Harrison County Chamber of Commerce hosts Small Business Entrepreneur Coaching Session
Business coaches from the development center met one-on-one with small business owners where they bounced ideas around about their plans, marketing ideas and solving issues around the businesses.
'Majority of it has been just business plans – making sure that people are fully prepared for the market that they have ahead,' Coach Todd Crump from the Small Business Development Center said. 'Talked to someone extensively about insurance, making sure that they were prepared and had adequate coverage for the business that they are in.'
FSU Honors Program students stuck in London set to return home this week
12 News watched Crump meet with Wild and Free Pet Care – a boarding and daycare center for pets. Owner Tiffany Criss said they've been open for about six months and came to the coaching session to get some ideas for marketing.
If you missed Monday's session the Harrison County Chamber of Commerce will also be hosting coaching sessions on May 21 at the Pierpont Community and Technical College Gaston Caperton Center in downtown Clarksburg as well as on July 17 at the Bridgeport Conference Center.
The Chamber is also hosting a business pitch competition called 'The Tank' with applications due Aug. 1. Anyone in north central West Virginia is welcome to participate in either activity.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Journals
21-07-2025
- Business Journals
C-Suite Awards: Brooke Butler, Turton Commercial Real Estate
How long have you worked in your field? 13 years What's the most rewarding part of your job? I enjoy contributing to the behind-the-scenes work that helps spark momentum for a building, a corridor, or an entire district — ultimately elevating Sacramento as a destination city. Identifying a property's unique value proposition and using storytelling to bring it to life is at the core of our campaigns. These efforts connect landlords and tenants, buyers and sellers, and often result in new businesses, new developments, and renewed energy in spaces where people live, work and play. What boards do you serve on, or what type of volunteer or philanthropic work do you do? I've been involved with Urban Land Institute's Women's Leadership Initiative since 2021, first as a committee member and now as the 2025 Chair. WLI supports the advancement of women in real estate through initiatives like the Dinner Series, which features candid conversations with prominent women leaders, and the Women's Golf Academy, which helps participants build confidence in a traditionally male-dominated networking space. I also participate annually in Habitat for Humanity's Women Build Day to support affordable housing. What would be your dream job, if it's not what you're already doing? I earned my master's in marketing in Budapest, Hungary, where tourism was naturally part of the coursework, as the city is a major tourist destination. If commercial real estate ceased to exist tomorrow, I'd pursue a path in tourism marketing. There's so much overlap — both rely on destination promotion and strategic messaging to drive economic activity. Tourism marketing attracts travelers, while commercial real estate marketing attracts businesses and developers. In both cases, the goal is to elevate the destination and deliver meaningful impact. Who has been the most inspiring or influential leader in your career? I found the GE Honors Program at Sacramento State (2009 to 2013), led by Dr. Roberto Pomo, incredibly inspiring and influential. The program challenged me to think critically, engage globally, and take an active role in shaping the world around me. With their support, I earned a scholarship to study and volunteer in Budapest, Hungary. It also led to career-shaping opportunities, including an internship with the Sacramento Kings and my role at Turton. I met my husband and some of my closest friends through the program. It laid the foundation for the life and career I have today. How do you unwind after work? Unwinding looks very different these days — I have a two-year-old son named Oslo, so evenings are usually full of toddler energy. Once he goes to bed, I head out for a walk around the neighborhood with an audiobook. It's helped me get back into reading and get my steps in after a day at the desk. I prefer not to extend my workday with self-help or professional development books — I stick to fantasy and enjoy a much-needed escape into a different world. Tell us more about your hobbies: With the hustle and bustle of work and family life, regular hobbies can be hard to keep — but my husband and I try to escape once a year and travel. We've visited 35 countries across four continents. Highlights include riding a camel to the pyramids in Egypt, exploring Chernobyl in Ukraine, shopping at the Grand Bazaar in Turkey, and taking a cooking class in Thailand. Travel keeps me curious, grounded and inspired in both life and work. Do you have children/pets? My husband Kyle and I have been married for almost 11 years and have a 2-year-old son named Oslo — named after the capital of Norway. We also have two cats, Mario and Luigi, named after the Super Mario Bros because of their mustache-like markings. They have very different opinions about living with a toddler: one hides, one supervises.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Yahoo
Shippensburg University lands HUD grant to boost student-run businesses
Shippensburg University has received a $700,000 grant to transform Kriner Hall into an entrepreneurial hub, according to an announcement. The grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development with support from Congressman John Joyce, will support the renovation of the former dining hall into a center for entrepreneurship and innovation. The revamped space will house the Charles H. Diller Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Mr. and Mrs. Milton K. Morgan III Makerspace and the Small Business Development Center. 'By co-locating these three initiatives at Shippensburg University, we create a synergistic ecosystem that significantly enhances our ability to support students as they turn their ideas into successful businesses,' said Charles Patterson, president of Shippensburg University, in the announcement. 'With an emphasis on adaptability, resilience and strategic thinking, this space will ensure its impact extends far beyond the businesses it helps launch, by shaping individuals who are prepared to lead in any context.' The Diller Center aims to foster creative thinking and collaboration, while the Morgan Makerspace will provide a space for prototyping and experimentation. The SBDC will offer business expertise, mentorship and resources to help navigate the complexities of launching and scaling a company. The hub will also include the newly established Small Business Internship Initiative, which will connect small businesses with college students throughout the region. 'Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and Shippensburg University's Small Business Internship Initiative will provide our next generation of business leaders with a path toward the American dream,' Joyce said in the announcement. 'The Shippensburg SBII will offer students valuable, real-world experience while building the critical skills needed to succeed in the business world. This partnership with local small businesses will also boost economic growth and support our community so that prosperity can continue for future generations. I was proud to champion the Shippensburg SBII in Congress and look forward to its future success.' The project is expected to be a vital contributor to the university's mission and the broader region's economic well-being. The $700,000 grant represents 12.7% of the total project cost. 'We are grateful for the continued support of our legislators, like Representative Joyce, benefactors and business leaders who continue to see the value in our vision for the future of Kriner Hall,' Patterson said in the announcement. 'We look forward to starting this project and continuing to serve the future of Pennsylvania.' This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at The Public Opinion, The Record Herald, Echo-Pilot are growing their local news This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: A $700K grant is helping Shippensburg students launch businesses
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Morehouse's Retail Business Program Still Struggles To Find Funding As It Hopes To Expand
Morehouse College's retail business program was established to empower Black entrepreneurs, but those dreams may be deferred if funding cannot support next year's class. The program's latest cohort of graduates included 20 businesses. During their year-and-a-half matriculation, the entrepreneurs learned essential business tactics, including scaling up and generating profits. 'You need to be here for one main reason, along with information,' new graduate Demond Crump told WABE. 'You need to come network, because once again, there's nothing like being in a room with like-minded individuals, people that are going in the same direction that you are.' Crump, the founder of a premium sanitary napkins company called Reign, has already scored millions of customers. However, that same type of success for future entrepreneurs remains in limbo: The program cannot take on new students without significant financial backing. 'This comes from philanthropic dollars, and with that, a lot of the philanthropy has really been quiet, if you will. I'm hoping that the dust will clear and that we can indeed continue this work,' explained Tiffany Bussey, executive director of the college's Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center. The program came to fruition after research determined that funding was the primary access barrier for Black businesses. Historically, Black businesses have faced systemic discrimination regarding loan approval. According to the 2024 State of Black Business report, only 32% of Black entrepreneurs received full approval for financing and 40% of Black business owners were denied loans entirely. This issue has escalated as the federal government pushes for anti-DEI policies. Venture capitalist firms dedicated to uplifting diverse entrepreneurs have been forced to scale back these efforts. With only 6% of Black businesses in retail, initiatives to promote such endeavors are even more critical. Bussey added, 'We know that this program works. We know we have to continue this type of work to push the needle forward.' Thankfully for these entrepreneurs, Morehouse remains committed to sourcing new funding with its already established partners. The past year's cohort received its support through the Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, a non-profit business loan service. 'We're just going to go find new friends that aren't sitting on the sidelines and that want to continue to fund this work, because it does make an impact and we will close the racial wealth gap over time,' said Ray Pennie, chief of business advisory services at Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs. RELATED CONTENT: Elevating Your Excellence: The Unyielding Vision Of Pastor Jamal Bryant In The Fight For Economic And Civic Justice