Where To Go On New Years

Highmark First Night Pittsburgh will be kicking off at the turn of the new year, are you prepared for the festivities?

Feeling those annual pangs of New Year's Eve stress just pondering the party options, cover charges, wardrobe choices and travel headaches? We suggest you look no further than Downtown Pittsburgh for an Auld Lang Syne filled with art, culture and community. 

If one of your resolutions is to make more time for art, then the best place to kick off 2014 is at Highmark First Night Pittsburgh. Bid adieu to 2013 and help mark two decades of First Nights Downtown at the 'Burgh's biggest New Year's Eve bash, which boasts some 150 events taking place in 50 indoor and outdoor venues located within the 14-block Cultural District. 

From an immersive ice and LED labyrinth to a miniature city constructed from medicine cabinets, desk lamps, Victorian dollhouses and repurposed junk, Highmark First Night Pittsburgh offers arts-centric family-friendly programming from 6 p.m. to midnight.

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Common Marketing Mistakes

What do you do to keep your marketing campaigns on point? Take a look at these common marketing fails and how to avoid them:

Even after all the marketing, selling, messaging and posturing, it’s not working when: At a chamber of commerce meeting you overhear a peer refer an ideal prospect to your competitor. When you ask him why, he asks, “Your company does that?”

The next day, you learn your vendor just suggested his friend buy from your arch rival instead of automatically pushing the work your way. When confronted, your supplier says, “Your company does that? I had no idea!”

Finally, your new employee hears and misses your client’s buying signals. You gently point this out, and she responds, “Oh, that’s right, I guess our company does that.” This upsets you for three reasons:

Your offline and online marketing isn't working.

If the people you know don't know what your firm does, then who does?
You are needlessly embarrassing your colleague, vendor and trainee.

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Do you know one of the region's outstanding women in business?

Honor them by sending in a nomination for the Pittsburgh Business Times 2014 Women in Business Awards program. Winners will be honored at an event and in a special Business Times supplement in the spring of next year. 

To qualify, the nominee must have a home office located in our region. 

We're looking for women from every industry and profession, including non-profits, women who've blazed a trail and who are leaving a mark on Pittsburgh business. We'll also be considering community and social efforts of nominees, but the primary focus will be on the nominee's work experience. 

The nomination process consists of completing a nomination form with basic contact information and providing narratives to several basic questions. The entire process is online. 

And by the way, if you qualify for this prestigious award, don't be shy. Many of our winners from previous years are self-nominated. The program does not take into account who nominates the candidate or how many nominations are received for an individual. 

Nominations close Dec. 20, 2013. The winners are notified by the end of the year. The names of individuals who are nominated but not selected are not publicized.
To enter a nomination, visit our Women in Business nomination page.

For more information, contact Richard Cerilli, rcerilli@bizjournals.com or 412-208-3815.

How to Thrive? Create a Stellar Advisor Board.

Often times, the most successful businesses thrive when leaders surround themselves with great advisors. Here is a great look into how to get create a board to help your company grow:

In 2011, my co-founders and I were looking to get into a market we knew little about: foreign investment. We saw an opportunity in helping Chinese investors find projects in Latin America (my home continent), but we had a few obstacles to overcome: Neither of us knew Chinese or had any experience in international finance. 

Our solution? Get a rock-star board of advisors to provide expertise and connections. While having an advisory is often a necessity for startups (us included), nabbing a stellar team isn't easy. 

For companies just starting out, here are a few tips on how to get advisors and best practices for leveraging your board: 

Navigate your network. Like I mentioned, finding the right advisors isn't easy. How do you wrangle in top-notch people to work for free? 

It was frustrating at the beginning. We met with more than 200 investors (we counted) who gave us a lot of great contacts and insights but no advisors.

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Small Business Accounting Simplified

Accounting can be a difficult task for startups and small businesses. But there are some ways to simplify the process and make it more manageable.

1. Calculate a minimum monthly profit and write down your ideal monthly profit You need to keep proper records of all invoices and payments to get an idea of what you make in a month and to figure out how much it will take to keep your business running. This is the first step to making it happen. Keeping track of these records will show you when invoices are paid, how long it takes customers to pay you, and if you're having difficulties collecting payments from particular customers. By keeping track you can come up with an exact number you'll need to earn each month. 

2. Keep your personal and business finances separate The biggest mistake you can make is to mix business with personal, which can keep you from knowing the true state of your finances. Avoid using your business credit card to pay for personal expenses. Maintaining separate bank accounts for your business and personal finances will save you time in the long run and make it easier to track expenses. 

3. Maintain records It is imperative to always keep all receipts, invoices, bills, bank statements, etc. If you write down a number for office expenses today and forget to keep your receipts, a few months from now you will not remember from where that number came.

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How Incubators Produce Work

Have you ever wondered how incubators work to accelerate work? Here is a great infographic explaining how it works:

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Pittsburgh Job Market Going Strong

The Pittsburgh job market has been staying strong recently, and is showing an uncommon growth against the national backdrop:

A private company's report singles out Pittsburgh as having the fastest growth in job openings in August.

Job search engine company Simply Hired said that Pittsburgh's 12.2 percent growth in job openings led its 50 markets surveyed across the U.S. That was nearly double the growth of the next nearest metro region, Austin, Texas (6.8 percent growth). Third on the list was Minneapolis, with 5.5 percent growth.

The Simply Hired report didn't explain the reason for the growth in Pittsburgh. It said there were more job openings in August than in July in 24 of the 50 metro regions. Transportation job openings rose the most with 25.8 percent growth, followed by retail with 12.8 percent. Also up were personal care, health care and legal job openings. Down in August were agriculture and human resources.

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Pittsburgh Techies Reach Out To SXSW

Pittsburgh techies are making a pitch to South by Southwest to try and join the interactive conference.

It’s that time of year again — South by Southwest panel picker time. And if your social media stream is like mine you’ve been getting the solicitations and alerts about how everyone is voting.

Pittsburgh tech community has been making itself known at the annual interactive conference for the last several years. This year appears to be no different, with at least eight different proposed panels involving Pittsburgh entrepreneurs and techie types. An interesting note, most of the local proposals center on education and technology. MORE: SXSW Pittsburgh-style

Voting is open until Sept. 6 at the panelpicker site. Event organizers received more than 4,000 entries this year.

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3 Pittsburgh Firms make Inc 500 List

Target Freight Management, Branding Brand and 4moms are among the handful of Pennsylvania companies that have made the 2013 Inc. 500 list.

Target Freight Management was No. 129 on the overall Inc. 500 list for its 2,896 percent three-year growth. It was second only to Wilson Legal Solutions of Newtown Square, near Philadelphia, among Pennsylvania companies on the Inc. 500.

Branding Brand was No. 334 with 1,302 percent growth in the past three years. The Pittsburgh-based mobile commerce company was started in 2008.

4moms was No. 401 with 1,112 percent growth over the past three years. The company, which makes baby products, is based in Pittsburgh.

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Obama to Visit PA

President Barack Obama will be headed to Pennsylvania and Upstate New York next week.

Politico reported Monday that Obama would be in both states next week touting his economic programs. But the site didn't have any specific locations other than "a string of stops" in upstate New York. There's no word on potential stops in Pennsylvania and whether that would include southwestern Pennsylvania.

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Do More By Doing Less?

Every entrepreneur wants to get work done as quickly as possible, but sometimes the best way to get more done is to do a little less. Take some time to document guidelines and schedules to streamline future work sessions:

Most entrepreneurs subscribe to the philosophy: "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." This mantra, accepted by many small-business owners as fact, is only half true. If you want something done right once and you have no other time commitments, then the fastest way, in fact, is to do it yourself. However, if you want something done right repeatedly, day-in and day-out, all day long, and you don't have the time to do 10 full-time jobs all at once, you can't do it yourself.

To get everything your company needs done, you must transfer procedural knowledge, decision-making guidelines and a schedule from inside your head to your employees.

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Pittsburgh PA- Where the American Dream Still Lives

Pittsburgh ranks in the top 10 cities in the US where the American Dream still lives, and where people can come from rags to riches. Collected by Business Insider, these cities are those which offer a significant chance of its residences moving up on the economic scale:

In many ways, the American dream is in trouble. Increasing inequality means that it's harder than ever to break into the top income brackets from the bottom. 

A new study from some of the most prominent academic economists around, including John Bates Clark winner Raj Chetty and Emmanuel Saez, that was featured in The New York Times finds that there's massive regional variation in how many people crawl out of poverty. 

The key lesson? It's better to be born in the Northeast or on the West Coast than the South and Midwest. Atlanta, Charlotte, Indianapolis, and Detroit are the least upwardly mobile large cities in the country. 

In Atlanta, a child born in the poorest 20% only has a 4% chance of moving to the top 20%.
Among the things common to upwardly mobile cities were mixed communities of poor and middle income people, rather than intense concentrations; more two-person households; better schools; and higher civic engagement. 

Here are the 10 cities out of the largest 50 in America where somebody born in the poorest fifth of the income distribution has the best chance to make it to the top fifth.

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3 Pittsburgh Companies Go Social

3 Pittsburgh companies are going on to the national Social Madness competition! 4CTechnologies, NexTier, and 4moms will be representing the city over the next few weeks- keep your eyes peeled!

National Round 1 of Social Madness began this week with three Pittsburgh-area companies competing with winners from other American City Business Journal markets.
4CTechnologies, a Forest Hills-based business consulting and software engineering firm, won in the local small category and is now in the national small category.
Local medium category winner NexTier Bank, a financial services company based in Butler, is now competing in the national small category.
Strip District-based 4moms, a robotics company that makes high-end baby products, dominated the local large category and is now in the national large category.
National round 1 runs until July 22. Round 2 will also be an open format from July 23-29. The remaining rounds will consist of a bracket format, where companies compete head-to-head. National winners will be announced Aug. 20. The three Social Madness national winners each will have the right to designate a charity to receive $10,000.

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Keep an eye out for the upcoming National Small Business week here in Pittsburgh!

Pittsburgh-area entrepreneurs looking to start or grow their small business will get useful international trade strategies, tips on obtaining certifications and best practices from successful local business leaders on June 20 at the U.S. Small Business Administration's National Small Business Week event. 

The informational sessions and workshops will be held at the Pittsburgh Technical Institute in Oakdale, Pa. SBA Administrator Karen Mills will lead an armchair discussion with leaders from Pittsburgh's nationally-acclaimed startup accelerator, AlphaLab. Mills, Jim Jen, executive director of AlphaLab and Ilana Diamond, managing director of AlphaLab Gear will discuss early stage business development for small companies and give advice on what small businesses need to succeed and grow. 

Breakout sessions on certifications for small businesses, crowdfunding and speed mentoring sessions will also be featured. Other highlights include an economic overview address by the chief economist for PNC Bank, a luncheon address by Chesapeake Energy's vice president and executives from 84 Lumber, Innovation 21 and staff from local universities will also be on hand to dispense advice. 

A discussion on the "Pittsburgh Entrepreneurial Ecosystem" will be led by local business leaders and moderated by Seton Hill University's E-Magnify Director Jayne Huston, an SBA Women's Business Center. 

The June 20 Pittsburgh-area National Small Business Week event will be live streamed at www.sba.gov/smallbusinessweek. The live streaming of all National Small Business Week events is provided by Microsoft. 

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Pittsburgh: Standard-Bearer for Urban Revitalization

The Wall Street Journal takes an insider look at what Pittsburgh has to offer, especially when it comes to job seekers, entrepreneurs, and academics.

THIS IS ONE RUST BELT town that's gotten a polish. After decades of losing jobs and residents, Pittsburgh has become a standard-bearer for urban revitalization. 

Joining its distinctive, bridge-studded skyline are ambitious buildings like the modernist Tower at PNC Plaza, expected to open in 2015 as the world's greenest skyscraper, and the Gardens at Market Square, a $90 million high-rise. Downtown is undergoing a gold rush, with old factories and closed department stores being converted rapid-fire into apartments and spaces for new businesses. 

Andrew Carnegie created the city's cultural backbone more than a century ago, founding what would become the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. Today the institution includes the Andy Warhol Museum, an homage to the native son's more-than-15 minutes of fame, and home to thousands of paintings, sculptures, photographs and films. The city's contemporary art scene thrives in gallery-heavy neighborhoods such as Garfield and East Liberty, while Lawrenceville hosts an annual 24-hour mass exhibition called Art All Night. The Western Pennsylvanian hub also wears its sporting pride proudly, with three centrally located arenas—the Steelers' Heinz Field, the Pirates' PNC Park and the Penguins' Consol Energy Center—drawing the black-and-gold masses (almost everyone, in other words) year-round.

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What It Means to Be an Entrepreneur Now

Entrepreneur Magazine editor-in-chief Amy Cosper talks with Mondelez International vice president of global media Bonin Bough about what the word "entrepreneur" means today. Once the term conjured images of snake-oil purveyors and out-of-work scamsters. In the popular lexicon, entrepreneurs have become known as people who create businesses in markets where there were none before. - See more at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/video/226837#sthash.NuoXz3VU.dpuf

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Pennsylvania Jobless Rate Declines

Pennsylvania has remained resilient against the national trend that has been making unemployment rates rising, making it an excellent time for job seekers continue the search.

Pennsylvania's unemployment rate dropped in April with the third-largest monthly decline on record. The jobless rate is 7.6 percent, down three-tenths of one percent compared to March, according to data released Friday by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry. There were 13,000 more jobs added in the month statewide. "April was a tremendous month for job growth and the state’s employment situation," Labor & Industry Secretary Julia Hearthway said in a prepared statement.

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$100K goes to 6 Pittsburgh startups

Urban Innovation21 has given out a total of $100,000 to companies in Pittsburgh within the Leystone Innovation Zone:

Six Pittsburgh-area startups operating in redeveloping neighborhoods are receiving grants from the economic development group Urban Innovation21. The group dolled out a total of $100,000 to companies under the Pittsburgh Central Keystone Innovation Zone (PCKIZ) program. The awards do not include dividends or equity but are part of the group’s mission to ensure that the growing technology scene also benefits traditionally underserved communities. 

The following grants were awarded to: 

Rubitection Inc. for $25,000
Embedded Energy Technology LLC for $25,000
ActivAided Orthotics for $15,000
Community Elf for $15,000
HeadRight Games LLC for $15,000
Trincula’s Attic for $5,000

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Grow Your Business Through Recommendation

Many small business owners ask themselves if it is possible to expand using the feedback from customers. Is it possible? How is it done anyway?

At a time when one-click LinkedIn endorsements are stacking up faster than rush-hour traffic, obtaining sincerely worded recommendations is a lot like pulling into the carpool lane. You have to invest upfront in planning, personal contact and collaboration, but the effort is rewarded by access to a less-crowded environment and a quicker route to building credibility and trust.

Sit back and collect endorsements LinkedIn endorsements verify what you do (though most of us on LinkedIn have been endorsed for some skill we don't possess), while recommendations detail how you do what you do and the unique value you deliver.

LinkedIn endorsements are what social networkers call "lite" recommendations and what Forbes writer Eve Mayer likens to a "Stove Top stuffing version," with less "meatiness than Grandma's homemade stuffing."

Endorsements are easy to give and even easier to get. With no input beyond LinkedIn-provided prompts, your LinkedIn contacts simply click endorsement buttons -- at a reported rate of 10 million times daily. And while the endorsements, in the words of detractors, may serve as little more than "eye candy," they require no energy on your part, leaving you free to steer your efforts toward developing thoughtfully worded recommendations instead.

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How Does Pittsburgh Rank In US Markets?

Pittsburgh has always remained resilient against national job market slumps, but how does it rank among the highest paying job markets?

The Business Journals has come up with a list of the 100 highest-paying job markets -- and Pittsburgh is about halfway down the list. 

An On Numbers analysis of the annual pay of all employees in major markets ranks Pittsburgh at No. 48 with an average salary of $44,270. That's well below No. 1 on the list, San Jose, Calif., which had an average annual pay of $69,670, as well as the highest-ranked region in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia ($50,310). It also was slightly behind another Pennsylvania metro region, $44,750 for No. 42 Harrisburg. 

Here are the top 10 highest-paying markets for employees in all jobs. 

San Jose, $69,670
Washington, $63,750
San Francisco-Oakland, $62,680
Bridgeport-Stamford, Conn., $60,720
Boston, $58,940
New York City, $56,940
Seattle, $55,890
Durham, N.C., $54,500
Hartford, $54,290
Los Angeles, $51,990

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Three Rivers Venture Fair Opens

Angel and venture capitalists converging on PNC Park for the Three Rivers Venture Fair are following a five-year trend that shows Pittsburgh has been a solid bet in an unstable economy. 

A report released Wednesday by New York-based accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP and South Side-based seed stage investor Innovation Works notes the Pittsburgh region saw increased deals and investment during a time when both were stalling nationwide. 

In 2012, the number of venture deals nationally declined 6 percent and the number of dollars invested dropped 10 percent, from $29.5 billion the previous year to $26.5 billion last year. But the Pittsburgh region saw a 54 percent increase in the number of investment deals and a bump up in investments from $326.9 million in 2011 to $329.1 million in 2012. 

From 2008 to 2012, the region saw $1.3 billion in early-stage technology investments and nearly doubled the number of investments for very-early-stage companies. Between 2011 and 2012, 28 regional companies made exit deals worth $2 billion in disclosed value. 

That sounded pretty good to tech entrepreneurs who gathered at Wednesday's kickoff of the Three Rivers Venture Fair, as they look to snag investors. 

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Pittsburgh Highlighted for Growing Entrepreneurship

Pittsburgh is in the spotlight on Entrepreneurship.org for its growing economy, a good sign that the city's renaissance is still alive and well. check out the link below to see the videos on

Thirty years ago, Pittsburgh was given up for dead. City leaders realized that if the town were ever to recover it would need a more diversified economy and that entrepreneurship would be key. The stories below explore how Pittsburgh went about creating a new entrepreneurial ecosystem and the challenges it still faces.

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Pittsburgh Stands Out Among American Cities

Pittsburgh has once again proven its resilience to the national economic slump. A recent Allegheny Conference showed that Pittsburgh's long term focus on job growth has certainly paid off:  

• The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance (PRA) reports 269 economic development deals (or wins) in terms of investment and development projects. The deals are expected to create 8,388 new jobs in the region over the next few years and retain 3,422 jobs to a total employment impact of 12,000 jobs. 
• A total $3.2 billion in capital investment was reported in 2012, the highest amount since 2007 when the record-keeping began. Investment projects were $1.8 billion, $750 million more than 2011. Development projects totaled $1.4 billion. 
• 2012 marked a year of record-high employment and Pittsburgh position as a national leader for job growth in high-wage industries.

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The ABC's of Selling Online

Meet the Master Builders, March 27th

The ABC's of Selling Online

Thursday, March 7th is the First Thursday Networking Event!

Pittsburgh's Best Place to Work Nomination Deadline

Forget to nominate an employer for best place to work? It's not to late. Go here to submit a nomination, or just call at 412-428-8020. You've got until March 22nd, nominate before it's too late!

Most businesses don't like to miss a deadline. 

So to give employers more time to participate in the Post-Gazette's Top Workplaces section, we are extending the deadline to March 22. 

Almost 1,100 companies in the region have been invited to participate in the program so far.
Any employee from the CEO on down may nominate a company. 

There is no cost to participate, and every organization that takes part will receive feedback on its workplace. 

Nominations are open to all employers, including nonprofits and government, that have at least 50 workers in the greater Pittsburgh area, including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

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Governor Corbett to Recognize PA Businesses and Entrepreneurs at Inaugural Awards Ceremony

(www.newpa.com/impact-awards)

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett announced today the creation of the Governor's ImPAct Awards, developed to recognize companies and entrepreneurs throughout Pennsylvania that are creating jobs and making positive contributions to the state's economy.

"When I was elected governor, I made a commitment to create a pro-growth environment that enabled businesses to grow and create jobs," Corbett said. "The ImPAct Awards will give us the opportunity to celebrate and recognize the Pennsylvania companies and individuals that are investing in our workers and helping to move our economy forward." The Governor's ImPAct Awards will recognize companies from throughout the state in five categories: Jobs First, Community Impact, Small Business Impact, Entrepreneurial Impact and Export Impact. Nominations for each award will be provided by the state's regional economic development partners – the Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance (PREP) network. Each of the 10 PREP regions will be eligible to submit up to five nominations per category.

The Corbett administration developed the PREP network, to regionalize and coordinate local economic development services to businesses and entrepreneurs.

The Department of Community and Economic Development provides grants through PREP to local economic development service providers that provide assistance and other resources to support local business expansion and growth. "The past two years we have added more than 100,000 private sector jobs in Pennsylvania and manufacturing jobs have grown by the highest number in a decade," Corbett said. "This growth is due in large part to the regional economic development partners that are working every day to bring new economic growth and jobs to their communities." The inaugural Governor's ImPAct Awards ceremony will be held in the Harrisburg region on May 23, 2013. Each PREP region is invited to submit up to 25 nominations in five categories to DCED by Friday, March 8, 2013. The awards are being sponsored at no cost to the taxpayers by the state's private sector partner, Team Pennsylvania Foundation, and are being coordinated by DCED, Team PA and Journal Multimedia.

Representatives from the Team PA Foundation and Journal Multimedia will evaluate the nominations and select the award recipients.

For more information, visit www.newPA.com/impact-awards.


Media contact:
Kelli Roberts , Governor's Office; 717-783-1116
Steve Kratz , DCED; 717-783-1132

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

Sweets for Your Sweetie

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Valentine's Day Cupcakes Our Valentine's Cupcakes include cupcakes topped buttercream roses or our Strawberries n' Cream cupcakes. $2.25/each Valentine's Day Cookies Our Valentine's Day Cookies and Chocolate Covered Oreo's are great for kids and adults! Oreo's: $0.75/ea. Sugar: $0.60/ea. Iced: $0.65/ea. Heart Cakes  for Two Topped with a chocolate covered strawberry, ourMini Heart Cakesare perfect for sharing! $6.95/each Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Say I Love You with a 6" Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake and personalized message!   $6.99 French Macaroons Try something different and delicious, like our ourFrench Macaroons!   $7.50/Half Doz.   Heart Cupcake Cake Our personalizedHeart Cupcake Cake consists of a dozen cupcakes of your choice. $18.99 Chocolate Covered Strawberries Nothing says Valentine's Day like Chocolate Covered Strawberries!   $7.50/Half Doz. *Mardi Gras*    King Cake After Valentine's Day, pick up a Mardi Gras tradition - King Cake - available Feb. 7-9, 11-13. $12.75

528 East Ohio Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 - 412.321.7270 baker@prioryfinepastries.com, www.prioryfinepastries.com

GET 10% OFF YOUR NEXT ORDER Enjoy 10% off your next order at Priory Fine Pastries.  Must present coupon upon ordering.  One coupon per customer.  No cash value.  Not valid with any other offers.  Not valid on Wedding Cakes.  Must provide 48-hour notice for larger orders. Expires: February 28, 2013

Entrepreneurial Happenings

Your Single Point of Access for Entrepreneurial Support!

Kiplinger 10 Great Cities for Starting a Business Pittsburgh makes yet another 'TOP' list! Vocalist Jessica Lee & FriendsLive Rhythm, Jazz & Blues"Entrepreneurial Thursdays" Little E's Jazz & Blues Club 949 Liberty Avenue, PittsburghAbove Mahoney's Restaurant Wine & Chocolate Tasting! February 7th, 5:30 pm This week join Jessica & Friends for some wine tasting and samplings of Trello Chocolates! Entrepreneurial Happenings February 7th to March 8th Getting Started With eBooks and eReaders Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Downtown & Business February 7, 2013, 12:15 pm - 01:00 pm Women Business Leaders Breakfast Series Center for Women's Entrepreneurship at Chatham University February 8, 2013, 07:30 am - 09:00 pm The Truth about Dishonesty: Managing Risk and Combatting Fraud Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, University of Pittsburgh February 12, 2013, 07:30 am - 10:30 am Brown Bag Lunch Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania/Working Order Program February 13, 2013, 12:00 pm - 01:00 pm How to Appeal Your Property Assessment Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Downtown & Business February 13, 2013, 12:15 pm - 01:00 pm The Second Step: Developing a Business Plan SBDC, Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, University of Pittsburgh February 15, 2013, 07:30 am - 10:00 am In Search Of...Opportunities in Big Data MIT Enterprise Forum Pittsburgh February 20, 2013, 05:30 pm - 08:00 pm Disability Resource Breakfast Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania/Working Order Program February 21, 2013, 08:30 am - 09:30 am How to File Your Taxes Online Using an IRS e-File Provider Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Downtown & Business February 21, 2013, 12:15 pm - 01:00 pm CWE Business Skills Development Workshops Center for Women's Entrepreneurship at Chatham University February 23, 2013, 08:30 am - 12:00 pm Employment Resources for Jobs in the Pittsburgh Area Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Downtown & Business February 28, 2013, 12:15 pm - 01:00 pm The First Step: Mechanics of Starting a Small Business SBDC, Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, University of Pittsburgh March 8, 2013, 07:30 am - 10:00 am

Pittsburgh Looking Up In Tough Economy

Pittsburgh, showing a strong resilience against the current economy, is both in a top US region where paychecks have gone up the most, and is also on of the country's top 50 best performing cities.

Despite the recession and the slow recovery, average weekly earnings have grown in more than 80 metro regions across the U.S. -- and Pittsburgh's in the top 15. 

The Durham, N.C., metro region has seen its average weekly earnings jump the most -- 48 percent -- to $933.31 a week in November 2012 from five years ago. The biggst decline was in nearby Youngstown, Ohio, where average weekly earnings are down by more than $100 since November 2007.

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City Opportunities

http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/district6/JobsNewsletterDraft_January.pdf

Duquesne University Small Business Development Center January Workshops

Need a Coach to Help Your Business Score During the shortened NHL Season?   Learn marketing strategies to help your business score a short-handed goal Date: 1/17/2013 Time: 8:15 - 11:15 a.m. Cost: $0 Location: Duquesne University Rockwell Hall, Room 505 Local business coaches will discuss marketing trends to business owners affected by the NHL lockout. Attendees will learn: Current marketing trends, how to market a restaurant without relying on sports, social media marketing, email marketing, thinking outside the box, panel forum/discussion Registration: Click Here or call (412) 396 - 1633

Second Act - Making a New Business Your Career   You have the skills from years of work and the interest to be "on your own" but you don't know where to start. There are different choices and opportunities for the second career entrepreneur. This seminar is meant to identify many of those choices and provide usable, real life answers.   Date: 1/23/2013 Time: Registration: 10:00 a.m.  Event Time: 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Cost: $25 (includes Lite Lunch) Special Location: Sheraton, Station Square, Pittsburgh PA   You will learn: how to start on a shoestring, how to price to make profit, how to create a legal entity meant just for you, how to brand yourself with your previous experience and network with those who know you best, how to manage cash flow, and how to plan for a successful exit when the time comes.   Join Dave Wilke, owner of Wilke & Associates and Suzanne Caplan, serial entrepreneur and author, as they help our attendees decide if owning a business should be their next step.   Act now and be one of the first 20 to register and you will receive a free "Start Your Own Business and Hire Yourself" book!   Registration: Click Here

Abre tu Negocio    The Start-Up a Business in Spanish, or Abre Tu Negocio en Pittsburgh seminar covers the steps, regulations, fictitious names, tax ID numbers, and much more in order to help you open your own business.   La clase tratara los pasos, regulaciones, nombre ficticio, el numero de tax ID y mucho mas para que puedas abrir tu negocio.   The speakers will be Brent Rondom, Ricardo Luckow, Enrique Billa, Daniela Campana, and Catalina Jaramillo   Date: 1/25/2013 Time: 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. Cost: $0 Location: Duquesne University, Rockwell Hall, Room 108   Registration: Click Here

Duquesne University Small Business Development Center 600 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15282-0103 412.396.1633

JOINT APPRENTICESHIP JOURNEYMEN TRAINING PROGRAM

Applications Being Accepted for Apprenticeship Program

Greetings,

The Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers Local #37 Joint Apprenticeship Committee is accepting applications and testing individuals wishing consideration for the Apprenticeship program.

Applications are taken at the JAC Training Center at 230 Lincoln Avenue, Bellevue, PA 15202, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Applications should be filed before March 22, 2013 to assure consideration for the June 2013 Apprentice class. There will be a non-refundable processing fee of $15.00 that is required at the time when the application is completed and turned in.

The minimum requirements to be considered for the program are:

• Being of legal age. 
• Physically able to perform the manual work of the trade. 
• Provide proof of High School Graduate or equivalent G.E.D. Certificate. 
• Possess a valid PA Drivers License and reliable transportation. 
• Be of good moral character. 
• Must reside within the geographical jurisdiction of Local #37. 
• Must take a General Aptitude Test. Must attend Joint Apprenticeship Committee oral interview.

Final applicants are required to pass a physical examination, and may be subjected to a drug test prior to final acceptance into the program.
For any further questions or information, please contact Apprenticeship Coordinator John Cummings at 412-732-9720.

Regards,

R. Daniel Lavelle

Pittsburgh CIO of the Year 2013

Pittsburgh CIO of the Year 2013
Nominations Extended Until January 9th!

Co-hosted by the Pittsburgh Technology Council and the Greater Pittsburgh CIO Group, the CIO of the Year program honors individual technology executives from industry, non-profit, academia and government. Nominees, including chief information officers or those in equivalent positions, are recognized for their innovation and creativity in planning and deploying their enterprise systems, future IT goals, management philosophy and service to the industry and community. CIOs will be evaluated in four category groups of similarly sized businesses.

Nominate the CIO of your company or of a deserving client or partner organization now! Nominations due by Wednesday, January 9th.

LEARN MORE / SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION:
http://cio.pghtech.org

SAVE THE DATE: 
CIO of the Year Awards
Thursday, March 7, 2013 | 5 p.m.
Heinz Field

Event Partners: Pittsburgh Technology Council | Greater Pittsburgh CIO Group

Event Sponsors:Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC | Comcast Business Class | Donwil Company | UPMC Technology Development Center

Supporting Sponsors:Allegheny County Airport Authority | DQE Communications | Expedient Communications | ServiceNow |  Synergy Staffing

Sponsorship opportunities for this event are still available! 
For more information, please contact:
Joel Reed, Vice President, Business Development at jreed@pghtech.org