By Matt Bott
Starting and running a small business today is tough work. Entrepreneurs face long hours, considerable risks, regulatory headwinds and plenty of economic uncertainty. But without a healthy climate for local business success, a community and its quality of life suffers.
We know how important job creation and business success is in keeping families afloat, keeping cities funded and keeping communities prosperous. We also know that, nationally, a majority of new jobs created will come from our smallest employers. Their success is our success.
This is why the Greater Issaquah Chamber has launched the Issaquah Small Business Resource Center (SBRC) – a platform for programs, services, seminars and resources aimed directly at supporting our local small businesses. Through this platform, the chamber is providing an extensive lineup of new and enhanced small business tools for the community. Following are just a few:
The SBRC offers technology tools including extensive listing opportunities on a content-rich online business database, helping small businesses expand their online exposure.
The center provides access to an online business app store, providing businesses with a one-stop-shop to find free and low-cost web-based business applications, including CRM systems, HR solutions, sales leads and more.
And businesses now have access to the Eastside Marketplace, an emerging multi-chamber platform for Eastside businesses to promote their goods and services, taking advantage of the explosion in e-commerce retail trends.
Also included are business development seminars through the Issaquah Business University program…a high-quality monthly seminar program, now in its third year, supported by Sterling Bank. Also available are customer service training resources plus access to regional Small Business Administration seminars.
The center will help Issaquah businesses connect into a wealth of regional small business counseling support services through SCORE Counselors, including the identification of our first ever Issaquah-based counselor, available immediately for free and confidential small business counseling in the chamber’s conference room. (SCORE stands for the Service Core of Retired Executives). A local peer-to-peer business support program is also under development.
Money-saving discounts with a host of local and national partners, including discounts at The White Board in Gilman Village, Issaquah’s first and only co-working space, are now available.
The SBRC also provides customized strategic networking support, B2B partnership development and free and low cost networking programs to connect businesses with potential customers, suppliers, partners or word-of-mouth branding opportunities. We also know that chamber membership provides proven business credibility and targeted exposure within the local market.
We thank the dozens of local leaders and business professionals who have volunteered their time and resources to help us develop these programs, and are excited for the additional programs now under development. I invite you to learn more at issaquahchamber.com and let us know if there are other ways we can help support our local small businesses.
Matthew Bott is the CEO of the Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce. He writes on topics including business success, civic leadership and community enhancement.
