Consulting Services
No-cost, confidential small business consulting.
NO-COST, CONFIDENTIAL CONSULTING SERVICES
The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center can provide consulting on every stage of business from starting a business to growth strategies for established businesses. With access to comprehensive research tools we can be your trusted business research partner so you can make data-backed decisions.
Business Financing to Start and Grow
The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) works with you to provide you with tools and resources to best finance your small business. We do not provide direct financing or small business loans, but we work with several lenders.
We have served more than 5,000 small businesses in our area, and we have helped our clients to get total funding of $165M.
At the Duquesne University SBDC, we know how to get the best funding option for you, which might be a commercial loan, a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan, or a grant. Whether you need a business plan, financial projections, or a letter of intent, we can help you to get there! We have a network of SBA certified lenders, and we will help you find the best lender that fits your needs.
First Step Workshops
You can attend one of our First Step workshops which cover topics such as the major components of the business plan, financial statements and projections, financing options, market analysis, taxation requirements, and insurance. You can attend First Step workshops in Pittsburgh, Beaver, Butler, or Lawrence County before you start working with our consultants.
Entrepreneurs with sufficient business backgrounds or who have taken our First Step workshops already can apply for free consulting and start working with our business advisors in two weeks!
Center of Excellence for Digital Marketing
This Center of Excellence is a joint partnership between Duquesne University SBDC and University of Pittsburgh SBDC, designed to empower small businesses to master the ever-evolving digital landscape through specialized SEO, e-commerce, and marketing design support. These Centers go beyond basic social media tips, providing deep-dive website analysis, search engine optimization reports, and visual design expertise that help businesses compete in a global marketplace.
Available Services and Expertise
Duquesne University SBDC CoE: Supports entrepreneurs in strengthening their digital marketing capabilities through guided advising and hands-on learning. Business owners work through a series of consulting sessions to refine their audience, messaging, and marketing strategy before developing visual content. Through its in-house studio, the Center provides an educational environment where entrepreneurs learn the fundamentals of photography, video, and digital storytelling while creating marketing assets that support their broader marketing strategy. The Center also offers a Website Experience Review, which complements Pitt’s technical SEO audit by evaluating how customers experience and navigate a business’s website. This review provides practical feedback on areas such as site navigation, user journey, branding, photo and video content, and the overall purchase or inquiry process.