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Everett office to provide resources for women The Northwest Washington Women’s Business Center last year opened an office in Everett to serve women in Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island and San Juan Counties. Center Director Jamie Curtismith says the center in Everett an another one in Seattle are joint projects of Community Capital Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration. “Our mission is to provide technical assistance and counseling for new and existing businesses,” says Curtismith. “We try to make it non-threatening and offer an environment where you’re not afraid to ask questions.” The Center reported 1,200 contacts in its first year – 20 percent of those leading to the creation of new businesses, said Curtismith, who took over directorship of the Everett office last January. One of the first tasks Curtismith says she often addresses with new clients is their expectations. “Most clients start out thinking of entrepreneurship as an escape from the routine day-to-day job with regular hours,” she said. “We help people walk through their mythology.” The Center’s web address: http://www.seattleccd.com/wbc-nw/about-us.htm Contact the Center at: 728 134th St. SW, Suite 219,
Everett, WA 98204, Phone: (425) 787-9856, Fax: (425) 745-5563, Email:
info.nwwbc@seattleccd.com Other resources for women:
Economic Development Association of Skagit County http://www.edasc.org/ The Economic Development Association of Skagit County is a local agency that assists businesses in a number of ways; by holding seminars and workshops, providing one-on-one counseling, hosting networking events, and providing demographics and information. EDASC works with companies that are relocating or expanding to Skagit County; local companies that are expanding or starting up; or companies that are working to retain jobs. Contact: Don Wick, executive director; 204 W. Montgomery, P.O. Box 40, Mount Vernon, WA 98273; Phone: 360-336-6114, Fax: 360-336-6116, Email: info@skagit.org
Skagit Women in Business Support and networking for both woman business owners as well as female employees of companies. Group raises money for scholarships both for young students as well as older women reentering the workplace. Contact: Georgianna Dustin, Phone: 360-336-5266
Washington Small Business Development Center http://www.oted.wa.gov/ed/businessassistance/ In both urban and rural Washington, owners of existing or prospective businesses turn to the Washington SBDC for expert assistance, and for information about emerging business technologies. When clients’ sales increase, and employment is stabilized or increased, when new external funding is found, the impacts radiate throughout the community and region. The SBDC is a cooperative effort of Washington State University, Western Washington University, community colleges, economic development organizations, and the US Small Business Administration. Counselors have certified broad-based skills and significant experience as business owners or managers. They provide one-on-one, confidential assistance at no charge for management and technical business affairs. Contact in Skagit County: Ryan Patrick, Economic Development Association of Skagit County, P O Box 40, Mount Vernon, WA 98273; Phone: (360) 336-6114 Fax: (360) 336-6116 Email: ryan@skagit.org
SBA Office of Women Business Ownership http://www.sba.gov/womeninbusiness The SBA’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership has
a network of women’s business owner representatives in every SBA district
office, more than 80 women’s business centers-at least one in almost
every state, U.S. Territory and the District of Columbia-more than
160 mentoring roundtables and several women-owned venture capital
companies. The agency has programs to help women put together successful
loan packages or break into the federal procurement and export markets.
The agency has loan guaranty programs to help those who cannot get
lending through conventional channels finance their businesses. Contact
Office of Women’s Business Ownership
Northwest Forum for Women Entrepeneurs http://www.few.org/p/p.asp?mlid=120 Organization of women helping women entrepreneurs building high-growth companies to succeed – by providing education, networking and access to expertise and venture capital. Visitors welcome at meetings, including men. Contact Penny Harger, executive director; 601 Union Street, Suite 5450, Seattle, WA 98101. Email: nwinfo@few.org; phone: 206-233-9695.
Women Business Owners http://www.womenbusinessowners.org/doc/history.htm WBO was formed by a group of successful businesswomen
who began meeting to offer each other support in business ownership.
Today, membership includes a diverse community of small and large
businesses based in the Puget Sound area that share the goal of supporting
a thriving women-owned business community. Contact 1319 Dexter Avenue
North, #370, Seattle, WA 98109
National Women’s Business Council Washington D.C. Office 409 3rd Street, S.W. Suite 210 Phone: (202) 205-3850· Fax: (202) 205-6825
Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises http://www.omwbe.wa.gov/ The Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises helps create and sustain an equitable business environment by promoting the participation, in public contracting and procurement, of all qualified and available businesses owned and controlled by minorities, women and all others who may be socially and economically disadvantaged. Contact: 406 South Water Street, Post Office Box 41160, Olympia, WA 98504-1160; phone: (360) 753-9693; Help Line: (360) 753-9697; Fax: (360) 586-7079; Toll Free: (866) 208-1064
Washington State Business Development Office http://www.oted.wa.gov/ed/busdev/busRetExpan.asp The office’s Business Retention and Expansion program
works with manufacturing and processing firms on retention and local
expansion issues. (For out-of-area expansion, see OTED Business Development.)
OTED staff, in conjunction with local Economic Development Council
(EDC) staff, identify threatened or expanding manufacturing companies
and provide problem-solving and technical assistance to these firms.
The program also focuses on early warning, coordination of services
and resources, assessment of industry issues and capacity building
for EDC staff, and assist rural counties with local business visitation
programs. Contact: 210 - 11th Avenue SW, Suite 101, Olympia, WA 98504,
Phone: (360) 725-5050; or, Sixth Avenue, Suite 2600,
Cascadia Revolving Fund http://www.cascadiafund.org/ Cascadia Revolving Fund is a private, non-profit community development fund that provides loans and technical assistance to unbankable small businesses and non-profits in Washington and Oregon. It lends to women, immigrant, minority and low-income entrepreneurs primarily in distressed urban and rural communities. The Fund also emphasizes assistance to businesses with a significant potential for job creation and those that act to preserve or restore the environment. The Fund has a special interest in lending to childcare providers. Contact: 1901 NW Market St., Seattle, WA 98107; Phone: 206-447-9226; Fax: 206-682-4804; Email: info@cascadiafund.org |
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