Writings

Global Wordsmiths is a woman-owned social enterprise that provides language translation, localization and interpretation services, and language access consulting for a wide variety of sectors. When the pandemic struck, Founder Mary Jayne immediately realized that getting funding to cover operating costs was the top priority. She also recognized that she couldn’t bank on the PPP and EIDL loans to completely fulfill the needs of her business.

Located in Pittsburgh’s family-centric neighborhood of Squirrel Hill, Games Unlimited is a beloved community fixture that has been providing unique tabletop games and puzzles since 1978. Because Games Unlimited provides their expertise with in-person consultations and hands-on game demonstrations, the mandatory shutdown of local businesses had an immediate, devastating effect on Games Unlimited. Kylie was forced to make the difficult decision to furlough his employees and close up shop in hopes of waiting out the storm.

Passed on March 27, 2020, The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has allotted $350 billion in emergency loans to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19 through the Paycheck Protection Program. If you’re a small business owner, this program can be an important resource to help you manage your payroll and retain your employees during the coronavirus.

Over the past weeks, coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused mass disruption in our communities, the stock market, and our daily work and play. As our daily lives are facing big changes, the small businesses in our community are also entering a phase of great uncertainty.

It’s important that we take matters into our own hands on the hyperlocal level and preserve the beautiful parts of our community together—while staying 6 feet apart. Here are several ways to support local businesses and entrepreneurs, while keeping yourself safe and healthy.

In the era of Amazon and big box chains, it’s more important than ever for small businesses to stick together and attract customers who are craving personal connections and looking for more ways to support the local fixtures in their neighborhood. And as the classic saying goes, two is better than one. By collaborating with fellow small businesses, you can potentially double your customer base, create unique new products with your joint expertise, and build up your local business community!

I’m honored and thrilled to share that I’ve joined the Board of Directors at Prototype PGH! A question that I’ve been asking myself since day one—that ultimately led me to Prototype—is: What does it take to become a successful entrepreneur, business owner, or creator?

We want to highlight some neighborhoods that are going above and beyond to celebrate small businesses and bring the local community together with some holiday cheer and festivities. Here are 6 Pittsburgh neighborhoods that you can’t miss out this Small Business Saturday!

With the hustle and bustle leading up to Thanksgiving and Black Friday, we hope that you can spend this Small Business Saturday celebrating the locally owned businesses in your community and giving support to the entrepreneurs who built them up.

Here at Honeycomb, we're all about giving local businesses the love that they deserve, so we've put together the ultimate Pittsburgh shopping guide for you. Check out these 26 Pittsburgh businesses that are doing something special this Small Business Saturday!

The countdown has begun! With the start of November, Small Business Saturday is right around the corner. While we believe that supporting local should happen every day of the year, Small Business Saturday is a perfect opportunity to celebrate your business, customers, and community. Here are 10 easy strategies to prepare your business for a successful Small Business Saturday 2019!

So you’ve decided to take the big leap to open up your very own brick-and-mortar? Now, it’s time to work with an architect who can help make your dream a reality! Here are 4 tips that can help you get the juices flowing and be prepared for your first meeting with your architect.

Nestled in the Sewickley business district on Beaver Street, Mediterra Cafe is a combination bakery, cafe, and artisan food market owned by the Ambeliotis family. In 2001, the Ambeliotis family first opened up artisan wholesale bakery Mediterra Bakehouse in Pittsburgh. Mediterra Cafe is the family's first brick-and-mortar café in the Pittsburgh area.