Harrisburg, PA – Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Acting Secretary Neil Weaver was joined by Small Business Development Center (SBDC) officials and local business owners at Love City Brewing to highlight the resources available to small business owners to help them grow their business online. The event is part of Pennsylvania Small Business Week which is taking place May 1-7, 2022, as proclaimed by Governor Tom Wolf.

“eCommerce, or selling products online, has been around for many years, but the trend has accelerated over recent years,” Acting Secretary Weaver said. “But for many small businesses, eCommerce doesn’t come naturally. They may not know if it’s right for their business. They may not know where to start. That’s why DCED and the SBDC network has made many new resources available to help small businesses across Pennsylvania start and succeed in the eCommerce ecosystem.”

Over the past two years, consumers have accelerated their online shopping habits, and adding eCommerce as a revenue stream is more critical than ever for small businesses to succeed. The PA Business One-Stop was created to help entrepreneurs and small business owners connect with the resources they need to start or grow a business, all in one place. In coordination with the SBDCs, the One-Stop Shop has recently added a new section dedicated to eCommerce. It includes information about where to start, how to build a brand online, and where to find experts that can help take business eCommerce initiatives to the next level.

The SBDCs, funded by DCED, also provide valuable one-on-one expertise to small business owners about eCommerce through its Digital Connect program. Supported by $300,000 in matching funds provided by DCED, Temple SBDC received $1.2 million in funds through the U.S. Economic Development Administration to create the Pennsylvania Digital Transformation and eCommerce Program (PADTEP). PADTEP enabled the Digital Connect program to greatly expand its offerings and provide eCommerce technical expertise to small businesses in all 67 Pennsylvania counties.

The Wolf Administration is visiting local businesses throughout the week in Philadelphia, Bedford, Scranton, Erie, and Zelienople, to celebrate the contributions they make to the culture and fabric of the communities in which they reside.

Diversity and Impact of Small Businesses in PA

• 39.4 percent of small business owners are women
• 16.6 percent are racial minorities
• 4.2 percent are Hispanic/Latino
• 6.3 percent are veterans
• 13,690, or 88.2 percent, of Pennsylvania firms that exported goods in 2019 were small businesses – and small firms exported goods worth $12.5 billion
• For every $100 spent at a small business, $48 goes back into the local economy in which the business is located

State Resources for Small Businesses

DCED and our partner network across the commonwealth offer many resources to help small businesses grow.

For more information about Small Business Week or Department of Community and Economic Development, visit DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and be sure to talk about your favorite local small business on your social media accounts and tag them with #PASmallBiz or #ShopLocal.

MEDIA CONTACT: Penny Ickes, DCED, dcedpress@pa.gov

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