"It was very in-depth and very focused on what I wanted to talk about,” he said. “It was a tremendous amount of help. I wasn’t expecting that level of assistance—and continuing assistance."
Andrew Thompson
ELLENSBURG, Wash.—When Jan Jaffe, a graduate of Central Washington University, moved back to Ellensburg with her family in 2015, her immediate plan was to focus on her infant daughter and offer private music lessons in her home. But, when demand started to outstrip capacity, she started dreaming bigger. Today Jaffe owns Make Music Ellensburg, a … Read more
PUYALLUP, Wash.—Ruth Perkins, an elite runner who competed in two Olympic Trials, knows the value of a good coach. Sometimes hard work is just hard work and the goal remains elusive, but a good coach can change everything. And that’s what happened in 2023, when Perkins, owner of Perkins Coaching, attended a Thriving Together Resource … Read more
In 2024, B-Town Blog readers logged an average of nearly 90,000 sessions a month with more than 125,000 page views, making Burien’s hyperlocal website by far the most popular source for news and information in the area. The B-Town Blog, founded in 2007, is the flagship property of South King Media, which also owns seven … Read more
"The assistance I received from Kyle [my SBDC advisor] before and around the startup time was invaluable."
Kevin Farnham
SPOKANE, Wash.—Vicki Hebert, owner of Smugglers Cove Flagging and a client of the Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC) since 2020, has been named the SBA Seattle District Rural Business of the Year. Hebert will be honored at the Small Business Gala on May 7 at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Smugglers Cove Flagging, … Read more
LYLE, Wash.–Lorena Lowell, a former business advisor with the Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC), remembers stopping by the Domaine Pouillon winery and tasting room in rural Klickitat County one weekend in 2022 and thinking it was an incredible find. But with more than two decades of experience in small business development, she worried that … Read more
OMAK, Wash.—Frank Williams had been working at Mid-Valley Pest in Omak for about five years when the owner, Russ Brantner, decided it was time to retire after nearly four decades in the business. Too often, when small business owners retire, no one else steps up and the business closes. Fortunately, in this case, Williams and … Read more
"The SBDC could not have matched me with a better coach,” she said. “Having a person look at your business from the outside is very valuable. It takes the emotions out of it. When you’re in the grind of the day-to-day, it is hard to step away and work on your business."
Cyndi Philbrook
WENATCHEE, Wash.–Legacy media has incredible barriers to entry; new media, not so much. Just ask Rafael Aguilar, owner of La Pera Radio and TV, based in Wenatchee. The challenge is how to create a sustainable business. La Pera Radio and TV broadcasts live online through the La Pera app from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. … Read more
ANACORTES, Wash.—When Alex LaLonde moved to Anacortes about six years ago to work as a kayak guide and instructor, about the only unchecked box on his adopted hometown wish list was somewhere to buy a fresh, delicious bagel. In January 2023, Alex and his brother, Nick, were able to check that box when they opened … Read more
ELLENSBURG, Wash.—Being named the SBA Seattle 2020 Rural Small Business of the Year not only put Wheel Line Cider on the map, it opened up a world of export possibilities for this small, family-owned cidery. Wheel Line Cider owner Susie Jensen says she recently shipped 63 cases of cider to one of the largest adult … Read more
