Starting a Business

Pittsburgh Women's Connection is dedicated to providing female entrepreneurs a central site where they can go to find resources and assistance for starting and growing their businesses locally, nationally and internationally. Between our business experts, regional service providers, member-partners and other specialized organizations, we are dedicated to helping women start and cultivate their business ideas. Our resources for helping women business-owners meet their business goals include:

Start up assistance and idea validation
Business plan assistance
Product development and engineering
Funding resources
Specialized services
Management assistance
Networking, education and group purchasing benefits
Much more….

Featured Resources:

The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Chatham University
Braun Hall
Woodland Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15232-9910
(412) 365-1253
http://www.chatham.edu/cwe/events/events.cfm

Women Business Leaders Huge Contributors to Economy

In the United States, 10.1 million firms are owned by women, employ more than 13 million people, and generate $1.9 trillion in sales as of 2008.* The impact of women owned firms continues to create a huge economic impact both nationally and locally. Women continue to move to entrepreneurship in record numbers because of the flexibility, control, and catalyst for change offered through business ownership. The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship (CWE) focuses on shortening the learning curve to success by providing hands-on, cutting-edge practical programs for women business owners. With programs including the highly recognized Kauffman Foundation FastTrac® Programs, CWE also offers Mentoring and Peer-to-Peer Learning Roundtables for women business owners in more mature stages of business.

*(Source: Center for Women’s Business Research: Statistics on Women Business Owners.)

Upcoming Events at the CCWE:

The Center for Women's Entrepreneurship at Chatham University would like to offer members of
Pittsburgh Women’s Connection a 10% discount for our fall FastTrac® NewVenture program. If
interested, please email or call 412-365-1153 to register and identify yourself as a PWC member.
You must first register on PWC website in order to receive this discount.

FastTrac® NewVenture is Chatham's core program for women interested in starting a business.
Chatham offers this program twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Since 2006,
over 128 women have gone through the program. The next program starts on Sept 16^th
- description below. More information on the program is also available on website:
www.chatham.edu/cwe

FastTrac® NewVenture™
10 Wednesdays September 16 to November 18, 2009
6:30-9:30 p.m.
Chatham University
Cost: $295 (includes all course material)

Have you always wanted to start your own business? Before you quit your job or invest your life
savings, FastTrac NewVenture will help you identify whether your business idea has merit.
You will write a feasibility plan examining the market potential of your business from every angle.
This step-by-step hands-on program is taught by seasoned entrepreneurs who will help you craft
your business idea. If you are a micro-business, home-based business, part-time business,
mompreneur, or just interested in turning your hobby into a business, this program is ideally suited
for you.

Women Business Leaders Breakfast Series
2nd Friday of each month, beginning Sept. 11, 2009 through August 13, 2010
7:30 - 9:00am
Chatham University
Cost:$25.00 per breakfast, register 1 week prior to each event.
Register online for the full series. ($50 discount when you sign up for series of 12)

Think BIG
“Big Thinking for a Big World”
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
Morning Session:
7:30-8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast and networking
8:30–11:30 a.m. “Pittsburgh’s Top Women in Business exemplify Big Thinking for a Big World”

Luncheon Session:
Noon to 1:30 p.m. “How to Ride the Sustainability Wave and Thrive”
Chatham University

Mentoring for Women Business Owners
Begins Thursday, December 10, 2009
6:30-9:30 p.m.
Chatham University
Cost: $295 for 7 month program*
Register online by October 15, 2009

Register here: http://www.chatham.edu/cwe/events/events.cfm

Duquesne University Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

108 Rockwell Hall
600 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15282-0103
Phone: (412) 396-6233
Fax: (412) 396-5884
Email: duqsbdc@duq.edu
Monday through Friday 8:30AM to 5:00 PM

http://www.sbdc.duq.edu

Don't miss the 4th Annual PA Business Technology Conference on November 12th!
Discover Technology Tools and Trends to Grow Your Business.

The Pennsylvania Business Technology Conference (PBTC) is designed to equip companies with
the information they need to make smart technology decisions that will enhance their profitability,
productivity and market adaptability. Organizations are invited to partner with the Duquesne
SBDC to ensure that Pennsylvania companies remain on the forefront of today’s technologies.

The conference is a full day event, running from 8:30 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. Discover the Newest
Innovations in: e-Marketing, Business Intelligence, IT Management, Wireless Technologies,
Finance and Accounting, Web Analytics, Networking, Security and Software.

Spend the day attending lively, interactive workshops, listening to Adam Kmiec from Marc USA
at lunch, and participating in this Technology Showcase. The speakers are not only experts in
their fields, they are energetic and passionate about teaching today's hottest technological tools
and trends to business owners.

As promotional partners, Pittsburgh Women's Connection members will receive a
discount for the event of $99 instead of full price of $119. The PBC promo code for
the PA Business Technology Conference is tech09sbdc.

Register at http://www.sbdc.duq.edu or call 412-396-1633.

Contact us at contact@pwconnection.com for more information on what is available to help women start and grow their businesses here and abroad!