Jen Marsh – Bedford County

Jen Marsh here. I’m proud to be a part of community and economic development for Bedford County, PA and am especially happy that I will be able to assist entrepreneurs in transforming their vision and dream to reality.

With a well-rounded background in a variety of business sectors, from hospitality to outdoor construction sales, to health care administration for the largest health care system in western Maryland, I strive to make a difference in the lives of others and always try to be the best version of myself.

I have a B.S. in Communication, enjoy public relations, marketing, networking and am a believer of lifelong learning. Connecting people and being a conduit for the success of others is gratifying.

My parents and mentors have taught me to work smart and never be afraid to roll up my sleeves and get dirty when needed – life lessons that I’ve always been able to count on through both rough and good times.

A Pennsylvania transplant – I hail from Maryland, recently moving to Bedford County with my husband and granddaughter. We love the beautiful mountain landscape, recreational activities, and top-notch food scene.

Community is key and I love surrounding myself with positive people who aren’t afraid to grow, change and take risks. I look forward to working to help make your entrepreneurial dreams become a reality in beautiful Bedford County.

jmarsh@bcda.org
814-623-4816
Start-up Business Coach – 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

Christa McGeary – Huntingdon & Fulton Counties

Hey everyone! I am Christa and I am so excited to help you turn your dreams into realities! I am a native to Huntingdon County. I like to say that I was born with entrepreneurial blood. My grand dad, grandmother, and father were entrepreneurs. They had their part in lighting my passion for business throughout my childhood and inspired me to travel that path in my professional career.

With the love of business (and Penn State… WE ARE!), I attended Penn State University to study business management, marketing, and entrepreneurship. During my time at Penn State, I was in the inaugural class of the Sheetz Fellows Program. The Sheetz Fellows Program is an experience that offers “an education for leadership.” As a fellow you are mentored by Steve Sheetz, of the Sheetz Corporation. My tenure in the Sheetz Fellows program provided me with considerable education and several experiences to help me excel in any business venture. I studied abroad in Europe, where I received a taste of international business and their ideals. I graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and Marketing and a minor in Entrepreneurship.

I spent the last 7 years owning and operating All American Pizza and Subs, LLC in Huntingdon, PA. For the last 4 years I have been busy being a “mompreneur” with 2 little girls as well. Many would think running a business at the age of 22 is a huge success. However, as time went on I realized that my idea of success could only be measured by the help and success I could supply others. I am still involved with All American, but knew my team was ready to handle the daily operations. This allowed me to move into the entrepreneur coaching position that would allow me to pursue my forever passion of helping others and stimulating small business right here in my hometown!

In my opinion, there is nothing better than seeing dreams ignite into amazing business ventures. So, whether the idea just popped into your head, you’re midway through the process, you’re almost done, or you’re ready to scream… reach out to me! I know that it takes a village, and I cannot wait to be here and help you through every dimension of building your dream, right here in Central PA.

cmcgeary@hcbi.com
814-506-8287
Entrepreneur Coach – Huntingdon & Fulton Counties
HCBI (Huntingdon County Business & Industry)

[Vacant] – Somerset County

For assistance, contact JARI, email or call 814.262.8368.

Entrepreneur Coach – Somerset County