Mayor Jared Kraham, members of the BLDC and staff from SUNY Broome and KSTI came together at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator on June 15th to announce the winner of the 2022 BLDC/EAP Business Plan Competition.
The competition which is the longest running in the Greater Binghamton area, seeks to cultivate local business development and promote the entrepreneurial spirit and raise awareness about the 60-hour EAP training, BLDC financing and other community resources for small business growth.
New to this year’s competition was the increase in prize money. This year they offered three prizes of $5,000 for first, $2,000 for second and $500 for third. This competition is for anyone that wants to start or grow their business in the City of Binghamton.
First place winner was Laura Whitmore of Strategic Test Prep who provides 1-on-1 IN-PERSON tutoring for students preparing for the SAT and ACT tests. Working with them for 3-6 months, the students are able to achieve score gains that position them as competitive candidates for colleges and universities – 94% have increased their test scores between 100 and 350 points. Her goal is to grow by hiring 1-on-1 tutors in math and science, these tutors will support students in their most challenging classes so they can maintain higher GPAs.
Second place winners were Downtown Danny’s owners Danny Carlin and Christina Andrews who are serving up quality hotdogs and sausages from their food cart that you will find on Exchange Street between Hawley and Court Streets in downtown Binghamton, NY. Find them for your lunch and experience their unique ability to quickly provide high-quality food that is convenient and inexpensive. Look for their brightly colored umbrella and you’ll find LUNCH and a lot of fun! Follow them on Instagram “downtowndannys”!
Third place went to the creators of a new user-friendly app called “UseFuze” which can be downloaded for FREE. This app allows those gig workers and independent craftsman from any discipline to better market themselves to clients and employers. The app acts as a digital business card that automatically updates with every new job that is completed by the user. The profile includes a list of skills and contact information, while on-the-go estimates, contracts and invoices can be created and exchanged in a matter of seconds. The owner can concentrate on their craft, the digital toolbox helps them create their story!
View the pressconnects.com article about “UseFuze”.
If you want to learn more about the Fall 60-hour EAP training which will begin in September 2022, please contact the SUNY Broome Entrepreneurship Assistance Center at +1 (607) 777-4022 or email Darlene Kanuk at kanukda@sunybroome.edu.
Submitted by: Darlene Kanuk
