Penn State develops program for small businesses handling COVID-19 impacts

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The Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC), a business consulting provider for small businesses in Centre, Clinton, Lycoming, and Mifflin counties, recently launched a program to help small-business owners develop and execute business operations regarding the coronavirus pandemic.

R3: Designing a Resiliency Roadmap for the Next 30/60/90 Days will be comprised of four meetings between June 29 and Sept. 28.

The first meeting will help business owners identify what will bring their biggest return on investment.

The second meeting, the re-evaluation phase, helps businesses identify bad habits, vulnerabilities, inefficiencies, and deficiencies.

The third meeting, the recovery phases, involves developing a roadmap for the next 90 days that contains concrete, actionable plans for enacting new systems.

The final meeting, the regeneration phase, involves businesses receiving individualized coaching.

“While many local businesses have successfully pivoted to meet changing needs, others are still trying to discover their best way forward,” SBDC Director Tim Keohane said. “Despite our region progressing to the ‘green phase’ of reopening, businesses still need to be ready for continuously changing circumstances and prepared to adapt when necessary.”

David Lenze, director of the Smeal College of Business Applied Professional Experience Program, helped develop the program.

The program is free, but participants must register.