New, free opportunities for Allegany County entrepreneurs and organizations to help improve their businesses were introduced on Small Business Saturday today by an area nonprofit organization.
    Allegany Hope is forming a Christian Business Forum, with some services available immediately and additional connections starting after the first of the year.

    Small Business Saturday is a national effort to promote a focus on shopping at small businesses due to their major economic significance to hometown communities.
    The Allegany County Christian organization, which is focused on Building Healthy Communities Through Healthy FamiliesTM, currently is offering free internet access to more than 20,000 online videos through the national RightNow Media @Work, which include individual sessions and film series on helping to grow businesses.

     These include video presentations by former executives of a variety of well-known organizations, including HP, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Walmart, Chick-fil-A, Hobby Lobby, Tyson and more.

    Related subjects include leadership, professional development, communication and teamwork, conflict resolution, mental health and wellness, character, ethics and integrity, values and culture, diversity and inclusion, best business practices and others.

  Personal series on couples in business, marriage and family, parenting, finances, and studies for men, women, teens and children also are available for both business owners and organization managers and the general public.
    Casey Jones, Allegany Hope executive director, says that successful businesses and organizations which provide products and services which are focused on benefiting the public reflect the Christian principle of serving others.

    Individuals of all faith backgrounds are welcome to join the Forum.

Jones, who has served in leadership capacities in several business and service organizations from local to state, national and international, became an entrepreneur at the age of 10 when he started selling greeting cards, formally entered business at 16 as a news reporter and photographer, and then graduated into main street retailing and providing services in both nonprofit organization and government management advisor positions.
    After the first of the year, he will be facilitating video training opportunities and discussion groups for the Forum, which first will be provided online to enable maximum participation throughout the county without travel requirements and, then, depending on geographical response, may move in the future into local in-person gatherings in various areas.
    The organization leader said that providing current and potential entrepreneurs with resources to help them focus, maintain and grow their operations is critical, noting that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nearly one out of five new businesses close their doors within the first year of operation.
    This, he said, is followed by a nearly 40 percent failure rate by the third year, over half by the fifth, and nearly two-thirds within 10 years.
    The Forum, which Jones said has received positive response from organization leaders he has talked with, particularly after closure of the Greater Allegany County Chamber of Commerce several months ago, is designed to bring together business and nonprofit leaders to obtain training, realize support from each other, and exchange ideas and resources which encourage success.

    Further information and registration for the free online access to business, organization and related videos, along with details about startup of the January online gatherings, are available by sending one’s name, name and type of organization or business, community, email and telephone number to Jones at AlleganyHopeWNY@outlook.com or (484) 435-0503.