SPOKANE, Wash. – March 21 is national Small Business Development Center Day, a day to celebrate the positive economic impact that these centers have on towns, communities and businesses across the nation.

In Washington state, there are nearly 30 SBDC advisors working in more than two dozen communities from the Columbia River to the Canadian border to provide no-cost, one-on-one, confidential advising to entrepreneurs and business owners who want to start, grow or transition a business.

Clients share stories on social media

Across the country, there are nearly 1,000 SBDC centers, and on SBDC Day the hundreds of thousands of clients they serve are invited to share their success stories on social media. Washington SBDC clients are encouraged to use #SBDCDay and @wsbdc on Twitter and in their social media posts.

17,000 Washington entrepreneurs

Over the past 10 years, SBDC advisors in Washington state have met with more than 17,000 entrepreneurs and business owners over several weeks, months and often years, to help them achieve their goals. According to those clients, SBDC advisors helped them access more than $510 million in capital, create or save more than 10,000 jobs and start more than 1,000 businesses.

“Our business advisors are on the front line of economic development across the state, helping communities thrive one business at a time,” said Duane Fladland, director of the Washington SBDC. “SBDC Day is a great day for us to celebrate the successes of our SBDC clients, who inspire us every day with their tenacity, resourcefulness and vision.”

Washington SBDC advisors provide expert advising to small business owners at every stage of growth and in every industry, including manufacturing, technology, retail, hospitality, professional services and export trade.

Examples of business owners 

A few business owners in Washington state who are benefitting from SBDC advising include:

Dan the Sausageman, who got SBDC assistance with his loan application to purchase a building in old Burien. When renovations are complete, the building will house his expanding gift basket business and be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

Carrie deKubber, who worked every job from hostess to general manager at Bob’s Burgers and Brew, and was able to purchase her own franchise in Everett in 2016, with guidance from her SBDC advisor;

Matt Purcell, a U.S. Army veteran, opened a pest control business in 2008 with the help of SBDC advising. Now, Purcell is working with an SBDC advisor on a succession plan for his daughter, Kaylee who has worked with him since 2011 and brought new energy and new ideas to the business.

WSU hosts SBDC in Washington 

The America’s SBDC Network has declared the third Wednesday in March as National SBDC Day to commemorate the day Congress first introduced legislation to create the SBDC program. Modeled on the agricultural extension program, the SBDC gives small business owners in every state access to expert business advising at no cost.

Half of the funding comes from the federal government, but the other half must come from state and local sources. Washington State University became the statewide host to the SBDC in 1980, making it one of the oldest networks in the country.

For more about the Washington SBDC, go to https://wsbdc.org

See WSU News, https://news.wsu.edu/2018/03/16/sbdc-impact-celebrated/

– WSU News