Derek Voelker learned to dive in the Marine Corps who honored him with a Medal for Combat Valor for his service during the Battle of Fallujah. Since his time in the Marines, Derek graduated from one of the most renowned underwater welding and commercial diving schools in the country, the Diver’s Institute of Technology, obtained a Bachelor’s from the University of Washington and collected twelve diving certifications. This June marks another noteworthy achievement for the Seattle native as he celebrates the two year anniversary of his burgeoning business, Seattle Dive Company (SDC).
Business Impact NW and the Ethnic Chambers of Commerce Coalition (ECCC) are now providing free outreach, education, and technical assistance to business owners on the Seattle Labor Standards ordinances through a partnership with the City of Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) under the Business Outreach and Education Fund (BOEF).
For Tina Narron, increasing the diversity of business owners is one of the biggest needs we face in the Seattle business community.
This is why she is an advocate for Business Impact NW, and even more specifically the Washington Women’s Business Center (WWBC).
The WWBC, one of the programs offered by Business Impact NW, provides free business training and workshops in an effort to increase the number of women-owned businesses and encourage profitability of those businesses.
Couch to Active
Lyn Lindbergh traded in a 20-year corporate career to follow her life-long dream of opening her own business: what was to become Couch to Active. Frustrated by cultural norms in the fitness industry, Lyn wanted to find a way to address how difficult it can be to live an active lifestyle. She said her life
It’s Small Business Week – and that means that it is time to salute some of the vibrant businesses that make our communities strong. One of our favorites is Hood Famous Bakeshop. Its story started in 2013, when owners Chera Amlag and George Quibuyen hosted a one-night pop-up in collaboration with a local Filipino restaurant.
Founding Owner of HeartBeet Monika Kinsman approached Business Impact NW when she needed to move her food business from its original location in Seattle’s Roosevelt neighborhood to Queen Anne. Many businesses on her former 65th Street location had already moved when the city converted parking spaces into a bike lane, which led to a 50%
Effie Garcia, the founding owner of the Student Success Center of Orting has a long history of helping children learn and grow. She is guided by her belief that all children, no matter their socio-economic status or geographic location, deserve access to places that provide an enriching educational environment. “I started teaching preschool 20 years
Business owners have a lot on their plates. From sales, fulfillment, and hiring to HR, payroll, and marketing, there’s a lot to do and a lot that can fall by the wayside. One of the things that can seem non-urgent—until it turns into a crisis—is financial management. Ironically, the mistakes you make here can be
Marketing is a frame of mind and it touches all aspect of your business. Think about it, when you pitch an investor, that’s marketing. When you’re working on your customer acquisition strategy, that’s marketing. When you’re entering a cross-promotional partnership with your neighboring small business – you guessed it – that’s marketing. For some people,