Enhancing your credit score can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in interest during your lifetime. If you’ve ever applied for a credit card, personal loan, or insurance, chances are someone checked your credit score. Your credit score is full of information on where you live, how you pay your bills, whether you’ve been sued or arrested, or if you have filed for bankruptcy.
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Do you need to grow your customer base? Is your advertising effective? How can you make the most of your limited advertising budget? MetroAction’s Marketing Mastery course will help you identify your target market, build successful marketing messages, develop marketing materials that work, and create a comprehensive marketing plan on a limited budget. This course is perfect for any sized business that is interested in implementing proven strategies that produce major returns! Read the rest of this entry »
Scranton Tomorrow and MetroAction have recently released the results of the 2011 NEPACU Survey. This survey represents college students from eight educational institutions in Lackawanna County.
Kelly Oppelt and Amanda Kuhn have known each other since elementary school and were reunited several years ago while working at a Monroe County publication and creative services firm. After being temporarily laid off, the compatible duo decided to combine their knowledge and experience to launch Smart Blonde Creative – an agency dedicated to providing affordable design services to small businesses and individuals in the Poconos.
The business partners believe their familiarity with the design needs and creative demands of local clientele will provide an untapped opportunity to harvest success. “However, we knew applying for a loan to purchase the necessary equipment and supplies would be our biggest challenge,” says Oppelt who was referred to MetroAction by the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center.
“The staff at MetroAction really helped us understand the entire loan application process,” observes Kuhn after the pair obtained a $15,000 small business loan. To keep overhead expenses down, Smart Blonde is operating as a home-based business, an additional benefit to Kuhn, a new parent.
Smart Blonde Creative has recently been a recipient of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC funding.
The Dale Carnegie Course: Skills For Success program will power you to move far beyond your comfort zone as you stretch for and attain ambitious new goals.
It will help to:
• Build Greater Self-Confidence
• Strengthen People Skills
• Enhance Communication Skills
• Develop Leadership Skills Reduce Stress and Improve our Attitude
Come join us on Tuesday, December 13th for a FREE session of the course at the Hampton Inn Hotel at Montage Mountain in Scranton from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM. This event will be begin on December 13, 2011 and continue every Tuesday evening for eight weeks.
Call Rich Scott to register at (570)510-6980. Seating is limited.
Join us this week for First Friday in downtown Scranton! For a map and a full list of venues, visit http://firstfridayscranton.com.
First Friday art walks are held on the first Friday of every month at galleries and businesses around Downtown Scranton. Paintings, photography, sculpture, music, performance art…you never know what you’ll find at First Friday in Scranton.
Support local artists and businesses and mingle with your Northeastern Pennsylvania neighbors, all in a casual atmosphere. Hope to see you there!
Local food, beverage and hospitality industry businesses in Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike, Monroe, Carbon, Schuylkill and Wyoming counties are eligible to apply for scholarships to MetroAction’s Small Business Institute or Marketing Mastery programs. Read the rest of this entry »
The Civic Ballet Company of Scranton and a property located at 312-314 North Washington Avenue recently received funding through the Main Street Scranton Façade Program. MetroAction has partnered with Scranton Tomorrow to help local businesses make improvements to the exterior of their properties through this program. The program provides grant and loan funds to local businesses making façade improvements to their business. Read the rest of this entry »
Luzerne County businesses affected by Tropical Storm Lee and/or Hurricane Irene can now apply for low interest loans to assist with flood recovery. On November 10, 2011, the Commonwealth Finance Authority approved $4 million in funding to be used to develop the Luzerne County Flood Recovery Loan Fund. Read the rest of this entry »
Michael Bird had a perennial dream. In June 2000, he began working summers at Wilmot Nursery and Landscaping in Lake Ariel. Founded in 1985, the nursery was considered the area’s premiere source for landscaping, hardscaping and gardening needs and Bird wanted to be a part of its success. Read the rest of this entry »
