When it comes to business assistance programs, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing.
That’s one thought behind a new businesses initiative being led by the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce which debuts this month. The chamber will host the first in a series of monthly free open houses for small businesses Jan. 13 to help guide business owners through a wealth of support services. That open house, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., will launch a third Tuesday series of informational sessions that are open to everyone, whether or not they are Chamber members.
“What we’re trying to do is be a small business concierge,” explained Ben Hoskins, chairman of the Chamber’s Small Business Advisory Council and owner of the local businesses You Move Me and 1-800-Got-Junk. “Someone can come to us with an issue and we can connect them with the appropriate people in the community.”
This is not the first effort to simplify the process of getting help in launching or building a business in Clark County. The city of Vancouver already has established a business website, at www.vancouverbusinessresource.com, which is a coordinated effort by many of the city’s business and economic development organizations that outlines local business support efforts.
The Small Business Resources open house moves the ball forward by creating opportunities for personal connections between the helpers and those seeking help. The informal format establishes a casual “ask your questions” setting for discussions and information-sharing. This month, the experts at the session will be Camron Doss of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Portland office, on micro financing; Nita Shah of Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon, on small business technical assistance and financing; Janet Harte, Mike Pawlowski and Bill Dwyer of SCORE, on business support mentoring, marketing and e-commerce; Caroll Bernard of the Washington State Procurement Technical Assistance Center, on government contracts; and Buck Heidrick of the Small Business Development Center, on startup information and support.
Jim West, lead member of the Greater Vancouver Chamber’s Small Business Resources Committee, said there will always be a need to coordinate business assistance efforts.
“There are dozens of different types of resources — it’s almost like there’s a free market of resources,” West said. “But to get people more into actual structured programs is a constant, never ending challenge.”
Hoskins recalled that he received help in launching his businesses in Vancouver, but no one made him aware of the Washington Small Business Development Center. His own experience is one reason he sees the need for a clearing house where people can learn about services.
The event will be held at the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce office at 1101 Broadway in Vancouver. More information and registration information are available in the calendar section of the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce website, www.vancouverusa.com.
