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Inspiring the Next Generation of Small Business Leaders
May is National Small Business Month, and on Thursday, May 1, I hosted our first Future Entrepreneur Summit. I hope it will be the first of many!
Small businesses are the backbone of rural communities such as ours, and they play a critical role in the national economy. So, the best way to keep our communities, our Commonwealth and our country growing and thriving is to encourage, inspire and support aspiring young entrepreneurs so they, too, can contribute positively to our communities.
In 2021, small businesses generated over $16.2 trillion in revenue. Currently, entrepreneurship is thriving, with 430,000 new business applications per month in 2024, a 50% increase compared to 2019, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Small businesses are key drivers of the U.S. economy, fostering innovation, job creation, and economic growth – especially here in the Northern Tier.
I invited four local business owners who are making an impact in our region to come and share their experiences on how to get started and what to expect as business owners. Our distinguished panel of experts included Jordyn Smith, co-owner of Smith + Co.; Dustin Butler, owner of Butler Hill Beef Farm; Sarah Callahan, owner of Flower Girl Wellsboro; and Jason Gehman, CEO of PRSM Healthcare. They shared their entrepreneurial journeys, highlighting factors that contributed to their success, the challenges they overcame, and the rewards of business ownership, inspiring attendees with the message that anyone can cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit.
I hope everyone who attended felt inspired by the possibility of business ownership. While challenges certainly exist, success is achievable and rewarding. If you have a dream, nurture it and watch it flourish. We are fortunate to live in a supportive community and a country where dreams can come true. Our community needs our small businesses, and our small businesses need our community’s support.
Thank you to our co-hosts and sponsors, who are also amazing free resources for anyone wanting to take the next steps into business ownership: Develop Tioga, Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission, University of Scranton Small Business Development Center, Progress Authority, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Commonwealth University, National Federation of Independent Business, PA Chamber of Commerce, Pennsylvania College of Technology, The Fund for Northern Tier Development, Mansfield Chamber of Commerce, and Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce.
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What Was Your Favorite School Subject?
I bet most preschoolers love recess best! Last Tuesday morning, the weather was lovely, and the children at Tioga-Bradford County Head Start in Mansfield enjoyed the sunshine on the playground. They were, however, a wonderfully attentive audience as we read “The Very Angry Bear,” one of my favorite books. Thank you to Warren L. Miller and Tioga-Bradford County Head Start for the invitation; it’s always a pleasure to spend time with the children.
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Agricultural Deer Program Changes Adopted
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has adopted four changes to the agency’s agricultural deer control permit program, which allows farmers to address deer damage through hunters harvesting additional antlerless deer on enrolled farms and in longer hunting seasons. The program aims to expand accessibility to agricultural deer depredation programs and provide opportunities to hunters.
Most notably, the rule limiting hunters to four agricultural deer permits, also known as “ag tags” or “red tags,” to harvest antlerless deer for any particular property is removed. Additionally, the time frame during which the tags can be used is more than doubled. A brief closure will be held during the peak of fawning season in spring and early summer.
With ag tags now permitted during regular deer seasons, hunters using those tags will be limited to using the sporting arms allowed in those seasons. Otherwise, hunters may use any lawful sporting arm.
Finally, those who apply to enroll their farms in the program will be required only to certify they are the owner or lessee of both the agricultural interest adversely affected by deer damage and the hunting rights to be covered by the permit. Previously, to be eligible, applicants had to supply a deed or a lease agreement.
Read more here.
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Mental Health Awareness Month
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about mental health and continuing the fight against the stigma people face when seeking help.
In Pennsylvania, mental health services are administered through county Mental Health and Developmental Services programs. To learn more about mental health care in Pennsylvania, click here.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
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Bill to Fight Overdose Deaths OK’d by House
Continuing the fight against the opioid epidemic, last week the state House adopted legislation that would require the creation and dissemination of materials to help people recognize the signs of an overdose and how to respond to save lives.
Under House Bill 269, posters and other materials would be created to explain the signs of an opioid-related overdose, what to do in the event of an opioid-related overdose, where to find an opioid antagonist, such as Naloxone, and where to find additional resources and information. The poster would be made available online to download for private use and displayed in public places to increase awareness of how to recognize and respond to opioid-related overdoses.
Almost 3,500 Pennsylvanians died from opioid overdoses in the 12-month period ending in November, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state’s deadliest year of the opioid epidemic was in 2017 when almost 5,500 people died from overdoses. Despite the improvement, opioid overdoses still claim almost 10 lives a day in Pennsylvania.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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