May 29, 2015 4 min read

Business districts are Donn Henderson’s business. He ran Main Street programs in Charleroi and Irwin, was on the Washington County Redevelopment Authority board and is Charleroi’s current manager.

Friday morning, though, while talking business in his borough, he drew an analogy that could have come from a cardiologist.

“The business district is sort of our heart,” Henderson said. “If it’s pumping well, the arteries will do well. You keep the blood pumping, you’ll be much better off in the community.”

Pushing small business success in Charleroi and other Mon Valley communities was the theme of a forum organized by the Small Business Administration’s Mid-Atlantic Region office. It was the kickoff of the region’s “Summer of Encore Mentoring” program, with Henderson and several other speakers teeing it up inside the Charleroi municipal building.

The objective is to revive the Valley through small business ownership, with an accent on older adult ownership – also known as encore entrepreneurship.

“Some people may retire early, but may want to do something they’ve wanted to do. This affords them the opportunity,” said Trish Brickner, administrator of PA CareerLink in the Mon Valley and Washington County.

Starting a business isn’t easy for many people.

A lot don’t know where to start, how to seek funding, where to get advice, where to locate.

Henderson and other speakers said there are resources such as websites – including sba.gov and smartbusiness.com – and programs and workshops. SBA and AARP joined forces to hold events nationwide in June, July and August.

One such forum is scheduled for 5 to 7:30 p.m. June 9 in the Charleroi Borough Building, called “The First Step: The Mechanics of Starting a Small Business.” It will be free.

Developing a viable business plan, the speakers stressed, is the first objective – and a vital objective. That is a foundation for all startups.

“We don’t just want businesses to start. We want them to succeed,” said Kelly Hunt, director of the Pittsburgh District office and a Washington County native.

The importance of a sturdy foundation is the foundation of the SMAART Business Plan Contest the Mon River Valley Coalition will launch in June.

Henderson started SMAART – Sustainable Marketplace for Arts, Artisans, Recreation and Trending Businesses – and the authors of the three plans judged to be the best will get $10,000 in cash and services to start their businesses in a new or existing building.

Two businesses will be located in Charleroi, with the third in any of nine Valley towns.

“I’m sure we’ll get more than three great business plans,” Henderson said. “We don’t want anyone to walk away, so we will help others who want to start out.”

Friday’s forum featured a 45-minute podcast in which Henderson, Hunt, Brickner and Donna Holdorf, executive director of The Historic National Road, participated. All were asked for tips on developing a successful business.

“Start small and focus,” Holdorf said.” You can work half-days – you just have to figure which 12 hours they will be.”

Hunt said, “Take advantage of resources available that will allow you to succeed. You can find capital. We can guarantee loans.”

Natalia Olson-Urtecho, administrator of the Mid-Atlantic Region, had been scheduled to speak but had to cancel.

Henderson, who grew up in Charleroi, said the borough was once known for glass, but also had a bustling business district, with 350 storefronts. “We became a retail hub, but that changed in the 1960s.”

It now has about 175 storefronts and strong anchors, such as Pyrex, Model Cleaners and Stone & Co., that can be attractions to would-be merchants.

The heart is pumping, and could become stronger.

To register for “The First Step” event, call 724-229-8078 or email Victoria Irey at virey@innovation.pitt.edu.