Learn how to:

Schedule:
8 - 8:30 a.m.
Registration, Breakfast & Networking
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Welcome and Panel Discussion: Secrets of Success
9:40 - 10:55 a.m.
Breakout Session I
11:10 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.
Breakout Session II
12:35 - 2 p.m.
Meet the Expert Luncheon and Keynote Speaker
Will Knecht, President, Wendell August Forge
2 – 3:30 p.m. Business-Building Tradeshow
Meet the TechShop and watch a 3D printer in action! Learn how your business can access tools, software and space to create virtually anything.
3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Breakout Session III
Learn how to:
• Maximize profits and minimize expenses
• Turn market opportunities into sales
• Tackle tough business challenges
“This event is a hot spot for generating new ideas and
meeting new contacts.” – 2012 attendee
“Great speakers! A day spent thinking outside of the box
and learning the latest business trends.” – 2012 attendee
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors
Speakers (at press time)
www.duq.edu/sbdc
for complete speaker bios, workshop information and registration
15th annual
Entrepreneur’s
Growth Conference
GOLD
BANNER
FRIday, May 10, 2013
duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA
• 15 workshops • Business-building
tradeshow • 400+ entrepreneurs and
managers expected to attend
Return Service Requested
Robert Bell, Great Clips
Rachel Blaufeld, Back‘nGroove Mom
Shamus Brennan, Dennis Piper & Associates
Ruth Byrd-Smith, Allegheny County
Greg DiMedio, Greener Expressions
Michelle R. Donavan, Referral Institute of Western Pa.
Dan Droz, Droz and Associates
William Generett, Urban Innovation21
Paul Gough, Pittsburgh Business Times
Shawn Graham, www.ShawnGraham.me
Amey Kanade, EyeSee360
Carl Knoblock, U.S. Small Business Administration
Marilyn Landis, Basic Business Concepts
Dave Miller, Enterprise Bank
Alexander Nichols, Pittsburgh Regional Minority Purchasing Council
Dave Oshlag, W5 Templates
Sarah Peduzzi, LunaMetrics
Jack Roseman, The Roseman Institute
Cathy Schnaubelt Rogers, Aero Tech Designs Cyclewear
Joe Serkoch, Orionvega
Ken Sevick, ActionCOACH Business Coaching
Bob Steranko, Reel Mill
Todd Torquato, River’s Edge Alliance Group
John Tubridy, Frannet of Pittsburgh
Stephen Wayhart, BrandMill
Kevin White, U.S. Small Business Administration
David Wilke, Wilke & Associates
Matt Wilkinson, Shoefitr
Doris Carson Williams, African American Chamber of Commerce
Debbie Wojcik, GACO, California University of Pa.
David Yunghans, Constant Contact
Jeaneen Zappa, Allegheny County
PLATINUM
BLUE RIBBON
Palumbo Donahue School of Business • UPMC Health Plan • BrandMill
CONTRIBUTING
Bridgeway Capital • Catalyst Connection • Constant Contact • Dennis Piper & Associates, PC
• Dollar Bank, FSB • Enterprise Bank • Innovation Works • Jireh Mobile • Referral Institute of Western Pa.
• Smart Business Network, Inc. • Southwestern Pa. Commission • University of Pittsburgh Office of
Technology Management • Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh • WPXI Digital Advertising Solutions
www.duq.edu/sbdc
•
412.396.1633
Connect with us:
Breakout Session Workshops*
Attend the Workshops Targeted to Your Business
Not sure which workshops are applicable to your phase of business? Follow our key below to
make sure you get the most from your Entrepreneur’s Growth Conference experience.
Marketing and PR
Next-Generation Networking: 15
Ways to Meet Your Next Contact
Are you getting enough referrals
from existing clients? Are you looking
for higher quality referrals? Do you
need to expand your prospect pool?
Technology may have changed the
way we network, but business is still
a people-to-people proposition. Learn
some great networking strategies to
help you expand your network and
your business. (NV, G)
How to be a Marketing
Rock Star™
Want to be a rock star brand in your
industry? Learn the seven key brand
principles used by legends like the
Beatles, the Rolling Stones, U2 and
others that will help build, enhance
and extend the profitability of your
brand for years to come. Includes tips
for creating and executing a rocking
marketing plan. (NV, G, T)
Social-Savvy Entrepreneurs:
15 Ways to Build Business on
Social Media
Most businesses now have a presence
on the three big social media
networks—Facebook, Twitter and
LinkedIn—but many are still unsure of
the value of these opportunities. Join
us for a look at today’s best practices
to find new prospects, build customer
loyalty and measure the value of social
media investments. (NV, G)
Money
Money, Money, Money: Who Has
It and How To Get It
Money is the oxygen of every business,
both big and small. So how are today’s
start-ups and veteran entrepreneurs
infusing their businesses with muchneeded capital? From venture capital
to banks, and the new and trendy
crowd funding, learn the ins and outs
NV – New Venture
G – Growth
of today’s most common sources of
capital. (NV, G, T)
Deduct It! 15 MoneySaving Secrets of Tax-Savvy
Entrepreneurs
The tax code is forever changing. So
what do entrepreneurs need to know
in 2013 about new regulations and
deductions? Hear some strategies
that will help minimize your tax bill
and maximize your available capital.
(NV, G)
Strategic Planning,
Management &
Growth
Re-Invent, Re-Invigorate, ReThink: A Five-Year Strategic
Action Plan for Growth
Want to revitalize sales? Break through
to the next level? This workshop
highlights four essential strategies for
marketing success, ways to lower the
cost of new customer acquisition and
how to make your business proposition
irresistible. Learn to develop a plan
of your own that will effectively drive
growth and profits. (G)
Build a Better Blueprint: A Stepby Step Guide to Writing a Great
Business Plan
The value of a business plan for a
new venture is immeasurable. Learn
strategies and hear advice to write a
great plan in less time that appeals to
all of your audiences—from lenders
to partners and everyone in between.
(NV, G, T)
Customer Relationship
Management: A Five-Step
Formula
It costs more to acquire a new
customer than keep an existing one,
but how do you keep them coming
back? Solid customer relationship
strategies are key to building loyalty.
T – Technology Business
Learn time-tested practices and find
new technology tools that can help
you secure, manage and use customer
information to drive sales. (NV, G, T)
Technology
Watch This: Creating Dynamic
Online Videos That Drive Sales
If a picture’s worth 1,000 words,
what’s a video worth to a small
business? According to experts, video
will soon be as critical as a website.
Is your business ready to capitalize on
the appeal and impact of video? Learn
how businesses are using online videos
as a sales and marketing tool and how
video is driving traffic to their websites.
(NV, G)
Clicks & Cash: Drive Website
Traffic, Convert Visitors and
Keep Them Coming Back
Learn invaluable search engine
optimization and marketing strategies
that will help you climb the search
listings for higher visibility and
opportunities. We’ll discuss keywords,
the difference between PPC and
organic search marketing, and how to
get customers coming back to your site
with promotions, emails, social media
and more. (G)
Business Starts
Before You Buy: Is a Franchise
the Right Business For You?
Join us to separate the myths from
realities of franchising. Determine
if a franchise business is the right
opportunity for you. Discussions will
include the biggest risks and rewards,
as well as financing options. (NV)
Starting a Business: Road Map
to Success
Learn the five proven steps to creating a
successful business. Hear first-hand from
a local entrepreneur about his journey.
Engage in the peer discussion, and start
drafting your own road map. (NV)
Special Interest
Big Money: Selling Your Business
and Getting Top Dollar
Whether you’re looking to sell soon
or years down the road, it’s never too
early to start thinking of ways to build
the value of your business and improve
its market appeal. Learn what you can
do to get your business ready for a
quicker, more profitable sale, including
finance considerations, inventory
management and minimizing debt.
(G)
Women and Minority Business
Owners: Government
Opportunities
The government buys everything –
what is the best way to make them
your next customer? Women and
minority owned businesses should
consider certification. Learn what it
means to be certified, how the process
works, what you need to prepare, and
how to find the vast opportunities for
selling to the government or one of its
primary contractors. (NV, G, T)
Greening Your Business
The word “green” can be confusing,
particularly as it relates to small
businesses. This workshop explores
what going green means, the value
that being green can bring to firms,
whether certification is worth it,
strategies for greening your operations
and products, and promotion and
marketing tips. (NV, G, T)
“Meet The Expert” Luncheon
12:35 – 2 p.m.
During our luncheon, each table will have a special guest host. This
is a great opportunity to talk about your business with a technology
expert, a marketing guru, an entrepreneur who has been on Shark
Tank or even a lender. You will find a listing of the special guests in
the program book provided at registration on the day of the event.
Get your business on the
fast track to profits!
Join us at one of Pittsburgh’s
largest entrepreneurship events
and fuel your engine for the road
to business growth.
Register Today and
Save!
Register at www.duq.edu/sbdc or by calling 412.396.1633.
Early Registration Discount: $119
Register by April 30, 2013, to get the best price!
Full-Day Registration: $139
Price includes continental breakfast, luncheon and all event activities.
Keynote Speaker
Will Knecht
President
Wendell August Forge
History, a Fire and the
Seeds for Success in
Setbacks
On March 4, 2010, Wendell August, a family-owned
company that has produced ornamental and elegant metal
giftware and home accents since 1923, got its largest
order in its history from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Wendell
August was asked to make one-of-a-kind, commemorative
tickets honoring the final Penguins hockey game in Mellon
Arena. The team at Wendell August was excited to say
the least. Two days later, a fire destroyed the company’s
workshop, offices and flagship store in Grove City. The
Half-Day: $79
historic building they had operated out of since 1932 was
Price includes luncheon, afternoon workshop and Business-Building
Networking Mixer. No admission prior to noon.
gone, burned to the ground.
Walk-Ins: $159
These are the times when a good company and all
We will accommodate walk-ins on a space availability basis.
Pre-registration is strongly recommended.
Students: $50 with valid ID
Lunch Only: $50
Location & Parking
The 15th Annual Entrepreneur’s Growth Conference will be
held at Duquesne University, Union Building, 600 Forbes
Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. All-day parking is provided for a
discounted rate in the university’s Forbes Avenue Garage.
stakeholders are tested. Join Will Knecht, Wendell August’s
president, as he tells their story of history, tradition and the
fire that could have destroyed a business and its people…
but instead became a catalyst for new thinking and new
opportunities for this almost-90-year-young company that
was forced to become a start-up once more. If you’ve ever
experienced setbacks and challenges with your business, in
or out of your control, come hear how these challenges can
become the foundation for future success and greatness.
*Workshops are subject
to change.
Funding support and resources are provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the
Department of Community & Economic Development; through a cooperative agreement with the
U.S. Small Business Administration; and in part through support from Duquesne University. All
services are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. Special arrangements for persons
with disabilities can be made by calling 412-396-6233. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations
expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.
We hope to see you for this milestone
15th anniversary of the EGC!