We had a huge delivery of new products yesterday (of which I’ll write tomorrow), so I wasn’t able to follow up on my PowerUP! Business Plan Competition blog from the day before.  However, now that today is here (if you’ve followed any of this up to here), the story will continue.

The PowerUP! Business Plan Competition offers prizes to entrepreneurs based on their business plans & their presentations.  The Competition is sponsored by CitiFoundation & the Brooklyn Public Library’s Business Library Council.  It offers a grand prize of $15000 & two second prizes of $5000.  In addition, a number of  in-kind prizes are included (including consultations & services).  The Competition is held every year & last year more than 400 people applied.

Since PowerUP! is heating up (with the deadline to submitting business plans fast approaching), the Library is offering a number of classes for entrepreneurs & Competition entrants.

Elissa Olin (L), Amanda Jones (C) & Nzinga Knight (R)

On Tuesday night, I spoke as part of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Entrepreneur Series.  As a second place winner for the PowerUP! Business Plan Competition, I was included in the evening with Amanda Jones of Brooklyn Fudge (the grand prize winner) & Nzinga Knight of Nzinga Knight International (the other second place winner).  All three of us entered the competition last year & were asked to return to talk about our experiences with PowerUP! & the development of our respective businesses.

If you’re in the process of starting your own business or just beginning to dream about it, the Brooklyn Business Library’s a great place to get assistance, attend (free) lectures & do research…  It was, I think, just as interesting for me to hear Amanda & Nzinga’s stories as it was for the audience that attended the series.  Sharing stories, listening to other people’s ideas, their experiences & creative problem solving is a wonderful way to learn about running a business as well as growing one that’s already in existence.

Part of my own story is on Green in BKLYN’s About Us website page.  But for people interested in starting their own business, it only tells a chapter…  Perhaps in future blogs, I can go into more detail…

Until then, check out Nzinga & Amanda’s websites (at http://nzingaknight.wordpress.com/ & www.brooklynfudge.com, respectively).

Oh, also check us out at www.greeninbklyn.com!  The dream can become a reality!