Meet the Coaches | Startup Alleghenies

Our Entrepreneurial and Innovation Coaches

At the core of our program are entrepreneurial Coaches who work one-on-one with startups and small emerging businesses—whether the idea is only on paper or already in the works. Startup Alleghenies Coaches are available to work with residents in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, or Somerset counties.

When you enroll in Startup Alleghenies, you will be paired with a coach from your county. They’ll help you explore and build structure around your dream. Whether you need a business plan, capital, marketing, a physical space or other resources, they’ll be at your side every step of the way.

Katie Bullington – Bedford County

Hi, I’m Katie Bullington, Entrepreneur and Marketing Specialist at the Bedford County Development Association. I come from a family of entrepreneurs—my father owned an insurance agency, my husband runs a real estate company, and I previously owned a children’s boutique in Downtown Bedford. Those experiences have shaped my understanding of the entrepreneurial journey and fueled my passion for helping others bring their business ideas to life.

I’ve been in their shoes, so I understand what it takes to launch and grow a business. Now, I get to support other entrepreneurs with branding, marketing, and strategy—helping them build a strong foundation. Startups bring so much energy and drive, and I’m excited to help turn that into real progress.

There’s something truly special about the business community in Bedford County. It's open, supportive, and always eager to welcome new ideas. Being part of a thriving small business community and raising my family in Bedford County is something I truly value. I’m grateful to live and work in a place where community really matters. Outside the office, I enjoy staying active in the area I’m proud to call home—and keeping up with my two kids certainly helps with that!

jmarsh@bcda.org
814-623-4816
Entrepreneur and Marketing Specialist – Bedford County
Bedford County Development Association

Matthew Fox – Blair County

Hello Everyone! I’m Matt and I’m excited to be the entrepreneurial and start-up coach for Blair County and I look forward to helping you make your business dreams a reality.

While I am not a native of Blair County or the First Frontier region, I have called this area my home for over 15 years and cannot think of a better place to live. I grew up in Carlisle, Pennsylvania then my family moved to the northern Virginia area where I graduated high school and lived for 10 years after graduating from Penn State University.

Growing up my father started his own picture framing business in a spare room in our home and named his venture Fox Framing. Everyday we answered the phone “Fox Framing headquarters how may we help you” to which all our friends and family had a good laugh, but it was instilled at a young age what professionalism and hard work meant. Like many entrepreneurs their companies start as side projects and while my father never left his full-time job to conquer the custom picture framing world, we did meet a lot of people and grew the business every year.

All my jobs post college have been with smaller companies with the maximum number of employees at 12 which allows someone to experience and be involved with as many facets of a business as they want. I have been fortunate to have bosses that have embraced my enthusiasm for learning more and more about each business, vendors, clients and more.

While I may not be the exact subject matter expert that you are looking to assist your startup venture, I know that my network of people can get you to the right people to help you. I am passionate about seeing all companies regardless of size thrive here in Blair County and the entire region.

mattf@abcdcorp.org
814-944-6113
Entrepreneur Coach – Blair County
Altoona Blair County Development Corporation

Blake Fleegle – Cambria County

Hi Everyone! My name is Blake and you may recognize me from my successful venture in Johnstown, the Westwood Plaza Theatre & Café. I am a hardworking family man with a lot of relevant entrepreneurship experience for my age. Although I still sell popcorn on the weekends, I am here to help make your business dreams come true in the same way I achieved mine over a decade ago.

Born and raised in Somerset, I attended Somerset Area High School. When I was 15 years old, I got my first job at the local movie theatre, The Palace Theatre. It’s gone now, but that first job lit a spark in me that has been the drive behind my success for so many years.

After high-school, I knew I would like to one day own my own movie theatre. Looking back, it’s funny that I used to think it would be my dream RETIREMENT job! With Entrepreneurship in mind, I moved to Pittsburgh to study Business at Duquesne University. I graduated from Duquesne in 2008 and started to work in Canada.

While in Halifax, Nova Scotia (birthplace of Sidney Crosby for all you Pens fans!) I received a newspaper cutout from the Tribune Democrat. It was an announcement that a local movie theatre was for sale. I jumped at the opportunity and moved back home to see if I could turn my dream into a reality.

Although I had no money to invest, I had just the right experience and education to convince a bank to give me the loan I needed to purchase the Westwood Plaza Theatre & Café in June of 2009. It was difficult at first but after logging a lot of hours, I was able to make the business successful enough to launch a second location. In June of 2012, the Latrobe 30 Theatre & Café opened and both locations have been showing movies and serving customers ever since.

Running a business is fun, fast-paced, and very rewarding. I love every minute of it and want to share that feeling with local entrepreneurs who want to make their dreams come true as well. I am happy to help anyone and everyone launch and grow their ideas into successful businesses. So whether you have an idea just starting to germinate in your mind or if you already have a business that is running into headwinds… and everyone in-between, reach out and let’s work together!

bfleegle@jari.com
814-254-4023
Entrepreneurial Coach – Cambria County
JARI