BIG NUMBER, BIG IMPLICATIONS…In case you were looking the other way, on Tuesday the population of the world hit 8 billion people, as estimated by the UN. Sounds like a lot. This is also the high point in human history for the number of children on the planet. Holy crowded planet Batman, you may be thinking. So you’ll wonder why PCDA says the population boom is over. Well that’s because it is. The growth in the population, which will continue at a slower rate through 2050 and then start to decline, is largely because we’re living longer. In a lot of countries, however, the U.S. being one, we are no longer replacing ourselves. That’s happening in Africa and India but not in Europe, parts of Asia and North America. The workforce shortage is a part of that along with the lower workforce participation rate. There are a lot of implications.

One of which is how to retain the workforce population already in Ponca. Another is attracting new families to the area. Retaining workforce could mean encouraging more start-ups, new businesses and more support of existing small businesses. Staff believes PCDA is an integral part of the retention and attraction efforts.

THERE'S ICE.....in Ponca City. Skating rink ice and the ice is synthetic, but heck, you can skate on it! Tonight Ponca City's first ice skating rink Ice on the Plaza has their opening night alongside the lighting of the City's Christmas tree. An event almost a year in the making, Ice on the Plaza will run from November 19 until December 31. Make sure to follow the Ice on the Plaza Facebook page Ice on the Plaza for hours of operations and additional fun like real penguins from Tanganyika Wildlife Park sponsored by MakeKings, Santa Clause and the Reindeer Club visit. See you on the ice!

FALL PITCH-OFF..... competition happened this week with four businesses competing for over $5000 in incentives to grow their businesses. Drumroll please. The high scoring business was a tie. Luckily, the business plan is the tie-breaker for this type of situation. AND the business planning high score was Andy Hicks, owner of Sizzle Sauce Media. His use of existing technology in a more efficient and customer centric way won over the judges. Thanks to all the pitch-ers and especially our wonderful judges (not pictured Jerod Helling). Another Pitch-Off is happening in April 2023, so give Kat a call to get your business plan pitch ready.

Judges and Pitch-ers for the 2022 Fall Business Plan Pitch-off held Monday, November 14th here at City Central.

WORK YOUR PITCH.....today is a web-based, Zoom-in tutorial on getting your elevator pitch right and tight. Elevator pitch? Let us explain. Imagine yourself in an elevator for about 30 seconds and you realize the person you are standing next to in this elevator is a prospective customer. How are you going to create interest for your business or products in just 30 seconds? The goal is to open a conversational door which leads to a possible sale. You have to kiss a lot of frogs, etc..... to get one prince (in this case customer). Join us via zoom to elevator your 30 second pitch

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY.....is the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Amercan Express started this official day back in 2010 and Main Street Stores all over the U.S. have adopted this slogan. If you haven't strolled through Downtown Ponca City lately, mark this day on your calendar. Baby and matching PJ sets? Check out Farmhouse Kids. Need some stocking stuffers? Cast Iron is your destination. Want some original art or even make it yourself? Doodle Academy and Completely Quilted are calling your name.

These small businesses are the heart of our community: your neighbors and friends. Support them this holiday season. Just like PCDA supports our industries such as contract manufacturing, food and agriculture, back office and some oil and gas thrown in the mix. Shop Small, shop local. And there's always the Santa Bucks!

Nov 18// Work your Elevator Pitch // Via Zoom

1:00 pm via Zoom. Follow this link to attend

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82821803715

Nov 18-20 // Rumours by Neil Simon

At the Ponca Playhouse. Get tickets and more informaiton

at PoncaPlayhouse com

Nov 18-20 // Jungle Book // Poncan Theatre

Don't miss The Evans Children's Academy production!

Nov 24 & 25 // PCDA Office Closed for Thanksgiving

No Weekly Update this week. Enjoy your holiday.

Rental Property - Available Listings

LEADERSHIP......was happening this week in Ponca City. Veteran's Day, football playoffs, actual Ponca City Leadership Industry Day, PCDA Board of Trustees meeting and getting ready for global entrepreneurship next week. Then there is Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday (staff will fill you in; just keep reading) and then, well, Christmas people. Christmas!!! Check out all the happenings, put events on your calendar and enjoy the end of the year. Go Wildcats!

PONCA CITY LEADERSHIP.....had their industry day this week. Our very own Laurence Beliel was the day chair for the 36th Leadership class. the 36'ers were treated to tours of local industry and a very special panel discussion with local industry leaders including our very own PCDA Trustee Garrett Bowers! Comments from the class included comments such as "I never new there was so much manufacturing in Ponca City!". Fact: Ponca City is in the top five community in Oklahoma for manufacturing output! You might know Head County if made right here in Ponca City, but not that 36 foot high vessels are being built in the AIP as well!

PC Leadership Industry Day kicked off in the new Pioneer Tech Conference Center with David Myers giving an overview of industry in Ponca City and then these guys (see picture below) knocked it out of the park talking about their industries and answering a flurry of questions. A big thank you to all who took time out of their day to give a tour, answer a question or assist with panel discussions!

PROGRESS.....was visible in the two building projects currently happening in the Airport Industrial Park. The Cookshack expansion continues to move along at a fast pace, with walls up and work continuing inside just in time for the current cold snap.

SPEC BUILDING DUKE..... is getting close to the all important concrete pour with conduit for the electrical being installed earlier in the week and the stem wall prep completion. Check out that rebar!

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY.....is the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Amercan Express started this official day back in 2010 and Main Street Stores all over the U.S. have adopted this slogan. If you haven't strolled through Downtown Ponca City lately, mark this day on your calendar. Baby and matching PJ sets? Check out Farmhouse Kids. Need some stocking stuffers? Cast Iron is your destination. Want some original art or even make it yourself? Doodle Academy and Completely Quilted are calling your name.

These small businesses are the heart of our community: your neighbors and friends. Support them this holiday season. Just like PCDA supports our industries such as contract manufacturing, food and agriculture, back office and some oil and gas thrown in the mix. Shop Small, shop local. And there's always the Santa Bucks!

WORK YOUR PITCH.....next week with a web based, Zoom in tutorial on getting your elevator pitch right and tight. Elevator pitch? Let us explain. Imagine yourself in an elevator for about 30 seconds and you realize the person you are standing next to in this elevator is a prospective customer. How are you going to create interest for your business or products in just 30 seconds? The goal is to open a conversational door which leads to a possible sale. You have to kiss a lot of frogs, etc..... to get one prince (in this case customer). Other programs next week include "Finding Grants", Starting your business and finding customers. See the flyer below and start your journey into owning your business. Call Kat at 580.761.3028 or Ben Evans at 580.718-4262 now to reserve your seat.

Nov 11-13 & 18-20 // Rumours by Neil Simon

At the Ponca Playhouse. Get tickets and more informaiton

at PoncaPlayhouse com

Nov 18-20 // Jungle Book // Poncan Theatre

Don't miss The Evans Children's Academy production!

November 14- 20 // Global Entrepreneurship Week //

Opportunity to attend programs every day. You do not want

to miss out on this information. See flyer below for details.

Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 9 am - Grants for Small Business

Call Ben Evans to reserve a seat. 580.718.4262

Wed, Nov 16 at 6 pm - Microbusiness Workshop

Call or text Kat Long at 580.761.3028

Thurs, Nov 17 at 11 am - Business Smart with OSBDC

Zoom in from your desk at bit.ly/3SmnsWr

Fri, Nov 18 at 1 pm - Develop an Elevator Speech

Zoom in from anywhere at bit.ly/3SX7mmB.

You will be let in from the waiting room.

Thurs, Nov 17 // PTC Holiday Market // 9 am to 2 pm

Join Pioneer Technology Center students and staff as they host

a Holiday Market for the Public. 

Proceeds benefit Career Tech Student Organizations. 

Nov 24 & 25 // PCDA Office Closed for Thanksgiving

No Weekly Update this week. Enjoy your holiday.

Rental Property - Available Listings

HOW ABOUT THAT WILDCAT......football? And Choir? And Band? So many talented athletes, musicians and artists in the Ponca City 18 and under demographic. And PCDA , especially Ponca Works, is all about keeping these talented aspiring young-uns here: To work. To Live. To Grow. How do we do that? Why, let staff give you some examples. Pull up a chair; we can talk about this for hours. But first, let's give another shout out to our talented PoHi football team. Good luck this week because this season has been fantastic.

PCPS + PDCA = Love

Ponca Works was given an award for its work in education partnerships, and one of the great examples of this programming is the Wildcat Internships. PCDA and PCPS now share an employee who is managing the internship program full time in an effort to grow the program. With over 50 students placed city wide this semester, the future looks bright, and Jordan Jackson-Gross (pictured) is at the helm. Ponca Works and Jordan have visited most of the sites where interns are currently placed in the last two weeks and have received glowing reports of students impressing employers with their creative thinking, attention to detail, and consistency. Not something you often hear from employers about this generation. These glowing comments speak to the level of success internships can generate. These types of programs connect students to their future while also providing mentorship to better align our future workforce with current employers.

Contact Liz Leaming (580-765-7070 or [email protected]) or Jordan Jackson-Gross ([email protected] or 580-718-4878) to participate in hosting a student next semester. 

ENTREPRENEURSHIP.... opportunities is another way to bring our talented workforce back to Ponca City after college or some world exploration time. Tate Burdick, owner/operator of Nova Coffee Truck was the guest speaker at 1 Million Cups this week. He told his business story of finding the vintage, rather beat up camper and turning it, with a lot of sweat and hours of work, into Nova Coffee. This mobile coffee shop sets up all over Ponca City and many of his customers were singing his coffee's praises.

Tate has worked as a barista at several coffee shops in and around Ponca City and he saw a niche market where he could grow a business. Nova Coffee was born. With assistance from Pioneer Technology Business Services and some mentoring from trusted family and friends, Tate has some great ideas for future businesses right here in Ponca City.Check out his presentation right here to find out more.

1 Million Cups meets the first Wednesday of each month at Pioneer Technology Center. This program was built by the Kauffman Foundation to showcase entrepreneurs and give them a platform to tell their business stories. Over 1 millions cups of coffee. Join us the first Wednesday of each month at 8:30 am in the Seminar Room at Pioneer Tech.

GROW YOUR BUSINESS.....or start your business. Whatever your business needs, there is a program of interest happening during Global Entrepreneurship Week in Ponca City. Free programs offering free assistance. Grants, business plans, how to find funding and customers and the all important business pitch. Some programs are virtual, and some in person.

What are you waiting for? Every business is looking for "real" grants. And there are some out there, but for a limited time only. And can you really run a business without a plan? The answer is no. And bonus points if you want to shark tank your business in the spring with the Business Plan Pitch-off. Your new/growing business could compete for over $5000 in incentives. Yes, $5000 dollars. But you need that business plan. Call Kat at 580.761.3028 or Ben Evans at 580.718-4262 now to reserve your seat.

Fri, Nov 4 // Ponca City Main Street Ladies Night // 5-9 pm

Grab your friends and come downtown for Ladies Night.

Businesses will be open late, with food and drinks available

until 9 pm. Get your shopping done early at Ladies Night.

Sat, Nov 5 // Geek Garage Sale-Costume Contest // 9 to 5 pm

Ponca Don't miss the Geek Garage Sale and costume contest/Pon Con

being held at City Central, The Summit Room. 

Entrance to the event is free; vendors will be onsite .

Saturday, Nov 5 // Veterans Day Parade // Downtown

Chamber has parade forms for participating in this

largest Veteran's Day Parade in Oklahoma.

Great way to showcase your business to hundreds of parade attendees.

November 10-14 // Global Entrepreneurship Week //

Opportunity to attend programs every day. You do not want

to miss out on this information. See flyer below for details.

Thurs, Nov 17 // PTC Holiday Market // 9 am to 2 pm

Join Pioneer Technology Center students and staff as they host

a Holiday Market for the Public. 

Proceeds benefit Career Tech Student Organizations. 

Rental Property - Available Listings