JEFFERSON CO., Pa. (EYT) – Opening a business in Pennsylvania became easier last year with the creation of the PA Business One-Stop Shop Registration Tool.
The PA Business One-Stop Shop launched last year with the purpose of serving as the sole source for entrepreneurs and small businesses seeking guidance through all stages of business development.
“It is definitely being utilized in our area,” Amy Keth, Assistant Director for the Clarion University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) told exploreJeffersonpa.com.
“Basically, that site is Pennsylvania’s online portal and the go-to place for Pennsylvania for starting or growing a business.”
Prior to the establishment of the Business One-Stop Shop, small business owners and entrepreneurs had to reach out to multiple agencies and organizations for assistance throughout planning, startup, and operation processes.
“They made it so you can reach all of those places from that one site and make it more seamless,” Keth explained.
“With the world going more online, most registrations you have to do online now, anyway. You can’t do them by phone or fax or mail anymore.
According to Keth, the PA Business One-Stop Shop is one of the things the Clarion University SBDC covers in their first steps seminars.
“We show people how to connect and handle all the different registrations you have to connect to. It’s very useful for that.”
Keth also noted that the One-Stop Shop will be helpful in directing more business owners and entrepreneurs to Small Business Development Centers that can help them further.
“The site is going to start emphasizing contacting your local Small Business Development Center for more hands-on assistance.”
The Clarion University SBDC offers consulting to small business owners in a ten county area, covering Clarion, Forest, Venango, Jefferson, Elk, Clearfield, Armstrong, McKean, Potter, and Cameron Counties. They consult in a wide variety of areas of expertise, including assistance in areas requiring a greater depth of knowledge and experience beyond standard business management expertise.
“We’re basically a resource for information so people can make decisions,” Keth said.
“It could be anything from a couple of questions to helping build a full business plan. We also have specialized services too, from environmental management assistance to help with tech commercialization.”
They work not only with new businesses, but also with existing businesses considering expansion, people considering purchasing an existing business, and even those considering selling their business.
“We’re here for the whole business life-cycle.”
Keth noted that while the Clarion University SBDC has access to a large volume of industry resources and training materials to help local businesses and entrepreneurs, even they have benefited from the PA Business One-Stop Shop.
“I would say, in my opinion, it’s just simpler and more streamlined than before.”
While it may have made the process simpler, it certainly hasn’t eliminated the need for the SBDC and the range of assistance they offer.
“It’s good to have a go-to agency to help with questions,” Keth said.
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