Concept to Launch - Online

06:00 PM - 08:00 PM

"Concept to Launch" is a 6-week entrepreneurial training program for entrepreneurs in the early stages of starting a business.
Dates: Six Wednesday evenings from 6-8 PM starting on February 21 and ending on March 27.
The Spring program will be offered Online Only and offered at a reduced rate of $55. The program is capped at 25 participants.
Required: Zoom capable device and internet access to participate for remaining classes.
Certificate of Completion will be awarded to participants who complete four or more classes live.

Classes focus on:

Facilitator: Lillian Rafson, Founder and CEO of Pack Up + Go

To view the syllabus for the Concept to Launch program: Click here

This program is full, add your name to the waitlist for the next one, Click Here.

Webinar: Independent Contractor Or Employee? Classification Do's & Don'ts

12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
While Independent Contractors may be a necessary and strategic component to your business, the IRS, Workers Compensation, Department of Labor and other state agencies are concerned with whether a worker has been misclassified.
During this webinar, we will discuss nuanced differences among various tests deployed for determining the status of workers as either employees or independent contractors, including discussion of the January 9, 2024, Department of Labor ruling favoring employee status. These designations have substantial consequences in the event of misclassification.

We'll also discuss the Pros & Cons of Each:
- How to decide whether to hire a contractor vs. employee;
- Documentation necessary to prove workers qualify as independent contractors;
- Benefits of hiring an independent contractor or employee; and
- When you would want to hire an employee instead of a contractor.

Speaker:
Beth A. Slagle, Partner | Meyer, Unkovic & Scott

To register for the Webinar, CLICK HERE!

ServSafe® Food Manager Certification

08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
ServSafe is a food safety training administered by the U.S. National Restaurant Association which prepares food industry leaders to implement essential public health practices and create a culture of food safety. Pennsylvania law requires at least one employee per licensed food facility to hold a nationally recognized food manager certification during all hours of operation.

ServSafe Manager Certification training, offered in collaboration with the Center for Regional Agriculture and Food Transformation (CRAFT) , is held in two 8-hour sessions, with the exam held in the latter part of the second session. The training consists of a mix of slides, videos, and group activities that cover many topics that relate to running a safe and healthy food business including: foodborne microorganisms and allergens, the flow of food, food safety management systems, pest management, and cleaning and sanitation. Upon successful completion of the training and exam, certification is valid for five years.

With the support of a grant we have a limited number of partial scholarships to reduce the cost for Women and BIPOC owned business located in Allegheny County. If interested, please contact Rachel Webber, R.Webber@Chatham.edu or 412-365-1419

To register for the Workshop, CLICK HERE!

Digital Service Training Series: Websites that Work - Turning Visits into Value

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
This four-part training series is designed for small business owners interested in understanding the essence of creating effective websites. The series not only covers the foundational aspects of website strategy but also dives deep into advanced strategies that make websites stand out. Through a blend of lectures, collaborative discussions, and real-world applications, business owners will gain comprehensive insights into website creation, ensuring their digital presence aligns with their business goals. The goal of this series is for business owners to leave with a website they’ve built that brings value to their business.

The training series will run on Tuesdays from 12:00PM-2:00PM on March 19, March 26, April 9 and April 16 at Chatham University Eastside Building. This is a hands-on, interactive training series and participants are expected to attend all four sessions. After each training session participants will be asked to complete an assignment before the next session.

To participate in this training series, you must have access to a laptop and have a website domain established. The training series is limited to 15 participants. Any size business is welcome and is beneficial for new and existing websites..

- Session 1 - March 19: Introduction to Website Strategy (Platform Analysis, Brand Position, User Intent, and Data Analysis).
- Session 2 - March 26: Website Strategy Deep Dive (Real-world website strategy challenges and experiences, performance tracking).
- Session 3 - April 9: Website Tools and Beyond (ADA Compliance, Mobile Responsiveness, Social Media, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Intellectual Property, E-commerce, and Digital Asset Creation).
- Session 4 - April 16: Website Review & Feedback (Present and Review each participants’ website and provide feedback on improving website strategy, website design and optimization).

Facilitators:
Meesha Gerhart, CEO, RedTree Web Designs
Auldyn Matthews-McGee, Founder, Auldyn Matthews Consulting, LLC & Assistant Teaching Professor at the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.


To Register for Training Series, CLICK HERE!

Think Beyond the Bank - Alternative Funding for Your Small Business

05:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Hosted by the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship and Riverside Center for Innovation.
Traditional bank funding isn’t always the right fit for a small business. In the Think Beyond the Bank workshop small business owners will hear from local organizations about alternative finance opportunities available to them. This panel discussion will feature representatives from the alternative finance, non-profit lenders, and economic development agencies across the region.

Speakers include Allegheny County Economic Development, Allegheny County Financial Empowerment Center,Bridgeway Capital, Hebrew Free Loan Association, Honeycomb Credit,Kiva Pgh, Pursuit Lending,Neighborhood Community Development Fund, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, and Washington County Council on Economic Development.

Additional panelists to be determined.

To register for the Event, CLICK HERE!

Webinar: Corporate Transparency Act – What You Need to Know

12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) may be the most transformative piece of legislation in recent memory. For the first time, a nationwide database of companies and their beneficial owners is being created in order to assist law enforcement in detecting and preventing terrorism, money laundering and other misconduct through business entities. The CTA is the culmination of more than a decade of congressional efforts. Prior to CTA, the burden of collecting beneficial ownership information was squarely on financial institutions. Now, the CTA will shift this burden to those business entities that fall under the purview of the CTA .

During this webinar, we will discuss:
- How the CTA came about
- What the framework looks like
- Who is bound by the CTA
- The impact we can expect after the CTA is fully implemented

Speakers:
Maxwell Briskman Stanfield, Partner | Meyer, Unkovic & Scott
Beth A. Slagle, Partner | Meyer, Unkovic & Scott

To register for the Webinar, CLICK HERE!

Webinar: SBA Loan Programs and Lender Match

12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Do you need access to capital to start or grow your business? The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers a variety of guaranteed loan programs for all kinds of small business ventures. SBA Western Pennsylvania Lender Relations Specialist, Lynn Ann Vozniak will give an overview of the SBA guaranteed loan programs 7(a), 504, and Microloan, eligibility requirements, and how to use the Lender Match platform to find SBA-qualified lenders that meet your financial needs. Chatham Women’s Business Center will share information about its funding clinic and counseling services to assist with identifying funding sources and loan applications.

To register for the Webinar, CLICK HERE!

Concept to Launch - Hybrid

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

"Concept to Launch" is a 6-week entrepreneurial training program for entrepreneurs in the early stages of starting a business.

Dates: Six Wednesday evenings from 6-8 PM starting on May 1st and ending on June 5th.

The Summer program will be offered in a hybrid model at a reduced rate of $55. The program is capped at 25 participants.

The first five classes will be held online via Zoom, and the last class will be held in person on June 5th at Chatham Eastside, 6585 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206.

Required: Zoom capable device and internet access to participate for remaining classes.

Classes focus on:

Facilitator: Lillian Rafson, Founder and CEO of Pack Up + Go

To view the syllabus for the Concept to Launch program: Click here

To register, click here.