PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PA WILDS MEDIA LAB
PA WILDS PACE PROGRAM
PA WILDS CONFERENCES
RESOURCE PARTNERS
Simply click one of the four headings above to jump ahead to that section.
PA WILDS MEDIA LAB
Coming Soon: PA Wilds Media Lab
The WCO will soon have access to a host of professional development tools and resources at the PA Wilds Media Lab in downtown Kane. The creative hub will be outfitted with specialized technologies needed to expand the PA Wilds commerce platforms and deliver business development workshops to the WCO.
- professional photography studio
- recording studio
- computer lab
- classroom and events space.
There are a lot of empty second- and third-floor Main Street buildings in rural PA. There is a reason for this. They are hard spaces to renovate and use. We felt strongly we couldn’t be leading a rural revitalization effort and not understand, at a bone-deep level, what it meant to help bring one of these buildings back to life. How did we address accessibility? Energy efficiency? We are excited to interpret our experience and share it with others. The nonprofit West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund has been huge in helping us figure it out.
RESOURCE PARTNERS
Looking to learn something new in order to grow your business? We have you covered.
WCO Resource Partners include local, regional and state businesses, organizations and agencies that offer just the services you’re looking for. And they’re a part of your network.
The PA Wilds PACE Program is designed for entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses and leverage the PA Wilds brand and marketing opportunities. The cohort helps entrepreneurs look backward, forward and outward to set their businesses up for long-term success.
PACE cohorts cover various topics, such as: how to utilize financial statements to project future business growth, how to better understand audiences to strengthen messaging, how to price products or services for long-term sustainability, when and how to bring on additional staff, and entrepreneurship ethics.
This program truly provided me with a personalized toolbox I can use to “do” my business better. It did not fully answer and explain every need and question but rather provided me with a starting point and direction for learning more in my weakest areas as well as actions I can take to flesh out and improve those areas where I am already doing well. In addition, it provided a way to really get to know a network of creative entrepreneurs that I would not otherwise have the opportunity to work with – there are already some collaborations in the works.
PA WILDS ENTREPRENEUR’S CONFERENCE
The inaugural PA Wilds Creative Entrepreneur’s Conference was held in 2018 in conjunction with the PA Wilds Annual Dinner & Awards.
Conferences feature panel sessions on topics relating to capitalizing on Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy, marketing, wholesaling, and utilizing the PA Wilds Design Guide to help you grow your business. Conferences also offer opportunities for peer networking with other regional creative entrepreneurs and leaders.
Stay tuned for updates on future conferences!
All of the panelists were very knowledgeable and provided valuable information. I left feeling inspired by the information gathered from the conference.
READY TO EXPLORE MORE?
ABOUT US
Learn more about the WCO, our place-based network of creative entrepreneurs and organizations.
BENEFITS
Take advantage of opportunities to leverage the PA Wilds brand and grow your business.
TOOLS
Find more tools and resources related to WCO membership and growing your business.