Friday, April 24, 2026
Pennsylvania College of Technology is celebrating National Small Business Month throughout May with several events and activities designed for small business owners and individuals interested in turning their ideas into reality.
As part of an effort to highlight entrepreneurship – including providing resources for growth, financing and marketing – Williamsport LaunchBox supported by Ken and Kristie Healy, located in the Carl Building Technologies Center, 1031 W. Third Street, Room 150, will host the month-long celebration with a book signing and workshops.
“We’ve created an upcoming series of events designed to empower our local entrepreneurs, innovators, creators and daydreamers,” said Erin S. Shultz, manager of Williamsport LaunchBox operations. “Whether you are just sketching out an idea or preparing for your next big chapter, we provide the mentorship and no-cost resources you need to succeed. As our slogan says, ‘Don’t quite your daydream’ – build it with Williamsport LaunchBox.’”
Penn College is celebrating National Small Business Month throughout May with several events and activities designed for small business owners and individuals interested in turning their ideas into reality.
To kick things off, author Ed Barone will sign copies of his book, “Exiting Your Business With Clarity: Aligning Your Business, Personal Finances and Legacy for Success.” The 1989 Penn College graduate serves on the school’s President’s Leadership Council. He is the executive director of exit planning at Kintra Wealth and is a certified business exit consultant and certified merger & acquisition advisor.
Barone said his book is the perfect tool for entrepreneurs and business advisors.
In “Exiting Your Business With Clarity,” Barone offers a step-by-step roadmap for owners who want to maximize value, protect their families and define the legacy they’ll leave behind. Readers will learn how to assess mental and financial readiness using the Business Exit Readiness Index; understand the five exit paths for business owners; build a thriving transferable business; overcome identity loss, procrastination and the “five-year myth”; and protect wealth, employees and legacy.
“Demographically, there are 10 to 12 million businesses in the U.S. owned by baby boomers that will soon need to transition to new owners,” he said. “My goal is to create connections for local community members and college graduates seeking to start a business with successful owners looking to transfer theirs. This helps keep businesses and jobs local.”
Williamsport LaunchBox is the 24th location in the LaunchBox & Innovation Network, which is located throughout campus communities across the state. Its mission is to empower entrepreneurs by connecting them to resources, support and the innovative spirit needed to accelerate growth and drive economic impact.
“Located on the Penn College campus, we provide free resources, hands-on learning opportunities and space for collaboration that helps people bring their ideas to life,” Shultz said. “We believe that innovation grows strongest through connection – when people share knowledge, support one another and work together toward a common goal. That’s why our programs are open to everyone, with no Penn State or Penn College affiliation required.”
Other key events that will take place over the next several months include:
E-ship CrashCourse workshops will cover the basics of entrepreneurship, common myths about entrepreneurship, actionable steps to build a startup and information about other no-cost programs and resources through Williamsport LaunchBox and the LaunchBox & Innovation Network.
The Small Business Start-Up Summer Camp is designed for students entering grades 11 and 12 and is an immersive, two-day experience for those ready to turn ideas into reality. Designed around hands-on product design, the camp exposes participants to the full cycle of innovation: brainstorming, prototyping, testing and pitching product ideas.
Summer memberships for the Dr. Welch Workshop: A Makerspace at Penn College are open to the public during the summer at various rates and year-round to Penn College students, faculty and staff at no cost. Summer Makerspace Memberships run May 14 through Aug. 8.
Williamsport LaunchBox is open by appointment on Mondays and Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. For more information, call 570-320-2400, e-mail launchbox@pct.edu.
For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.
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