The Small Business Development Center is now offering “Green” business counseling to assist start-up and existing businesses.  Green Business Advisor, Frank Raymond Cetera, is available at the offices of the Northside Collaboratory at 800 North Salina St in Syracuse.  Office hours are generally between 9 am – 5 pm, but it is best to call ahead or even make an appointment.

Green business counseling services include:

  • Information on what is a “Green” Business
  • Developing green business ideas
  • How to “green” current business operations
  • Energy use
  • Purchasing
  • General operations
  • Employee and customer relations
  • Organizational and networking leads and information
  • Certifying your business as green

The SBDC and the Green Business Advisor also work with your business to assist you in all of the following areas:

  • Business plan development
  • Organizational structures
  • Cost analysis
  • Marketing
  • Financial managment
  • Financing strategies
  • Training programs
  • Research through the SBDC Research Network
Our goal is to provide start-up and existing entrepeneurs with the best information possible to make informed business decisions. This leads to increased productivity and profitability and contributes to the stability and growth of the small business sector and economy. It is a win-win scenario for our community.
We meet with our potential and existing entrepreneurs on a one to one basis to determine needs, answer questions and formulate a plan to achieve goals.  Onondaga SBDC services are available to businesses located in our service area of Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, southern Oswego, western Madison or northern Cortland counties. Your business must also meet the federal guidelines defining a small business of having fewer than 500 employees and a maximum of $10 million in annual sales.

Who to speak to for more information:

Frank Cetera
Green Business Advisor
OCC/Small Business Development Center
Northside Collaboratory
800 N. Salina Street, 3rd Floor, Syracuse NY 13208
Phone: 315‐473‐0952 Ext. 314
Fax: 315‐473‐0945
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Green Standards Certification Project

The Green Business Standards Project will provide consistency and legitimacy to the use of the term "Green Business" across business sectors, and to provide a recognizable brand at a regional level.  Greenwashing is not a trivial concern in today's business world, the Standards Project will help alleviate the concern of consumers and fellow business persons over the illegitimate use of the term "green" in business marketing.

The branding and marketing of the Standards project, along with the certification that a business can acquire through a vetted score sheet of green business criteria, will also provide a level of competitive advantage to participating businesses over traditional "brown" businesses.  Business whom participate in this program will be recognized for their commitment to ecological operations and sustainable community development.

Partners are currently being sought to help with the development of the stand
ards, score cards, and branding and marketing portions of the project.  Please contact Green Business Advisor Frank Cetera.