Time: 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Presenter: Alex Barrouk, ABCD HR Solutions

Registration: https://wastatecommerce.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lL5m5kAbR5aCkeWJbk-u2w

About this Course: In this workshop Alex will cover:

• Business plan – when, for whom and what for?
• Triage – is the idea business plan ready?
• Numbers, products and services, marketing, development strategy
• Execution

About the Presenter: As the founder of ABCD consulting and a growth strategy consultant, Alex Barrouk diagnoses organizations and helps them find the path to healthier dynamics and growth-oriented models. He sees people, systems, and organizations for their potential rather than focusing on where they are currently stuck.

His vision for ABCD is to gather subject matter experts with extraordinary skills that will serve leaders and change the game of any organization.

Alex was recently invited to join the Coaching Bureau at Gonzaga’s University’s Leadership Studies department.

Time: 12:00 -1: 00 PM

Presenter: Annie Stranger, Owner and Operator, Sweet Annie’s Artisan Creamery in Liberty Lake, WA

Registration: https://web.greaterspokane.org/events/Jumpstart—Conversation-with-Sweet-Annie’s-Artisan-Creamery–3116/details

About the Course: StartUp Spokane and the Spokane Public Library have created a new series called Jumpstart! The goal of this series to feature our own local entrepreneurs who will share tips, tricks and stories about how to become and stay a successful business. Join us for a robust conversation with business owner Annie Stranger.

About the Presenter: Annie Stranger, Owner and Operator of Sweet Annie’s Artisan Creamery in Liberty Lake, WA.

Presented by: StartUp Spokane and the Spokane Public Library

Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Presenters: Lisa Drake and Alex Barrouk, ABCD consulting

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About this Course: In this workshop, Lisa and Alex will cover:

• Hiring and Retention – A New Reality
• Why doesn’t anyone want to work?
• The Hiring Process Today
• Who is your competition?
• Retention and Employee Engagement
• A Case for Strategic Planning
• The workplace is not “going back”

About the Presenters:

Lisa Drake has worked as a dynamic HR practitioner in a variety of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, and consulting. She holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia (’02) and obtained her Global Professional in Human Resources Certification (’13).  Lisa possesses expertise in several aspects of human resources including: Strategic Planning, Recruitment, Employee Engagement, Compensation, HR Technology Implementation, Talent Management, Diversity (DEI), Learning & Development, M&A, Global HR and Leadership Development. She has proven success in creating cultures of collaboration and implementing change to achieve workforce excellence. Lisa recently joined the ABCD Team as a subject matter expert and an adjunct consultant.

As the founder of ABCD consulting and a growth strategy consultant, Alex Barrouk diagnoses organizations and helps them find the path to healthier dynamics and growth-oriented models. He sees people, systems, and organizations for their potential rather than focusing on where they are currently stuck.

His vision for ABCD is to gather subject matter experts with extraordinary skills that will serve leaders and ‘change the game of any organization.

Alex was recently invited to join the Coaching Bureau at Gonzaga’s University’s Leadership Studies department.

Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM
Presenters: Steve Burke, Western Washington Regional Manager and Washington SBDC Certified Business Advisor and Jerry Petrick, WSBDC Certified Business Advisor and Certified Global Business Professional

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About the Course: The Washington State Small Business Flex Fund is a new loan program for the smallest Washington businesses and nonprofits affected by COVID-19. To be eligible to apply, small businesses and nonprofits must employ 50 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, have annual revenues of less than $3 million per year, and experience a direct economic disruption as a result of COVID-19.

Should you apply? What should you prepare if you decide to apply?

This webinar will provide information about the loan program and application process and help you prepare to apply.  Some of the topics covered will be:

• The Flex Fund
  • Eligibility
  • Loan Size
  • Use of Funds
  • Term & Interest
  • Step by step in the pre-application portal and moving to the lender’s application
  • What is and is not required to apply
  • What will cause a declined application
• Key Parts of a Loan Application
  • Short Form Business Plan
• Underwriting Tips
  • What does a lender look for

About the Presenters:

Steve Burke has 30 years of experience in the property asset management business much of it underwriting small business financials and business plans for commercial leases. His passion is studying current trends in the economy, technology, business tools and techniques and using those to assist small business owners in South Seattle, SODO, West Seattle, Tukwila, Renton and the Eastside areas in a full range of assistance from technology, innovation and reinvention to landlord/tenant issues, business plans, marketing, finance and financing. He has 10 years of experience owning his own business including obtaining SBA loans. He has an MBA from San Diego State University and is looking forward to helping you grow your business.

Jerry Petrick is a WSBDC Certified Business Advisor and Certified Global Business Professional. His ingenuity and wisdom benefit his clients who are both seasoned business owners and new to entrepreneurship. He believes SUCCESS is a continuous journey toward the achievement of predetermined worthwhile goals. He has been with the Washington SBDC since 2012.

Areas of Specialization:

• Strategic Planning Organizational Development
• Human Resources
• Market Research
• Due Diligence Technology focused businesses

Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM

Presenters: Adnan Mahmud, CEO of LiveStories; Tamsin Bell, Economic Development Manager at Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County; Josh McDonald, Executive Director of Washington Wine Institute

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About the Course: The COVID-19 pandemic has put tremendous and unprecedented strain on our local small businesses and micro-enterprises. In response, thousands of safety-net programs have become available through a multitude of federal, state, and local agencies. But rules can change frequently, new programs come online, and application deadlines pass – it’s difficult for a business to keep up. To help, the non-profits and agencies that support our small businesses have stepped up to help connect businesses to resources and are doing incredible work to help our local economies recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic.

Join us for a panel discussion about how communities across Washington State are supporting our local economies and connecting small businesses and micro-enterprises to resources.

About the Presenters:

Adnan Mahmud, CEO of LiveStories

Mr. Mahmud is the founder and CEO of LiveStories a venture-funded, private company, which provides data tools that help local governments to collect, explore, and present program and impact data. Mr. Mahmud is passionate about using data and technology to tackle the world’s biggest challenges. LiveStories has worked with over 200 customers around the world and has been featured as a Gov100 company every year since 2016. Prior to founding to LiveStories, Mr. Mahmud worked for over 8 years at Microsoft, where he managed the company’s largest data pipelines and received multiple patents in data analysis, visualization, and management. In addition, Mr. Mahmud is co-founder of Jolkona, a non-profit that provides mentorship and training for social entrepreneurs.  He earned his MS degree in Computer Science from the University of Southern California.

Tamsin Bell, Economic Development Manager at Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County

Ms Bell is an Economic Development Manager with a demonstrated history of supporting local business expansion, retention and attraction. She is a collaborator who focuses on cultivating financial independence for all in any community through job growth and access to opportunity. She is a strong community and social services professional with a Bachelor’s Degree focused in Environmental Health Sciences and Ethnic Studies from Salisbury University.

Josh McDonald, Executive Director of Washington Wine Institute

Mr. McDonald brings to the job 12 years of Government Affairs work at our state capitol in Olympia. In his previous role with the Washington Restaurant Association (WRA), he built their local government program from the ground up, providing restaurants with a voice and influence within city hall and their city and state agencies. He also carried several issues for WRA in Olympia, including tourism, food safety, immigration, the environment, and business taxes and regulations. Mr. McDonald also has 6 years of campaign experience, running successful campaigns for city, state, and congressional candidates. He is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound and lives in Tacoma with his wife Chelsea Levy and his two boys Liam and Eli.