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Resources and support: Whatcom Co. SBDC ready to assist small businesses

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Jennifer Shelton, the new director of the Western Washington University Small Business Development Center (SBDC), relates the story of a young Jewish man who had a great idea for a business. Provide Jews living in the United States with soil from the Holy Land for burials. It is a tradition for Jews to sprinkle dirt on the coffin, so what better than actual soil from the Holy Land? What he didn’t realize is soil is considered an agricultural product, and therefore requires an inspection by the USDA. This, and other nagging details, made this great idea not so great.

The lesson, says Shelton, is “Never fail to ask ‘Why is no one else doing this?’”

Shelton hopes that her business advising can help business owners avoid such pitfalls as well as get a handle on their business plan and their larger goals for doing business – helping them to find “their definition of success for the long term.”

Shelton leads the revived SBDC, which was on hiatus for about a year when the center changed its name and its focus. The Center for Economic Vitality (the former SBDC) now serves larger businesses in the three-to-five year range; the SBDC typically serves small businesses around the two-year mark.

Typically, the SBDC works with businesses that are ready to grow and/or preparing a proposal for financing. Shelton focuses her advising on seven core areas:

1. Management

2. Operations

3. Marketing/Sales

4. Human Resources

5. Bookkeeping

6. Financing

7. Technology

Shelton is also plugged in to a number of resources on the local, state and national level that may be of assistance to small business owners, such as sources for market research or workshops on a number of business topics. “The SBDC program is a place for businesses to get resources and support for growth and success,” Shelton said in an email.

“We like to work with motivated business owners who want to create a business that meets their quality of life and financial goals.”

Shelton will be conducting meetings for small business owners to learn more about her services from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, May 3, and Monday, June 7, at the SBDC/Northwest Economic Council offices at 115 Unity Street in Bellingham.

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Volunteer your business

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

Businesses looking for some free consulting services might be interested in the Entrepreneurial Studies Program at Western Washington University. Graduate- and senior-level students, working under the guidance of their instructor, get real-world business experience while your business improves its bottom line.
Previous participants include Moka Joe Coffee, Mount Bakery, Bellingham Athletic Club, Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics, Tippecanoe Boats and many other businesses throughout the region.
For more information, contact Professor John Sands at 360.650.3895, email John.Sands@wwu.edu or visit the Web site at www.cbe.wwu.edu/sands.
Sands recommends businesses respond soon for consideration during spring quarter, which begins March 30.

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10 Tech predictions to watch

Monday, January 18th, 2010

Futurist Mark Anderson shared his 10 predictions for the technology world with the Technology Alliance Group (TAG) on Friday at Whatcom Community College.  Anderson is CEO of the Strategic News Service, the first subscription-based online newsletter. In the prediction business for 10 years, his accuracy rate is more than 90 percent, making these 10 predictions ones to watch.

1. 2010 will be the year of platform wars. Anderson predicts a lot of alliance shifting and loads of opportunity for new players, ideas and designs. This is great news for entrepreneurs.
2. 2010 also will be the year of Operating System wars. Whatever your flavor, be watching for upstarts, like Android and Chrome, as well as developments from the established players.
3. All content goes mobile. “If you’re in the content business, you must be thinking mobile,” Anderson said, adding that he predicts 50 percent of all mobile phones will be smartphones a year from now.
4. Mobile apps and mobile content drive micropayments. Whoever comes up with a method to make micropayments easy for mobile devices as well as in the content realm will grab the brass ring.
5. Phones, PCs square off. Whoever can deliver the fully integrated experience will get the reward. Interface design in all-important.
6. A cloud computing catastrophe could limit its growth. Since Anderson first released his 2010 predictions last month, we’ve already seen a couple of examples of this. Most notably, the Chinese government hacked into the biggest of cloud platforms, Gmail.
7. Computing splits between consumer and enterprise. Companies will align themselves with one or the other.
8. Game over for Microsoft – except in gaming. With the one exception, the crew in Redmond has lost the adoration of the consumer.
9. News that survives moves to a subscription model. Micropayments, possibly pennies per story, will be the lifeline for traditional print media delivering online content.
10. Connecting remote data to people and things in real time will lead to great innovations. Imagine the ease at which you’ll glide through your next networking social with a facial recognition app that connects to the bio information of that guy you’re sure you’ve met but can’t place who’s standing next to you.

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Q&A with Rick Larsen

Friday, January 15th, 2010

Rick Larsen was in Bellingham last Friday, and writer Josh Stilts had an opportunity to sit down with the 2nd District Congressman to learn a little bit about his thoughts on the economy and his basketball prowess.
Yesterday (Jan. 14), John Koster of Arlington announced he will run against Larsen for the 2nd District seat.

Q:    In a county like Skagit that economically depends on health care, how will the proposed reform legislation affect residents and workers?
A:     Health care reform will allow access and affordability. High premiums for small businesses and accessibility for seniors needs to be resolved. We need to establish a national market; insurance companies will see an increase in upwards of 30 million people seeking health insurance. Instead of long lines at the emergency rooms people will be able to see their physician. It’s all about quality versus quantity.

Q:    What is your plan to establish renewable industry in Washington’s second district?
A:    Economic recovery isn’t going to come as a quick turnaround but it is working. No one believed profits would come from the $700 billion bank bailout but already 15-17 percent is coming back in tax deficits. Banks need to be evaluated and take into consideration what’s behind the loans. We need to create incentives for small-to-medium sized banks so they can make commercial and business loans. Tools like 504 loans, (a program designed to provide financing for the purchase of fixed assets, usually real estate buildings and machinery, at below market rates). For somewhere like Bellingham the Port is essential to future growth and how we transport people and goods will dictate the expansion of downtown Bellingham and help shape the economic recovery.

Q:   What needs to be done to better transportation?
A:    It’s about reducing congestion. Transportation means jobs. Recent Whatcom Transit Authority bus purchases and open communication has lead to success.

Q:    What’s something most people don’t know about you?
A:    I play basketball with President Obama and members of Congress and the Senate.

Q:    Whose one of the best players?
A:    Reggie Love (special assistant and personal aide to the President, who played at Duke University) dunked on us.

Q:    What do you get out of being a representative?
A:    The opportunity to get up every morning and do something for an area my family and I been a part of for over a hundred years keeps me going.

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