WASHINGTON STATE SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES
GROWSMALLWASHINGTON’SHELPINGBUSINESSES
As the state recovers, restarts and rebuilds, these businesses need all the help they can get, from new infusions of capital and technical assistance to education, training, mentorship and networking. Our suite of responsive programs and services is designed to meet a business wherever they are in their lifecycle, delivering the right answer at the right time.
In the wake of a global pandemic, small businesses find themselves at a crossroads. Some found new opportunities; others managed to keep their dreams alive through sheer willpower. Others did their best, only to have to close their doors, either temporarily or permanently.
The pandemic showed us all how important Washington’s small businesses – more than 500,000 of them – are to the state’s economy.
And, because we want you to spend your hard-earned money on your business and not skill-building, most of these resources are FREE of charge.
THINK
At this stage, you have a germ of an idea, but you’re not sure how to turn it into a viable business.
Business experts teach the basics of starting and running a business using instructional videos, self-paced workbooks, assignments, quizzes and resources. Topics include business readiness, ideation, avoiding common mistakes, business structure, marketing, crisis management, business canvassing and more.
Link: bit.ly/WA-entrepreneur-academy
MYSTARTUP365.COM
ENTREPRENEUR ACADEMY
Developed with entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses in mind, MyStartup365.com is a one-stop shop for businesses in every phase of their lifecycle. In addition to the specific programs below, you will find links to articles and resources of interest to individuals thinking about starting a business for the first time, as well as seasoned business professionals who might want to brush up on a skill or two.
SizeUp offers sophisticated diagnostics and analytics so you can explore and refine your business model in a virtual environment. Compare your business (or business idea) with your competitors regarding pricing, overhead, staffing, location, revenue or advertising strategies. You can also identify new customers or suppliers or see how your business stacks up with others locally, regionally or nationally.
SIZEUP
Link: bit.ly/wa-sizeup
Link: bit.ly/wa-playbook
Link: bit.ly/wa-workspaces
Link: bit.ly/wa-property
GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP MONTH
If you’re thinking about starting a business or investing in an existing one, The Small Business Playbook is a great place to start. The Playbook is filled with actionable information, resources and lessons learned, written by a business owner who’s been in your shoes.
STARTUP WISDOM
SMALL BUSINESS PLAYBOOK
Even though the live events happen each November, the series of webinars, seminars, panels and interactive sessions covering business challenges large and small are recorded and ready for playback year-round.
MASTERING FINANCIALS
Does your new business need its own physical space from the get-go? Find a new location, office or buildable land using our property search feature and then use the filters to narrow and refine your search.
WORKSPACES
PROPERTY & SITE SEARCH
An online, searchable map of workspaces, co-working spaces, maker spaces, incubators, accelerators and commercial kitchens you can call home as you start your business.
It’s time to test your ideas and figure out the details of starting a business. Now the real work begins.
Managing your money is essential to building a successful business. This series of modules teaches you everything you need to know about cash flow, balance sheets, recordkeeping, loan readiness and knowing when to grow.
Link: bit.ly/startup-wisdom
PLAN
Link: https://bit.ly/mastering-financials
This free guide explores 27 different strategies for accessing capital as a small business, startup or entrepreneur. It covers a wide range of options and includes the advantages and disadvantages of each funding strategy, from the traditional to the cutting edge.
Link: bit.ly/wa-gem
LAUNCH
The big day has arrived; you’ve cut the ribbon and opened for business. Now what?
MYSTARTUP365.COM
This site will continue to provide you with resources and advice once you’ve opened your business, so you may want to bookmark it. We’re not going to leave you in the lurch once you launch. We’re with you through all the stages of your business and are continually expanding content.
DIGITAL STOREFRONTS
To assist businesses that have been historically underserved or have cultural or language-specific needs, Commerce works with a network of several dozen organizations that stand ready to assist. These trusted community partners can help you with resources, one-on-one technical assistance, inlanguage support and recovery planning.
Link: bit.ly/washington-sbrn
WHEN TROUBLE STRIKES
A crisis that affects your business isn’t a matter of if, but when. As you build your business, build in ways to anticipate and minimize disruptions. This free guide gives you proven ways to identify and neutralize potential disruptions and provides tools you can use to get back up and running after the crisis passes.
Link: bit.ly/wa-disaster-planner
SMALL BUSINESS RESILIENCY NETWORK
GEARUP (coming soon!)
GearUp is a boot camp for small businesses that walks them through the essential skills needed to build a successful business. GearUp will cover basic bookkeeping, marketing, customer acquisition strategies, networking and other important skills.
Link: bit.ly/digital-wa-business
Selling online used to be a luxury, but increasingly it’s becoming a necessity if you want to reach more customers. Our web experts have created tutorials to help you master the jargon, find a reputable web design firm and build an online audience.
GROW
Things are going good, so good, in fact, that you need to find new ways to growth.handle
Link: bit.ly/wa-scaleup
SMALL BUSINESS FLEX FUND
Link: https://bit.ly/wa-goglobal
RESTART ACADEMY
Link: bit.ly/smallbiz-flexfund
This series of masterclasses is designed for business owners starting a new enterprise or rebuilding an existing one. These online courses cover topics such as making a fresh start, building a strategic mindset, giving your business a facelift, building customer trust, scaling your workforce and exit strategies.
Commerce has an exceptional small business team that focuses on the unique issues facing businesses and communities in rural and underserved parts of the state. These specialists work closely with a network of business experts throughout Washington to provide
Link: bit.ly/restart-academy
consulting, resources and technical assistance.
ScaleUp features 35-hours of classroom training to help small business owners master their finances, streamline operations and maximize marketing activities to improve profitability, control costs and increase market share.
Small businesses and nonprofits can apply for a lowinterest loan of up to $150,000 to finance expansion and growth and recover from the pandemic and subsequent economic slowdown.
GO GLOBAL
Selling online is an excellent way to expand your operations without breaking the bank. Nearly 80% of consumers use the Internet to research and purchase products, and two-thirds of the world’s purchasing power can be found overseas. To help you get started, Commerce connects you with qualified design firms who can help you set up your online store. For qualifying small businesses, we even pay part of the cost of creating an initial website or adding e-commerce.
SCALEUP
RURAL ASSISTANCE
Commerce is developing a new series of funding programs designed to help small businesses become credit ready and support growth and expansion. These innovative programs will open new pathways to building your business, from venture capital to short-term loans that leverage the power of federal programs.
SMALL BUSINESS FINANCING (in development)
“[After going through Thrive!,] we grew our topline revenue by over 30% in 2020, which is really a good result. What is even more impressive is that we grew our bottomline profit by over 900%.”
You’re running on all cylinders and looking for ways to exponentially.grow
OPTIMIZE
Rich Fowles, CEO Scratch & Peck Feeds
THRIVE!
EXPORT ASSISTANCE
Exporting products overseas is a smart growth strategy, if you can navigate the ins and outs of international trade. Commerce’s team of business experts can assist you in setting up your exporting operation, from providing technical support and research to matchmaking and access to international trade shows.
Qualifying small businesses in Washington can be reimbursed up to $10,000 for export-related activities, including economy-class airfare, trade show and trade mission fees, translation, SEO and localization fees for websites, shipping costs for samples, compliance testing of existing products for entry into an export market and U.S. Commercial Services.
This program helps second-stage companies experience exponential growth, identify new markets for products and services, optimize internal operations, survey the competitive landscape and shore up marketing strategies. A team of nationally recognized experts works closely with the company’s CEO to leverage highvalue business intelligence and best practices that aren’t usually available to companies at this stage.
Link: bit.ly/wa-thrive
RETIREMENT MARKETPLACE
Link: bit.ly/export-vouchers
EXPORT VOUCHER PROGRAM
Link: bit.ly/wa-exports
Offering employees a retirement plan not only helps retain talent but reduces absenteeism and employee turnover. The Retirement Marketplace makes it easy for you to set up IRA, 401(k) and profit-sharing plans at no cost to the business. All the plans have been verified and approved by the state, so you and your employees can enroll with confidence. Retirementmarketplace.com has all the details.
We’re here to help you succeed as a Washington State small business. If you have questions about any of these services or programs, contact Commerce’s Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness at: moreinfo@choosewashingtonstate.com or call us at (206) 256-6100.
Washington State Department of Commerce
You can also visit us on the web at: MyStartup365.com
CONTACT US TODAY!