Catalyst Connect upgrades the digital mark of small businesses

Patricia Flores moved to Northeast Pennsylvania about a year ago, perceiving the area as promising.

“I see a lot of potential here that a lot of people don’t necessarily see being from here,” Flores said of Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding area. “When I came here, I was only visiting, but I met a lot of people that were relocating from New York City because New York City is just so crowded, and there’s not as much potential for people there to grow their own businesses.”

Now, she’s cut the ribbon on Catalyst Connect Consulting, a digital media marketing company that helps small businesses build their digital profile and presence.

Originally from Hawaii, Flores joined the United States Army after high school. While her service was mainly based in New York, she was also sent off to the Middle East, deployed to Afghanistan, and spent time in Kuwait. During her four transformative years in the military, Flores dabbled in the standard Microsoft Office applications and continued to expand her knowledge base, both personally and professionally.

The military, Flores said, emphasizes the importance of forming a plan for transitioning back into civilian life. At the conclusion of her service, Flores sold cars for a year. But she carried an ambition to start a small business, like her parents before her, and saw an opportunity in NEPA.

“I do like to target a lot of small businesses looking to make a little bit of growth into their next level that they’re trying to elevate to,” said Flores. “Especially in this area, there’s a lot of mom and pops, a lot of small businesses, that haven’t quite taken that leap to digital. … and they need help with that, so that’s where I come in.”

Flores’ skills allow her to help local businesses with social media marketing, business branding, website design, and other services they might need to expand their digital presence.

While locally based in Wilkes-Barre, Flores said Catalyst Connect Consulting is ready and willing to help other businesses outside the city.

Right now, Flores operates Catalyst Connect as a solo act, but it may expand as more clients take advantage of her services.

Still, Flores is wary of a quick expansion in her business, preferring to take a quality over quantity approach for the immediate future.

Locally, the support for Flores and Catalyst Connect has been strong, with the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce taking a particular interest in the business. In fact, the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Catalyst Connect was hosted by the Chamber at Wilkes-Barre’s THINK Center on Oct. 11.

In the ever-changing world of digital marketing, Flores is clear-eyed about developing a network, especially with regard to other veteran-owned businesses.

“It’s definitely a very small percentage of people that join [the military], so I’m always looking for small businesses that are also veteran,” said Flores, adding that she offers discounts to other veteran-owned businesses.

Catalyst Connect Consulting’s full services can be found at catalystconnectconsulting.net or by searching the company name on social media.