Startup Blog
The Next Big Thing–A Tribute to Robb Zerr
A tribute to the life and legacy of our colleague Robb Zerr Last month, the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness (OEDC) experienced a tremendous loss with the passing of our colleague, Robb Zerr. At his death, Robb was the managing director of OEDC’s...
Strengthening Communities with Business Capital
Small business grant and loan funding through the Washington State Department of Commerce At the Washington State Department of Commerce, we believe entrepreneurs and small business owners drive our economy. The Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness...
Is it time to Scale Up?
ScaleUp: Helping you create a path to seven figures for your business On the first day of the New Year, a lot of people make resolutions, often with a greater goal in mind. Let’s say you might want to visit the historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, a 15th-century Inca...
Bright. Shiny. Things.
What they are and why they are important to your brand. A common myth holds that crows, magpies, and other jaybirds collect bright, shiny things. Cue the way-back fantasy movie from 1982 (released before many of you were born), the Secret of NIMH. The crow character,...
Ready — Set — Action
Helping real entrepreneurs succeed because entrepreneurship is for everyone. Hollywood often casts entrepreneurs as high rollers. Frequently portrayed as men, they have big wads of cash in their pockets, wear bowler-style hats, smoke cigars, and when they emerge from...
You Look Good in Hats
The Wardrobe of Hats Worn by Entrepreneurs It’s no surprise that entrepreneurs wear a lot of hats. It’s an analogy, not a literal expression. Though, if you think of it literally, it’s equally true. Think of the owner of a hot dog stand who sets up shop outside a...
Time to Tip the Scales in Your Favor?
The ScaleUp program helps you create a path to seven figures. On a warm late summer day in 1896, three men enjoyed a day of fishing on Rabbit Creek in the Canadian Yukon Territory. One of them spied something shiny in the water and bent over to pick it up, retrieving...
It Takes Money to Make Money
Solving the Catch-22 of Small Business Loans The satirical novel, Catch-22, came to symbolize the dilemma of solving a problem that is, basically, unsolvable. The characters fought air combat in World War II and the number of missions necessary to complete a tour of...
Waltz of the wallflowers
Starting a business is relatively easy. At least when you compare it to getting people to walk through your door, push the buy button on your website or pony up some hard-earned dollars for a subscription. That requires a complex mix of marketing, advertising, and...