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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