Small Businesses Strengthen Communities Block-by-Block

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

13 Small Business Owners Across the City Graduate from Community College of Philadelphia’s Power Up Your Business Program

PHILADELPHIA, July 25, 2017 –  Small business owners are the backbone of the economy and help our local communities. Thirteen aspiring business owners will graduate from Community College of Philadelphia’s Power Up Your Business 10-week peer-based learning program at a ceremony beginning at 8 p.m. on Wed., July 26th at the College’s Center for Business and Industry at 1751 Callowhill Street, Room C2-5. Students will present their “Tactical Improvement Plan” at 6:30 p.m.

Power Up Your Business takes a neighborhood-based approach, offering both a 10-week, 30-hour peer-learning class where small business owners are matched with instructors and coaches, and taught basic business management, planning, and marketing; and a Store Owner Series with three-hour workshops that offer information on financial planning, personal and business credit, and local marketing advice.

Additional workshops are underway and now enrolling:

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. The next peer-based learning classes will be held at the West Regional Center, 4725 Chestnut St. on Aug. 23 and 30; Sept. 6, 13, and 27; Oct. 4, 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. 12th at Northeast Regional Center, 12901 Townsend Rd.  For more information, call 215-496-6151 or visit www.ccp.edu/powerup.

Since Power Up Your Business was launched in January 2017, 121 businesses from 43 different ZIP codes across the city have participated in the program engaged in efforts to market their businesses, share business strategies and more. The small business owners operate businesses ranging from beauty salons; childcare; an automotive repair shop; a boutique communications firm; a tax preparation firm; a fine art retailer; a mentoring/coaching consulting company; and a men’s haberdashery brand.

Carol J. de Fries, vice president of Workforce and Economic Innovation at the College, stressed the importance of connecting with communities in every corner of the city.

“This is a momentous day for our business owners and their families,” said de Fries. “Community College of Philadelphia is an institution dedicated to helping small businesses prosper and strengthen our communities. Small business owners are important to the local economy and we want to give them the tools they need to be even more successful,” she said. “This graduating class represents all types of businesses from many parts of the city. These variety of businesses make Philadelphia a strong, vibrant and attractive city for the communities.”


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.