SHORELINE, Wash.—A ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Small Business Development Center (SBDC) office at Shoreline Community College is set for April 26.
Washington State Rep. Cindy Ryu will attend the ceremony, as will Shoreline Community College President Jack Kahn and Washington SBDC State Director Sheryl McGrath. The ribbon and scissors for the event will be provided by the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce which conducted the needs assessment and business outreach that ultimately led to the decision to locate an SBDC in Shoreline
“The City of Shoreline is pleased to welcome the Washington SBDC to Shoreline,” said Shoreline Mayor Keith Scully. “As a City, we are lucky to have great partners like the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce, Shoreline Community College, and now the SBDC, who share our commitment to support small business startup, retention, and expansion, since, as we all know, small business is the backbone of the economy.”
The Shoreline center will join more than two dozen SBDC centers across the state where small business owners can access no-cost technical assistance to help them start, grow or buy/sell a business. SBDC business advisors can assist entrepreneurs with diverse challenges including preparing for a loan, creating a marketing plan, setting up business systems, managing cash flow and preparing for export.
“This investment by the City of Shoreline in partnership with Shoreline Community College and the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce is incredibly exciting for the SBDC network,” McGrath said. “Our advisors excel at one-on-one advising, especially when they are working within a collaborative small business ecosystem like the one in Shoreline. I am confident that this new SBDC center will truly make a difference for small business owners in this community.”
Jennifer Shelton, an SBDC advisor with more than 20 years’ experience in small business technical assistance and lending, will be co-located with the Business Department at Shoreline Community College where she will meet with clients both in person and via Zoom.
“This is the first time an SBDC has been established to serve North King County and I am grateful for the support of Shoreline Community College as a trusted partner in small business growth,” said Shelton, who helped start an SBDC center in South King County and revitalize two SBDC centers in other parts of the state. “I look forward to collaborating with the College and the business faculty there to support our business owners and to help drive local economic development.”
Funding for the SBDC office in Shoreline is being provided by the City of Shoreline, which is using federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) designated for economic recovery.
Washington State University has been the statewide host of the Washington SBDC network since its inception in 1980. The program is sustained through a cooperative agreement between WSU and the U.S. Small Business Administration. About half of SBDC funding is provided by the SBA and the other half comes from state and local agencies and organizations, including the Washington State Department of Commerce, Washington State University and other institutions of higher education, economic development agencies and municipalities and business organizations.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 26 at Shoreline Community College, 16101 Greenwood Ave. North, Building 1400, Suite 1413, in Shoreline.
To schedule an appointment with Jennifer Shelton call 833-492-7232 or email [email protected]. For more about the Washington SBDC, go to
www.wsbdc.org.
CONTACT:
Jennifer Shelton: [email protected] or 509-992-7565 Nathan Daum: [email protected] or 206-391-8473
