outreach. We re proud that SBA-guaranteed lending continues to be an important ingredient for financing for small businesses to start, grow and create new jobs for Americans. SBA s Counseling offers entrepreneurs free and low cost business advice. Free online business classes at www. sba.gov provide instruction on an array of subjects from starting a business to federal government contracting and can even help with cash-flow management and tax-related issues. SBA s Resource Partners, like SCORE, Small Business Development Centers and Women s Business Centers, can assist with everything from drafting business plans to complex management principles. These counseling partners assisted more than 1 million businesses in FY 14 in our District, and I m sure they can help you solve a challenge in your business. SBA s Contracting tools can assist small business owners in doing business with the Federal government. SBA s experts are available to help navigate the specialized and potentially lucrative Federal government contracting market, including Federal Procurement certification and marketing of your small business. The Federal Government awarded over $83 Billion in contracts to small businesses in FY 14, and we d like to help you add this ingredient to your small business. SBA can also help American small businesses learn more about exporting. SBA s Office of International Trade offers help in overseas markets an area with exciting growth potential for many small businesses with financing for export working capital and acquisition of plant and equipment for international sales. SBA offers entrepreneurs an entire recipe book s worth of resources. By opening this Resource Guide, you ve taken the first step to adding those ingredients to your businesses Recipe for Success. If you need further information, I encourage you to visit our website at or contact the Eastern Pennsylvania District Office at Sincerely, Antonio (Tony) Leta District Director of SBA s Eastern Pennsylvania District Office 12 Philadelphia Small Business Resource Visit us online:

13 Doing Business in Eastern Pennsylvania THE EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA DISTRICT OFFICE The Philadelphia District Office is responsible for the delivery of SBA s many programs and services in Eastern Pennsylvania. The Director is Antonio (Tony) Leta. The District Office is located at Parkview Towers, 1150 First Avenue, Suite 1001, King of Prussia, PA Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. CONTACTING THE EASTERN PENNYLVANIA DISTRICT OFFICE For program and service information and for information on financing please contact the District Office at or phila_do@sba.gov. SERVICES AVAILABLE Financial assistance for new or existing businesses through guaranteed loans made by area bank and non-bank lenders. Free counseling, advice and information on starting, better operating or expanding a small business are available through SCORE, Small Business We Welcome Your Questions Development Centers (SBDC) and Women s Business Centers (WBC). They also conduct training events throughout the district - some require a nominal registration fee. Assistance to businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals are available through the Business Development Program. A Women s Business Ownership Representative is available to assist women business owners. Please contact Linda Williams at or linda.l.williams@sba.gov. Special loan programs are available for businesses involved in international trade. Please contact the District International Trade Officer Sonia Smith at or sonia.smith@sba.gov. A Veterans Affairs Officer is available to assist veterans. Please contact Shannon Degiglio at or shannon.degiglio@sba.gov. For extra copies of this publication or questions please contact: Eastern Pennsylvania District Office Parkview Towers 1150 First Avenue, Suite 1001 King of Prussia, PA Tel: Fax: EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SBA Staff Listing Antonio (Tony) Leta Director tony.leta@sba.gov Michael Kane Deputy Director michael.kane@sba.gov Robert Maximowicz Branch Manager Wilkes-Barre Branch Office robert.maximowicz@sba.gov Harrisburg Branch Office michael.kane@sba.gov Donald Jefferson Lead Economic Development Specialist donald.jefferson@sba.gov George Murray Lead Economic Development Specialist george.murray@sba.gov District Staff Jane Aquila District Support Assistant jane.aquila@sba.gov Kristofer Butcher Administrative Officer kristofer.butcher@sba.gov Shannon Degiglio Economic Development Specialist & Lender Relations Specialist shannon.degiglio@sba.gov Robert Goza Economic Development Specialist & Public Information Officer robert.goza@sba.gov Patricia Kratz Economic Development Specialist & Lender Relations Specialist patricia.kratz@sba.gov Sonia Smith Economic Development Specialist & Lender Relations Specialist sonia.smith@sba.gov Kimberly Stout Economic Development Specialist & Lender Relations Specialist kimberly.stout@sba.gov Solomon Wheeler Lender Relations Specialist & Economic Development Specialist solomon.wheeler@sba.gov Linda Williams Lender Relations Specialist & Economic Development Specialist linda.l.williams@sba.gov Office of International Trade Robert Elsas Regional Manager, Export Solutions Group robert.elsas@sba.gov Website: Digital copy of this publication available at our website. Visit us online: Philadelphia Small Business Resource 13

14 The Making of an SBA Gazelle by Paula Panissidi, SBA s Director of Marketing FEATURE Throughout the pages of this resource guide, you ll read about how SBA has resources, programs, and services for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs at every stage of the business life cycle. This is definitely true; from developing your business plan to helping you finance a new location to taking your product overseas, SBA is there for you. However, I d be lying if I didn t say there was a special place in my heart for what we here at SBA Headquarters refer to as the gazelles. Gazelles are animals that are known for being both graceful and quick, outrunning their predators and surviving under what are often very harsh conditions. It is exactly in that context that we use the term. Like the top students in school, SBA s gazelles are those businesses that you can just tell are destined for greatness. They have a certain quality that is intrinsic to their nature; it comes from within. They don t just want to coast by; they want to succeed. Life may deal them challenges, but they have the drive to survive. In a nutshell, SBA gazelles are hungry. They seek out and take advantage of every opportunity. SBA gazelles are at a certain stage in their business life cycle. We call them poised for growth, and, while the potential to be a gazelle may be inherent, a small business owner that hones his or her skills through experience and training at this phase is much more likely to thrive. It is for this reason that SBA offers a number of training programs for small businesses in this stage of development, such as our Emerging Leaders Program and the 8(a) Business Development Program. Both programs are designed for small business owners with some experience under their belts and a desire, like the gazelle that swiftly and gracefully leaps to safety, not just to survive but to thrive. Earlier this year, I sat down with some of the graduates from the Baltimore and Washington, DC classes of the 2015 Emerging Leaders Program to hear about their experience and whether they would recommend the program to other small business owners like themselves. They were overwhelmingly positive about the program, and, though they admitted it was hard work, they highly recommended it to their peers. Visiting with them was invigorating and reminded me of all the great work we do in our district offices to help small businesses succeed. If you d like to feel inspired, check out the video we made for small business owners who are considering applying for the program at The next several pages profile just a handful of the small businesses that have succeeded, in large part, due to the assistance they received from SBA. Lest anyone think from this article that we take credit for an SBA gazelle s success, we acknowledge that we play but a small role in a business rise to becoming the next household name. We hope these stories both inspire and motivate you to pursue the path of entrepreneurship. For more information about the SBA Emerging Leaders Program, please visit For information on the 8(a) Business Development Program, see To find the location of your nearest SBA District Office, visit 14 Philadelphia Small Business Resource Visit us online:

15 SUCCESS STORY EcoTech Marine International, Inc. Leverages SBA Resources to Start, Grow and Succeed as SBA s Eastern Pa., Mid-Atlantic Region Exporter of the Year ALLENTOWN, Pa. Patrick L. Clasen came to SBA resource partner Lehigh University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) as a student with his partners Timothy Marks and Justin Lawyer to launch a manufacturing venture grown from their project, developed with the Lehigh University Integrated Product Development Program. The innovative VorTechTM coral reef aquarium pump design produces water flow with the pump motor outside the aquarium to reduce the need for cooling and ensure no electrical components touch the water. Founded in 2003, EcoTech Marine manufactures and sells reef aquarium propeller pumps, LED lighting and accessories for aquariums ranging from 2.5 to 500+ gallons. EcoTech products are now supplied at hundreds of aquarium stores throughout the United States and to more than 30 countries around the world. The company has received SBA-guaranteed loans and worked with SBA resource partner Lehigh University SBDC consultants, who helped EcoTech explore financing options to commercialize their technology and develop the financial and technical aspects of loan request presentations made to a local bank as well as federally-funded economic development agency. We are proud to have been awarded this honor, said Clasen, co-founder of EcoTech Marine. As a small business now in our 11th year we have tremendous respect for the unique challenges presented to a business like ours, as well as for the other entrepreneurs chasing their dreams to make their own success. It is incredibly humbling to have been selected for this award knowing so many other businesses that are doing such great things. It is a true honor to have been selected for this designation and it is one that we will take to heart as we continue to grow and evolve. U.S. SBA mid-atlantic Regional Administrator Natalia Olson- Urtecho officially presented the Eastern Pennsylvania and SBA mid-atlantic Region s Exporter of the Year to EcoTech Marine International, Inc. partners Patrick L. Clasen, Director of Finance; Justin Lawyer, Director of Research and Development and Timothy M. Marks, Director of Manufacturing. This has been another great year for the region for exporting and it s an honor to recognize the accomplishments of our small business communities, Olson-Urtecho said. EcoTech Celebrating EcoTech s Small Business Week Award for Eastern Pennsylvania District and mid-atlantic Region Exporter of the Year are Patrick L. Clasen, Director of Finance, EcoTech Marine International, Inc.; Natalia Olson-Urtecho, U.S. SBA mid-atlantic Regional Administrator; Cora Landis, Director, International Trade Development Program, Lehigh University SBDC; Jonathon Marshall, International Sales Manager, EcoTech Marine International, Inc. Marine is an excellent example of a small business that starts, grows and goes on to success in the global exporting market. SBA and our resource and lending partners are proud to be a part of small business exporting success stories all over the world. The SBDC is proud to have one of our clients be recognized as Region III SBA Exporter of the Year for the second year in a row, said Pennsylvania SBDC State Director Christian Conroy. EcoTech Marine utilized all of the resources at their disposal to start their company on solid footing and continues to work with the SBDC and its partners to continue to grow. We salute the founders of the company and our Lehigh University SBDC for their continued dedication to EcoTech s success. EcoTech Marine International, Inc., was nominated by Cora Landis, Program Director, International Trade Development Program, Lehigh University SBDC. It s been a privilege to work with EcoTech and help them grow from the initial three-person office in a little house down the street from Lehigh s main campus, to being part of their grand opening when they moved into their current facility that houses 40+ employees, a clean room, research lab, manufacturing floor and corporate offices, said Landis. They have grown their international distribution network to more than 40 distributors, and they have utilized EXIM financing to offer credit terms to their distributors. Also important to their growth, they ve been willing to learn from others and utilize all available resources and are now willing to give back and help others. Beyond that, and something I personally regard highly is their willingness to stay the course, overcome many obstacles and rough it out those initial years. Congratulations EcoTech Marine International you deserve this award! SBA s Eastern Pennsylvania Exporter of the Year award winner is selected annually from among nominees located across Pennsylvania s eastern 40 counties. Mid-Atlantic regional winners are selected annually from the winning nominees in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington D.C. These events are local observances of the annual Presidentially-designated National Small Business Week. National Small Business Week recognizes the small business community s contribution to the American economy. Visit us online: Philadelphia Small Business Resource 15

16 COUNSELING Getting Help to Start, Market and Manage Your Business COUNSELING Every year, the U.S. Small Business Administration and its nationwide network of resource partners help millions of potential and existing small business owners start, grow and succeed. Whether your target market is global or just your neighborhood, the SBA and its resource partners can help at every stage of turning your entrepreneurial dream into a thriving business. If you re just starting out, the SBA and its resources can help you with business and financing plans. If you re already in business, you can use the SBA s resources to help manage and expand your business, obtain government contracts, recover from disaster, find foreign markets, and make your voice heard in the federal government. You can access SBA information at or visit one of our local offices for assistance. SBA S RESOURCE PARTNERS In addition to our district offices, which serve every state and territory, the SBA works with a variety of local resource partners to meet your small business needs: SCORE chapters, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), and Women s Business Centers (WBCs). This partner network reaches into communities across America: More than 13,000 business counselors, mentors and trainers available through over 900 Small Business Development Centers, 110 Womens Business Centers and 350 SCORE chapters. These professionals can help with writing a formal business plan, locating sources of financial assistance, managing and expanding your business, finding opportunities to sell your goods or services to the government, and recovering from disaster. To find your local district office or SBA resource partner, visit SCORE SCORE is a national network of more than 11,000 entrepreneurs, business leaders and executives who volunteer as mentors to America s small businesses. SCORE volunteers donated more than 1.1 million hours providing services to small business clients. SCORE leverages decades of experience from seasoned business professionals to help entrepreneurs to start and grow companies and to create jobs in local communities. SCORE does this by harnessing the passion and knowledge of individuals who have owned and managed their own businesses and want to share this real world expertise with you. ON THE UPSIDE It s true, there are a lot of reasons not to start your own business. But for the right person, the advantages of business ownership far outweigh the risks. Found in more than 350 chapters and 800 locations throughout the country, SCORE provides key services both face-to-face and online to busy entrepreneurs who are just getting started or are in need of a seasoned business professional as a sounding board for their existing business. As members of your community, SCORE mentors understand local business licensing rules, economic conditions and important business networks. SCORE can help you as they have done for many entreprenurs through the years by: Matching your specific needs with a business mentor Traveling to your place of business for an on-site evaluation Teaming with several SCORE mentors to provide you with tailored assistance in a number of business areas Across the country, SCORE offers more than 10,000 local business educational workshops and seminars ranging in topic and scope depending on the needs of the local business community. SCORE workshops cover all manner of business topics, including: an introduction to the fundamentals of a business plan, managing cash flow and marketing your business. For established businesses, SCORE offers more in-depth training in areas like customer service, hiring practices and home-based businesses. For around-the-clock business advice and information on the latest business news and trends visit or call for the SCORE office nearest you. More than 1,200 online mentors with over 150 business skill sets answer your questions about starting and running a business. For more information on SCORE and to get your own business mentor, visit You get to be your own boss. Hard work and long hours directly benefit you, rather than increasing profits for someone else. Earnings and growth potential are unlimited. Running a business will provide endless variety, challenge and opportunities to learn. 16 Philadelphia Small Business Resource Visit us online:

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18 COUNSELING Bucks County SCORE 4 Locations SCORE Bucks County c/o Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce 409 Hood Blvd. Fairless Hills, PA Doylestown Office c/o Bucks County Economic Dev. Corp. 2 East Court Doylestown, PA Perkasie Office c/o Pennridge Chamber of Commerce 538 W. Market St. Perkasie, PA Kennett Square Bayard Taylor Memorial Library 216 East State St. Kennett Square, Pa Oxford National Penn Bank 24 S. 3rd St. Oxford, PA Phoenixville Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce 171 E. Bridge St. Phoenixville, PA Springfield Beneficial Bank 537 Baltimore Pike Springfield, Pa Springfield Delaware County Chamber of Commerce 1001 Baltimore Pike, Ste. 9LL Springfield, PA West Chester Chester County Government Services Center 601 Westtown Rd., Ste. 281 West Chester, PA Quakertown Office c/o Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce 21 N. Main St. Quakertown, PA Chester/Delaware County SCORE 12 Locations Boothwyn DNB First Bank 3915 Chichester Ave. Boothwyn, Pa Coatesville Lincoln University 351 Kersey St. Coatesville, Pa Exton Exton Regional Chamber of Commerce Exton Square Mall 185 Exton Square Parkway Exton, PA Exton Chester County Economic Development Council 737 Constitution Dr. Exton, Pa Glen Mills WSFS Bank 395 Wilmington Pike Glen Mills, Pa Kennett Square Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce 217 West State St. Kennett Square, Pa Philadelphia Small Business Resource Visit us online:

19 Delaware State SCORE The Nemours Building 1007 N. Orange St., Ste Wilmington, DE New Castle County: (Main Office) Kent County: Sussex County: Lancaster Lebanon SCORE Liberty Place 313 W. Liberty St., Ste. 231 Lancaster, PA Lehigh Valley SCORE ARC-100 Lehigh Carbon Community College 4525 Education Park Dr. Schnecksville, PA Montgomery County SCORE 6 Locations Information: request@score513.org Baederwood Office Plaza 1653 The Fairway, Ste. 204 Jenkintown, PA Indian Valley CoC 100 Penn Ave. Telford, PA Montgomery County Community College Center for Entrepreneurial Studies Rm. 91, Parkhouse Hall 340 DeKalb Pike Blue Bell, PA Upper Merion Township Library 175 W. Valley Forge Rd. King of Prussia, PA U.S. Small Business Administration 1150 First Ave., Ste King of Prussia, PA Ursinus College 601 E. Main St. Collegeville, PA Northeast Pennsylvania SCORE 4 Locations contact.0709@scorevolunteer.org Scranton 201 Lackawanna Ave., Ste. 308 Scranton, PA Honesdale 32 Commercial St. Honesdale, PA Monroe/Pike County 556 Main St. Stroudsburg, PA Wilkes-Barre Stegmaier Bldg. 7 Wilkes-Barre Blvd., Ste. 4 M Wilkes-Barre, PA Philadelphia SCORE 105 N. 22nd St., 1st Fl. Philadelphia, PA Pottstown SCORE 244 High St., Ste. 102 Pottstown, PA Reading SCORE c/o Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce and Industry 201 Penn St, Ste. 501 Reading, PA Schuylkill County - Branch Office 115 S. Centre St. Pottsville, PA Susquehanna SCORE Goodling Center 2101 Pennsylvania Ave. York, PA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS The U.S. Small Business Administration s Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) mission is to build, sustain, and grow small businesses; as well as to promote small business development and enhance local economies by creating businesses and fulfilling its mission of creating jobs. The Small Business Development Centers, vital to SBA s entrepreneurial outreach, have been providing service to small businesses for almost 35 years. It is one of the largest professional small business management and technical assistance networks in the nation. With over 900 locations across the country, SBDCs offer existing and future entrepreneurs free one-on-one expert business counseling and low-cost training by qualified small business professionals. In addition to its core services, the SBDCs offer special focus areas such as green business technology, disaster recovery and preparedness, export assistance, international trade assistance, veteran s assistance, technology transfer and regulatory compliance. The program combines a unique combination of federal, state and private sector resources to provide, in every state and territory, the foundation for the economic growth of small businesses. The return on investment is demonstrated by the program s success during FY2013. Assisted more than 14,200 entrepreneurs to start new businesses equating to nearly 39 new business starts per day. Provided counseling services to more than 104,000 emerging entrepreneurs and over 96,000 existing businesses. Provided training services to approximately 330,000 clients. The efficacy of the SBDC program has been validated by a nationwide impact study. Of the clients surveyed, more than 80 percent reported that the business assistance they received from the SBDC counselor was worthwhile. The top five impacts of counseling cited by SBDC clients were revising marketing strategy, increasing sales, expanding products and services, improving cash flow and increasing profit margin. More than 40 percent of long-term clients receiving five hours or more of counseling reported an increase in sales and profit margins. For information on the SBDC program, visit Bucknell University SBDC Steven Stumbris, Director 112 Dana Engineering Bldg. Lewisburg, PA Counties of Operation: Juniata, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder and Union. Kutztown University SBDC Ernie Post, Director Kutztown Rd. Kutztown, PA Counties of Operation: Berks, Chester, Dauphin, Lancaster and Lebanon. Lehigh University SBDC Sandra Holsonback, Director Lehigh University 416 E. 5th St. Bethlehem, PA Counties of Operation: Bucks (Upper), Lehigh, Montgomery (Northern) and Northampton. COUNSELING Visit us online: Philadelphia Small Business Resource 19

20 COUNSELING Lock Haven University SBDC Tim Keohane, Director 301 W. Church St. East Campus Lock Haven, PA Counties of Operation: Clinton and Lycoming Penn State University SBDC Heather Fennessey, Director 200 Innovations Blvd. 119 Technology Center University Park, PA Counties of Operation: Centre and Mifflin Shippensburg University SBDC Michael Unruh, Director 405 Grove Hall 1871 Old Main Dr. Shippensburg, PA Counties of operation: Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York. St. Francis University SBDC Edward Huttenhower, Director 117 Evergreen Dr. Loretto, PA Counties of Operation: Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset. Temple University SBDC Eustace Kangaju, Director 1510 Cecil B. Moore Ave. Beech Bldg., Ste. 200 Philadelphia, PA Counties of Operation: Bucks (Lower), Montgomery (Lower) and Philadelphia. University of Pennsylvania SBDC Wharton School M. Therese Flaherty, Executive Director Vance Hall, Ste Spruce St. Philadelphia, PA whartonsbdc.wharton.upenn.edu Counties of Operation: Philadelphia University of Scranton SBDC Lisa Hall-Zielinski, Director Office Linden St. (AdLin Building) Mail Linden S. Scranton PA Counties of Operation: Bradford, Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne and Wyoming. Widener University SBDC Glenn McAllister, Director 1350 Edgemont Ave. University Technology Park, Bldg. 2, Ste Chester, PA County of operation: Delaware Wilkes University SBDC VACANT, Director 85 South Main St. Wilkes-Barre, PA Counties of Operation: Carbon, Columbia, Luzerne, Schuylkill and Sullivan. PENNSYLVANIA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS 20 Philadelphia Small Business Resource Visit us online: