Strengthening businesses block-by-block

Contact: Linda Wallace, 215-751-8082, liswallace@ccp.edu
Rhonda L. Lipschutz, 215-751-8021, rlipschutz@ccp.edu

Power Up Your Business free resource event June 20 at Community College of Philadelphia’s West Regional Center


PHILADELPHIA, PA., June 14, 2017 – From the Northeast to West Philly, storefront businesses, the barbershops, bodegas, restaurants and day care centers located throughout the city’s 265 commercial corridors help make neighborhoods safer and spur economic growth.

Yet, until now, these corridors, which include retail centers, strip malls and shopping plazas, have been largely overlooked in major economic development conversations.

Since January, Community College of Philadelphia’s new initiative, Power Up Your Business, has offered these important business owners free workshops to help them manage and plan for growth, and connect with valuable resources.

The next free resource event will be held on Tuesday, June 20, 6 to 9 p.m., at Community College of Philadelphia’s West Regional Center, 4725 Chestnut St., Phila., Pa.  At this event, business owners will discover services that can help their businesses grow.  Partners include the College, Philadelphia Industrial Development Center (PIDC), the City Commerce Department and more.  Business owners can RSVP at www.ccp.edu/powerup.  Since January, 85 businesses from 39 different zip codes in the city have participated in the workshops.

The College partnered with Mayor Jim Kenney, City Council, and the City Commerce Department, all of whom are committed to a block-by-block reinvigoration of retail along neighborhood shopping corridors.  Corner grocery stores, hair salons, and coffee shops serve as job creators and community gathering places, bringing stability and security to commercial corridors. 

Several small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs who have taken advantage of the program say the sessions are worth attending – even after a long day at work. Some say they have discovered new tools and efficiencies, like recording their financial information electronically, charting a plan for growth and launching an affordable marketing campaign 

“Power Up Your Business helped me a great deal in being able to acquire the knowledge and information I needed to keep me ahead of the curve,” said Rachelle Russell, owner of Unique Appeal Hair Salon at 5823 Market St.  “I’ve been in business for 22 years, but I went back to school to sharpen my skills in bookkeeping, branding and marketing.  This course helped me to do that.”

Power Up is designed to unlock the potential of the commercial corridors, which are the heart of the neighborhood economy. The coursework supports the sustainability, management and profitability of these businesses through a two-tiered approach:

Tier 1: Peer-based Learning Experience – A 10-week, 30-hour course in basic small business management and planning that delves into the fundamental concepts, tools and skills required for planning and running a successful business. Practical skills such as entrepreneurial leadership, understanding financial statements, the role of finance in business growth and creating effective improvement plans are included, plus support from a business coach. To qualify, participants must be located in Philadelphia, be in business for one year, and earn less than $1 million in annual revenues. Applications for the next cohort, which will be held at the West Regional Center, 4725 Chestnut St., are due July 21. The classes will be held Aug. 23and 30;Sept. 6, 13, and 27; Oct. 11, 18, and 25; and Nov. 1.

Tier 2: Store Owner Series – Workshops that cover small business basics such as marketing, capital and credit, and bookkeeping. This series also introduces business owners to the College’s programs that support running a business efficiently, from QuickBooks to ServSafe to Business Communication.  The next series begins Sept. 12 at Northeast Regional Center, 12901 Townsend Rd., Phila., Pa.  For more information, call the College business office at 215-496-6151 or visit www.ccp.edu/powerup 

“There are workshops and grants for businesses with large revenue streams, but small businesses like mine are excluded because we don’t meet the benchmark,” said Monica Parrilla, a Power Up Your Business advisory board member and owner of Marz Auto Central in Hunting Park. “Small businesses have the power to keep the local economy moving, provide jobs in our area, and to increase our revenue.”

 

About Community College of Philadelphia

Community College of Philadelphia is the largest public institution of higher education in Philadelphia and the sixth largest in Pennsylvania. The College enrolls approximately 34,000 students annually and offers day, evening, and weekend classes, as well as classes online. Visit the College at www.ccp.edu. Follow us on Twitter. Like us on Facebook.