Women’s Independent Press

The WSBA Network Lunch
A Networking Luncheon for Women Business Owners & Professionals
“Get Heard, Get Noticed, Get Leads”

A networking event open to any business woman who would like
to increase her business contacts/clientele. Our networking
format will be structured to provide participants with high
profile and networking. Bring 20-30 business cards/brochures,
cash for your lunch check, and be prepared to give a 60-second
commercial about yourself.

JUne 4 - 1:00 p.m. - Butler
June 6 - 1:00 p.m. - Allegheny Valley
JUne 9 - 1:00 p.m. - Beaver County
June 11- 11:30 a.m. -Shaler/Gibsonia
June 13- 1:00 p.m. - Robinson/Airport
JUne 16- 6:00 p.m. - Westmoreland

June 17- 1:00 p.m. - East End
June 18- 1:00 p.m. - South Hills
June 20- 1:00 p.m. - Monroeville
June 24- 1:00 p.m. - North Hills
June 25- 5:30 p.m. - After Work (Allegheny Wine Mixer(Butler St.)
June 26- 1:00 p.m. - Washington

Host: Women’s Small Business Association
Fee: $2 meeting fee (plus the cost of lunch)
RSVP: Required (Note: Any “Yes” RSVPs who do not show
will be charged a $20 no-show fee.)

For more info and to register online,
go to: http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=4gu7_&m=JAT9fDzfreZhGz&b=_McJ6fULloCEPcIFI0pZDQ.

If you have further questions, contact Eileen Conniff Marzullo
at 412-429-9919 or marzullope@verizon.net.

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Business Exchange Networking Lunch

* Give a 1-2 minute commercial for your business.
* Bring business cards, brochures, and samples.
* Make new business contacts.

Dates and Locations:

June 4 - Wexford, Four Points by Sheraton Pittsburgh North,
910 Sheraton Drive, Mars/Wexford, PA 16046
RSVP: email Carol Briney at
Carol@CarolBrineyWorkFromHome.com

June 11- Mount Lebanon, Atria’s, 110 Beverly Road, Mt. Lebanon
RSVP: email Michelle Zmijanac at
Michellezmijanac@bestpracticesdelivered.com

June 25- Fox Chapel, Comfort Inn (Old Holiday Inn) in RIDC Park,
Ohara Twp
RSVP: email Carol Briney at
Carol@CarolBrineyWorkFromHome.com

Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Cost: $18 (Bring cash; No-shows will be billed for the lunch)
RSVP: By Monday prior to the event

For more info, go to: http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=4gu7_&m=JAT9fDzfreZhGz&b=gAvh1SrdXIut9lZNh.iFig.

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Entrepreneur’s Growth Conference

Keynote Speaker:
Stan Sheetz, Chairman of the Board; Sheetz, LLC

Discover ideas that can transform your business. Choose from 15
expert-led workshops on the hottest topics in business today.
Workshops on strategic planning, management, finance, marketing,
starting a business, and more. A business building trade show
featuring more than 50 support organizations. Unparalleled
networking opportunities with entrepreneurial veterans, top
service providers and the region’s most promising entrepreneurs.

Date: June 5, 2014
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Place: Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh
Host: Duquesne University Small Business Development Center
Cost: Full Day-$139
Full day fee includes continental breakfast, discount parking,
luncheon, workshops & business-building trade show.
RSVP: Required to receive advance price.

Questions: Call 412-396-1633.
Register online at:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=4gu7_&m=JAT9fDzfreZhGz&b=NMffgPROxcOFtIvJPZPsbg

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BizMix at Highmark Stadium

Join the Pittsburgh Business Times and their partners to mix,
mingle and network with Pittsburgh professionals at BizMix, an
evening networking event presented by the Business Times. This is
also a great opportunity to meet and visit with Business Times
editors, reporters and staff in an informal setting. Bring your
business cards and get ready to make new acquaintances. Most of
this open-house style event will be informal networking.
Your reservation includes:
- Delicious hors d’oeuvres and appetizers
- Two drink tickets
- Five free auction tickets for chances to win gift cards,
baskets and more

Want to showcase your product or service at BizMix? There are a
limited number of display tables available for this event.
Please contact Dena Trusiak at 412-208-3814 or
dtrusiak@bizjournals.com for information and pricing.

Date: June 12, 2014
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Place: Highmark Stadium Banquet Room,
510 W. Station Square Dr. Pittsburgh PA 15219
Host: Pittsburgh Business Times
Cost: $31.50-Business Times Subscribers; $35-Others
(Includes hors d’oeuvres and drinks, Advance payment required)
RSVP: Early registration encouraged (Limited Space)

For questions or additional information, contact Kelli Komondor at
412-208-3845 or kkomondor@bizjournals.com.
Register online at:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=4gu7_&m=JAT9fDzfreZhGz&b=8qFpOma7h3bVA2j.K9oqvw.

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. The Business of Nonprofits:
Starting and Operating these Economic Engines

Speaker: Peggy Outon, Executive Director of Bayer Center
for Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University

The Women Business Leaders Breakfast Series features prominent
regional women business leaders speaking on a variety of
progressive business topics. Casual networking and a continental
breakfast precede engaging and interactive presentations on
topics essential for women in business such as innovative
entrepreneurship, strategic business growth, unique marketing
strategies, and logistical business planning.

Date: June 13, 2014
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Place: James Laughlin Music Hall, Chatham University, Shadyside
Host: The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Chatham University
Cost: $25 (includes continental breakfast)
Students- $12.50 with valid ID (Email pdecker@chatham.edu)

BRENTWOOD BALDWIN WHITEHALL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
WOMEN’S NETWORKING LUNCHEON
June 13, 2014
Noon
South Hills Country Club
The monthly luncheon meeting of the Women’s Networking of the Brentwood Baldwin Whitehall Chamber of Commerce will meet on Friday, June 13, noon, at South Hills Country Club. . Please plan on attending and bring a friend. We welcome members and non-members. Everyone will pass out cards and brochures and present a one-minute “commercial.”
Guest SpeakerCat Specter was Pittsburgh’s advice columnist from 2002-2012. Cat’s Call ran in print and online in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for almost a decade, and enjoyed national and international popularity. Now Cat is a book author! Her most recent novel, The Big Three, is available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon. Find Cat on Twitter @catspecter.
Lunch for Chamber Members - $20 - Bring a friend!
Lunch for Non-Members - $25
Display Table $10

Please make a reservation by contacting our secretary:
Mary Dilla at: secretary@bbwchamber.com

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End Your Day With an Empty In Box

Presented by Alex Seltzer, SPHR, ACC, Productivity Expert

If you want to master your email monster, this workshop may be
just what you’ve been waiting for! If you are overwhelmed with
email, tasks, and to-do piles, then I have great news for you!
Pittsburgh Professional Women and the American Marketing
Association are teaming up to offer an empowering workshop
on personal productivity.

How many emails do you have in your inbox right now? If you’re
like me, you may have attended workshops or taken classes that
help to manage email overwhelm and learned some great strategies,
yet somehow slip back into old habits. If you feel overwhelmed
by your to do list, projects, commitments and emails, Alex Seltzer
says that THERE IS HOPE!

Alex is a productivity expert and a certified coach who helps
others master the art of managing time. At this information-packed
and intensive workshop he’ll be teaching:

* How you can organize instead of agonize
* What stops you from working smart
* How to identify and overcome productivity pirates
* How to leverage your technology
* How to create priority lists
* How to effectively manage your commitments and projects
* How to organize your email and work from an empty in box

Date: June 17, 2014
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Place: Doubletree by Hilton Green Tree
(formerly the Green Tree Radisson)
Host: Pittsburgh Professional Women
Cost: $35 for PPW Members; $55 for Non Members
(Add $10 after June 9) Includes breakfast buffet
RSVP: Suggested by June 9
Register online at:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=4gu7_&m=JAT9fDzfreZhGz&b=578wMrIhLS6tIahIsGj7lQ

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Generating Leads and Growing Revenue:
Business Development for Consultants

A Panel Discussion Featuring:

-Lou Musante - Serial Entreprenuer, Founder of Echo Strategies
-Peter Berner - Owner, Pilot Workplace Advisors
-Bryan Whittington - Partner, Peak Performance and Sandler Traning

The top two challenges identified in the Consulting Community’s
2014 Challenges and Trends survey were: growing revenue with new
clients and generating more leads.

We like to build the Community events around the issues that
resonate with local consultants so . . . join your colleagues
on June 18 when we address these challenges by tapping into
the wisdom of a panel experienced consultants.

Date: June 18, 2016
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Place: Peak Performance Training Center, Foster Plaza, Bldg 11,
790 Holiday Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15220
Host: Pittsburgh Consulting Community
Cost: $30 (includes lunch)
RSVP: Suggested by June 13th
To register, contact Michael Couch at
michael@mcassociatesinc.com or 412-952-9036.
Or register online at:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=4gu7_&m=JAT9fDzfreZhGz&b=DTEbxcs9ZIjzWaWwoURt_g.

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Creating Engagement Marketing Programs

Speaker: Autumn Edmiston, CEO of the Edmiston Group and
Authorized Local Expert for Constant Contact

Do you use newsletters, announcements and Email campaigns to reach
customers, donors, clients or supporters of your organization.
This session will reveal some simple but effective best practices
to make your engagement marketing more effective. Join us to learn
more about marketing activities that help small businesses or
organizations achieve their goals.

Date: June 18, 2014
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Place: Volunteers of America, 1650 Main Street, Sharpsburg, PA
Host: Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania
Cost: Free (Bring a brown bag lunch)

To register, call 412.782.5344 (x209) or email
volunteersofamerica@voapa.org

Disability Resource Breakfast
Thursday, June 19, 2014
8:30 – 9:30 AM

Speaker: Tina Calabro, the parent of a 19-year-old son with cerebral palsy, is a disability issues writer and resource specialist. Her column, “Breaking Down Barriers,” has appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette since 2002.
Topic: “Let Me Swim”: The Art of Letting Go of our Transition-age Sons and Daughters
As our transition-age sons and daughters look ahead to greater independence in creating their unique paths to employment and satisfying adult lives, we parents are simultaneously learning how to let go. This presentation will feature stories of young adults with different types of disabilities who have made successful transitions from school to work and other aspects of adult life. Information about key resources will be provided.
Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania
1650 Main Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15215
FREE
RSVP: 412.782.5344 x 209 or volunteersofamerica@voapa.org

Come be a part of the longest running networking luncheon in the
Pittsburgh area. Bring 50 business cards or brochures to hand
out and be prepared to give a short presentation on your business
to introduce yourself to other business women and professionals.

Date: June 20, 2014
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Place: To be announced
Cost: $22.00 (Prepayment required)
RSVP: By JUne 18th
Questions: Contact Suzanne at Suzanne@womenspowerlunch.com
or 724-452-5152.
Register online at: http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=4gu7_&m=JAT9fDzfreZhGz&b=.JdkfL8J4SR.xv.2bDj8zQ

Want to know more? 412.281.7141 ❘ carnegielibrary.org • Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/clpdowntown

Small Business Research June 12 Presented by Rachel Masilamani, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Are you interested in starting a business in Pennsylvania? CLP – Downtown & Business is a premier public business library that offers access to comprehensive print materials, eresources and services for small business start-ups. Learn how the Library can help you open your business.

Rise of the Drones June 19 ❘ DVD 60 minutes NOVA reveals the cutting-edge technologies that are propelling us toward a new chapter in aviation history. From cameras that can capture every detail of an entire city at a glance to giant air frames that can stay aloft for days on end, drones are changing our relationship to war, surveillance and each other.

Meet Bridgeway Capital June 26 Presented by Bridgeway Capital Bridgeway Capital is a nonprofit that provides capital and educational opportunities to emerging businesses to ignite growth, expand entrepreneurial capacity and sustain vital services in Western Pennsylvania. Drop in and learn how you can expand your business potential with Bridgeway Capital.

1. Don’t skimp on drainage -While this may sound like an odd first tip, it can be a matter of life and death for your plants. When there isn’t a big enough hole or holes for water to get out of your pot, your soil becomes too wet and the roots of your plants can rot which causes the plant to die.

2. Evaluate your light-To figure out how much direct light your container will get, place it where you want it and then time how long the sun hits it.

3. Feed your plants- Most potting soil has no accessible nutrients for your plants, you need to add those. The vast majority of plants will need fertilizer added to your soil in order to grow and thrive.

4. Make a list before you go to buy plants- saves you the trouble of figuring that out at the store

5. Choose plants that like each other- When you are choosing plants for your container make sure that they will play well together. This means that all the plants in one pot should all require the same amount light and moisture. If you combine plants with different needs, some of them will not thrive.

6. Read and save the Plant Tag- Plant tags are critical. They will tell you how big your plant will get, how much light, water and food it needs and how much care it will need-if it’s an annual or perennial and what zone it will survive in.

7. Sometimes plants die- The more plants you grow, the more plants you will kill. It’s that simple. The trick is to know when to give up on a plant. In a mixed container garden, it makes sense to give up rather early, so your whole container doesn’t look ugly.

8. Acclimate your plants - Plants can sometimes withstand a lot of abuse. I have found that many plants don’t like abrupt changes and if you acclimate them, over a period of time to changes in light, exposure to the elements, water or temperature, they are generally happier.

9.The more potting soil the better-The more potting soil you use, the more water retention you will have which will give you a much great margin for error when it comes to both watering and feeding your plants. .

10. Garden how you live- Container gardening is hard work. It takes time and attention, and while it doesn’t have to be expensive, it can be. Even if you cover all your bases, some plants with thrive and some will not

Your target market has been buying so far, but as all small business owners know, customers are fickle creatures and you never know when their buying preferences will change. Creating a double whammy, with the rise and fall of the economy, it’s hard to keep cash flow flowing when customers tighten their belts.

Make a smart move now, while profits are up and you feel that exploring new territory is worth it, by diversifying your customer base.

Here’s how:

1. Expand to other markets. You may be able to find a similar target market in another area if you do your demographic research. Check marketing statistics in another city or state. If you don’t want to open another location, simply expand online through ecommerce. You’re still marketing to the same type of customer, so you know what they want, and if spending falls off due to problems with the local economy, your business will still have a strong base of customers in other regions.

2. Change your “type.” Most products or services have potential target markets you may never have thought of. Pick a hot growth market and brainstorm ideas on how to market your product or service to that group. Can you modify the product or service you normally target to women to suit young teens, or add a new marketing angle to get men to buy for their wives and girlfriends?

3. Skew your product or service to another market. Think of ways to slightly skew your product or service to attract a whole new audience. Do you provide a service to help students get into college? Think about adding resume editing and writing to your menu of services to help adults find jobs. Do you do Web design? Add SEO services or Web hosting.

4. Spread the word. Get the news out about your new products or services any way you can. Maybe your old customers weren’t heavy social media users, and now you are targeting a social-media-savvy audience. You’ll need to shift your marketing efforts to whatever area your new target market expects. But be sure to keep current customers informed of your new direction so they won’t feel left behind.

Rieva Lesonsky is CEO of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Email Rieva atrieva@smallbizdaily.com , follow her on Google+ and Twitter.com/Rieva and visit her website, www.SmallBizDaily.com , to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for Rieva’s free TrendCast reports.

Joyce Faulkner
Author, Speaker, Storyteller
Book Designer, Graphic Designer, Ghostwriter
Contact me at:
joycekfaulkner@gmail.com
412.496.5034
www.joycefaulkner.com

The coffee shop lights were dim. I could not make out the faces
of the folks sitting in the far corner. I opened my book and thumbed
to a short story titled, Andrew. It was one of my favorites. It was
about two soldiers whose paths crossed in the wilderness as they
found their way home after the Civil War. It was about dealing with
having killed – and it was about dealing with your own approaching
death. Those are risky subjects for a writer – but for once, I nailed it.

At least, I thought so.

I cleared my throat and began.

Two young girls sipped their lattes and pretended to be interested. It was nice of them, but they were used to The Simpsons and Superman movies. I turned the page. When I got to the part where Grover accidentally shoots Andrew, a lady to my left set her coffee cup down and leaned her chin on her fist. Towards the middle of the story, a middle- aged man in biker leathers nodded knowingly. At the end of the reading, there was a long moment of silence as the audience pondered the meaning of the last line — or maybe they were waiting to see if I was finished. The applause was warm. I wasn’t sure if they liked Andrew – or me. Of if they were just being polite.

Someone turned up the lights a notch and I saw that there were more people in the room than I realized. The teenaged girls approached me with notebooks in hand. One was a poet – the other was working on a novel. I had underestimated them. We talked about writing for a few minutes. I gave each of them my business card.

When they left, a gaunt gray woman emerged from the shadows. She had my book tucked under her arm. “Very moving,” she rasped. “Poignant.” I thanked her and offered her a card. She shook her head. “I’ve got your number.” She went outside to smoke a cigarette. Puzzled, I watched her through the glass door. It was cold and she didn’t wear a coat. She squinted into the frigid wind before she lit up and I fancied, for a moment, that I could see the bones beneath her skin. I shuddered and looked away.

“Can I talk to you?”
His face was inches from mine. I jumped.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.” The old man leaned on his walker. “I need to talk to you.”
“Of course. What can I do for you?”
“Let me buy you a cup of coffee?”
I nodded and sat down at a tall round table while the old man ordered and brought me my mug. He settled beside me.

“I liked your story.”
“Thank you. Are you a writer too?”
“I am – but nothing like you.”
He blew across the rim of his coffee cup and I smelled winter on his breath. Spooked, I waited as he searched for words.
“I have a story,” he said finally. “I’ve tried to write it for sixty-three years.”
“Maybe you are trying too hard?”
“Maybe.” He lowered his head.
I lost track of everyone else in the room, hypnotized by the tears frozen on his cheeks.

“Time is running out – and I still can’t do it.”
I sat quietly — listening.
“Tonight, when you were reading your story, I knew that you were the one.”
“The one?”
“The one to write this story.”
“You mean you want me to be your ghost?”
“No. I’m not asking you to write under my name. I’m going to give you the story. No strings. You can write it anyway you want.”
“Why”?
“Because you are the only way I can save an old friend.”
I sipped my coffee. “You want to tell me about it?”
“When I was a boy, I had a buddy. He was like a brother.” His voice dropped to a near whisper.
I leaned forward.

The old man’s memories were glossy pearls reflecting the soul of a boy who died on a distant battlefield long before I was born. His words sketched a face. My own imagination colored it. When he was done, the old man reached across the table and covered my hand with his cool one. “You will write about him?”
“I promise.”
He seemed comforted. “I don’t want him to disappear when I do.”
“I understand.”
He stood up and put on his coat.
“They are going to read more poems tonight,” I said.
“I’m finished.” He pointed towards the door. The gaunt woman on the other side of the glass beckoned. “She’s waiting for me.”

I watched him shuffle toward the door using his walker. A bell tinkled and cold air gushed in as he went out. The woman snuffed out her cigarette and embraced him. I turned back to my coffee.
The business card I had given him lay on the table. I picked it up and turned to call him, but they were already gone.
“Did you have fun,” my husband asked when I called later that night.

I told him about the old man and his story.
“Will you write about it?”
“Someday”
“What is this? The millionth story someone has given you? You should turn your collar around and put out a shingle.”
I laughed. “I’m the glue.”
Now he was laughing. “Glue?”
“Story tellers are the glue between people who lived before and those who live now – and those who will live in the future.”
He was quiet for a while. “It’s a big responsibility, Joyce.”
“No, it’s a blessing.”

Yvonne Philllips FSII

Feng Shui Business Educator

www.fengshuipublications.com

FREE Feng Shui Business E-Book

www.facebook.com/yvonnephillips

www.linkedin.com/yvonnephillips

www.twitter.com/yvonnejean
Classes Consultations Speaking Coaching
412-215-8247

Do you need inspiration for that next writing project?
Do you need to write more content for your blog or to work on your first book?
Follow these 8 Feng Shui Tips to get you in the mood to write more creatively.

Here are 4 areas of the map of Feng Shui that are most important to a
writer according to the principles of Feng Shui:

A. The Knowledge Area that is located in the South West area of your office or writing space.
B. The Career Areas that is located in the South area of your office or writing space.
C. The Creativity Area that is located in the East area of your office or writing space.
D.The Fame Area that is located in the North area of your office or writing space.

1. Yes, you must Declutter the area! If you like piles of papers around you, use horizontal containers or cabinets and if you like to file, choose vertical files.
Your goal here is to create a space that doesn’t overwhelm you with lots of clutter and you want a space that helps you focus on your writing projects.
2. Your Desk placement must be correct; never have your back to the door. If you must settle for your back to the door, there is a remedy. Place a mirror or reflective artwork on your wall so you can see who is approaching you from behind your chair.
3. If you have a window, try to be able to look out every so often to give you the depth of view and in turn you are exercising your eyes. Your space is all about you, it must match how you feel and how you operate.
4. Choose a water element that is moving like a fountain or flowing water with sound effects, very softly in the background.
5. Electronics use sudden bursts of energy and draw our energy, try and sit farther away from them. Electromagnetic fields can go as far as 30”. Use plants to block this negative energy where it makes sense.
6. Hang a wooden chime in your window. It activates the chi energy to bring in wealth to you. Place your certificates or awards in the North part of the room, it is your fame and reputation area.
7. Bring in the 5 elements of fire, water, earth, metal and wood. They all interact with each other and work for you in creating a balanced writing space.
8. Here are some examples of items you can use in the different areas of your space. Keep everything simple and small. These items don’t have to be out, they can be placed inside a drawer or cabinet or all placed on a shelf.
Earth-Center-yellow-can be rocks, stones, pottery or any square object.
Fire-North-red/dark oranges-lamps, computers or artwork with red in it or an object shaped like a pyramid.
Water -South-dark blue or black and a wavy shaped object.
Wood-West-green and add plants or books in this space or an object in a rectangle shape.
Metal-East silver or grey and add any coins, or items with metallic finishes and a round object
If you don’t have a routine or a ritual to start your writing, now is the time to create one. You can use music to get you inspired or light a candle. You can also create your ultimate writing space in another part of your office area. Happy Writing!
Yvonne can be reached at yvonnephillips1@aol.com or check out www.fengshuipublications.com for more Feng Shui information.

When checking out prospective accountants, find out what kinds of services are offered such as bookkeeping, management consulting, investment management and estate planning.

When I started my business, one of the first people I missed was the corporate accountant who worked at my old job. No more handing off receipts to get reimbursed for expenses or telling someone to create an invoice. I suddenly had to figure out what the best format for my business should be (corporation or LLC), how to pay employee taxes, and what expenses are deductible.

You’re probably already using an accounting program like QuickBooks or Sage to create invoices and track sales and expenses. A good accountant can show you how to use those programs to do more for your business than just the basics. He or she can show you how to look for warning signs, manage late payments and run reports to show you who your best and worst customers are.
Do you really have time to have to keep up with new tax laws, the ins and outs of business structures and shareholder decisions? Of course not. That’s what an accountant is for.
If you ever want to retire or pass the business on to your family, a good accountant can advise you on the best way to make that happen.
So how do you find a good accountant? Start by getting recommendations from other small business owners in your area and/or industry. It’s best if the accountant is familiar with your specific business issues. Local review sites like Yelp and Local.com can help you search in your area.
When checking out prospective accountants, find out what kinds of services are offered such as bookkeeping, management consulting, investment management and estate planning. Will the accountant also help you with small business loan documents or managing employee retirement plans?
Finally, make sure you understand how you’ll be billed. Many accountants charge by the hour, but you might be able to pay a monthly retainer fee so you can ask questions anytime you need help.

Rieva Lesonsky, headshotRieva Lesonsky is CEO of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Email Rieva@rieva@smallbizdaily.com , follow her on Google+ and Twitter.com/Rieva and visit her website, www.SmallBizDaily.com , to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for Rieva’s free TrendCast reports.

by Tameka Montgomery, SBA Official

Did you know that one in four individuals between the ages of 44 to 70 are interested in becoming entrepreneurs? In fact, entrepreneurs over the age of 50, also known as encore entrepreneurs, are one of the fastest-growing groups of entrepreneurs in the United States.

If you are one of the 63 percent of Americans planning to work during retirement, then small business ownership may be a good option for you to use your experience and knowledge gained during your career toward starting a new business.

Each year, the SBA helps more than one million aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners to start, grow and succeed. If you are thinking about starting a business, the SBA and our resource partners can provide you with the tools to help. During the month of April, SBA and AARP are teaming up to host National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Month to provide a range of resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners over the age of 50. The events will help connect encore entrepreneurs with mentors such as those from SBA’s network of Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, and SCORE chapters that can help throughout the life cycle of an entrepreneur’s business.

Events will include speed mentoring, which allows mentors with small business experience and entrepreneurs to share information during one-on-one counseling sessions, and workshops for entrepreneurs to get advice and assistance from successful business owners and community leaders. You can find local events taking place around the country to learn more about how to become an entrepreneur or how you can grow your existing small business.

Now is a great time to explore your options. SBA has free online courses targeted at helping encore entrepreneurs to get started. Go online to access SBA’s online small business learning center that offers free courses on how to start your own business and a course designed for women entrepreneurs over the age of 50.

SBA and AARP are also hosting free webinars on related topics that you can easily access, Are You Ready to Start Your Small Business? and Steps to Starting Your Business: Encore Entrepreneurship Webinar Series.

You can find more encore entrepreneurship information at www.sba.gov/encore and www.aarp.org/workresources

We look forward to seeing you at a Mentor Month event and encourage you to visit with our mentors and counselors, as well as explore SBA’s online tools to help you to build your own small business.

Spring is the time of rebirth and renewal, a time to replace the old and quiet energy with new, vibrant energy. With rebirth and renewal comes change. Allow yourself to experience positive changes in your home with help from a few Feng Shui tips:

• Throw out those items you no longer need that could benefit another person, including clothes in your closet, knickknacks in your drawers, and books on your shelves. Items that you no longer need only prevent you from moving forward to new ventures. Plus, giving those items to people in need will get you started on a positive path.

• Consider the metaphorical and literal meanings of the word, “open.” Open your windows, your doors, your closets, and your mind. Replace stale air and stagnant ideas with fresh possibilities. Watch the beauty of spring unfold in front of you.

• Being outside breathing in the crisp air is often the number one goal during the springtime. But when you have to be inside your home, bring a bit of the outdoors and the earth elements inside, including fresh cut flowers, branches, natural crystals, and stones. Consider a new coat of paint for your rooms using natural earth colors, such as light yellow, light brown, or sandy.

• Rearrange the position of your furniture and/or your bed for a new direction and flow of energy.

Most importantly, your re-energized home space awakens your mind to the potential of a fresh start, allowing you to consider the future rather than dwell on the past. What have you always wanted to do but didn’t? What are your hopes and dreams? Let your home represent the revitalized YOU.

Yvonne Philllips FSII
Feng Shui Business Educator
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Ebony Earth Entertainment is proud to announce its “1st Annual Mother’s Day Cookout.”

This event is to celebrate mothers throughout the City of Pittsburgh. We want to inspire mothers and their youths about Pittsburgh sustainable concepts. Mothers should be recognized and commended for their unconditional devotion to family.

So as an appreciation, we are providing a free hands-on event that will include mothers empowering themselves; mothers exchanging and sharing ideas; changing the culture of family dynamics, supporting grieving mothers by providing resources, and green activities that will build better community relationships and provide support to strengthen family core values!

In order for our event to be a great success, we are asking for the following donations: which are food, utensils, paper products, soil, coolers, grills, tents, tables, gift cards, financial contributions, volunteering time, and also purchasing adds for our booklets will help with our cost!

Ebony Earth Entertainment (eEe) is in collaboration with Steel City Sports World. Steel City Sports World is the fiduciary/fiscal sponsor, so all checks and money orders are made payable to Steel City Sports World. Website: scsportsworld.com. Our mailing address: 6516 Dean Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206.

If you need any further information, please contact Ebony Earth at 412-463-4074, email address: earthsgarden@yahoo.com , or contact the Program Coordinator, Carmen Brown, at 412-818-6703, email address: cab1230@hotmail.com.

Sincerely,

Ebony Earth
Program Director