Seton Hill University's E-Magnify

by Karen Fetter

Entrepreneurs and business professionals of Westmoreland County have had the opportunity to use Seton Hill Universitys E-Magnify, an education center for women in business, for the last 15 years. The center specializes in educational and networking programs for every stage of a womans professional life. And now, E-Magnify just got better!

E-Magnify was recently designated as a Women's Business Center (WBC) by the U.S. Small Business Administration. This designation broadens the reach of the centers programming, business training, and counseling. While the office is located in Westmoreland County, the center can serve over 27 counties in Western Pennsylvania and reach a 300-mile radius.

This designation is going to add breadth and depth to our program, said Jayne H. Huston, director of Seton Hill Universitys E-Magnify. We will be able to market ourselves outside of our area in a comprehensive way and expand our services.

Huston considers the designation a vote of confidence for the support they have provided to women entrepreneurs over the years, but more importantly, she consider it a responsibility to provide an even greater level of service to both current and future women business owners.

E-Magnify is a department of Seton Hill University that is open to anyone who is starting or growing a business. While the focus is on women, the center does not exclude men. E-Magnify offers resources, educational programs, advocacy initiatives, and networking opportunities to business professionals to help them succeed at their business.

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Now that E-Magnify is a WBC, it is part of a nationwide networking system. E-Magnify is just one of 19 new centers that will join 80 existing WBCs.

The goal of E-Magnifys WBC program is to positively impact the economy by helping women-led companies grow their revenues and add employees, as well as assist aspiring women entrepreneurs start a business venture, said Huston. E-Magnify will continue to focus on the unique needs of women entrepreneurs by offering them access to web-based training, best-practice business information, peer-to-peer mentoring, and one-on-one counseling sessions.

And we will continue to build upon our strong partnerships with Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), SCORE small business counselors, the SBA Pittsburgh District office, and other groups with similar missions, so that we can help the women we serve seize opportunities and realize their dreams.

• Web-based training
• Best-practice business information
• Peer-to-peer mentoring
• One-on-one counseling sessions

In addition, the grant money of $150,000 distributed to E-Magnify through the U. S. Small Business Administration will allow for more planning and strategy development in the next five years.

The funds we will receive will be over a five year time frame, said Huston. As a result, we can create a five year plan on how we can grow and offer more to those who need it.

E-Magnify was created in 1991 and has reached thousands of women beginning with undergraduate students through graduate and professional life stages. Huston said that studies prove that women learn well in peer-to-peer environments. As a result, E-Magnify has focused a lot of its energy on helping entrepreneurs and professionals match their area of expertise with an advisory panel to help them set and meet goals.

Westmoreland County is fortunate to have this amazing resource at its fingertips. The location in Greensburg is prime for professionals looking for advice and help.
Westmoreland County is our home. Our office is located on Seton Hills campus in Greensburg so it makes it an ideal location that is easy to get to from any point in the county, said Huston. And all of our programs are held here too.

The biggest upcoming event on E-Magnifys calendar is the annual Small Business Conference, which is scheduled to take place on March 20, 2007 at the Westin Convention Center in Pittsburgh. The conference is titled, Building a World-Class Business. Keynote speaker is Mary Cantando, a nationally recognized author, speaker, and columnist who focuses exclusively on helping women grow their businesses. Mary will share lessons from her newest book The Womans Advantage: 20 Women Entrepreneurs Show You What it Takes to Grow Your Business, published by Kaplan Publishing in May 2006. Also speaking at the event will be the Founder and CEO of Oxygen Media, Geraldine Laybourne. For more information on the event visit E-Magnifys website at www.e-magnify.com.

Consider taking your business to the next level and become a member of E-Magnify today! If you are interested please call 724-830-4625 to make an appointment to get started. You can also visit www.e-magnify.com to view the calendar of events and to receive a monthly newsletter.