Latest figures show SBDC impact on community, economy

Western Today staff

February 6, 2014

Western Washington University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has announced its Whatcom County economic-impact figures for 2013, and the SBDC’s Director, Jennifer Shelton, said that 2013 showed once again the value of the SBDC to the local economy and business community.

“The results that local businesses are experiencing as a result of the SBDC’s efforts benefit all of Whatcom County and highlight the value of our economic-development activities,” said Shelton.

Among the highlights from last year’s efforts by SBDC staff:

  • The SBDC assisted local businesses in saving or creating 136 jobs and helped clients in obtaining over $4.3 million in loans and new investments. Taken as a whole, the clients of the SBDC have a total of 2,969 employees.
  • The SBDC’s three certified business advisors counseled 441 clients, including clients seen at its eight satellite offices throughout Whatcom County. The SBDC staff provided more than 2,442 hours of in-depth counseling and research ─ approximately six hours per client. 
  • SBDC clients represent more than $125 million in annual sales (note that only about 50 percent of SBDC clients disclose annual sales figures). After working with the SBDC, they reported an average annual sales increase of 44 percent.
  • The SBDC turned every dollar of local funding into $22 in new investments for the local community.
  • Since 1996, the SBDC has served 5,984 clients with 50,416 hours of counseling that resulted in 5,167 local jobs saved or created and $172,698,270 in new investments.

Western Washington University’s Small Business Development Center is part of the most comprehensive small-business alliance in the U.S., with more than 1,000 active SBDC programs across the country. Western’s SBDC receives support from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Whatcom County, the Port of Bellingham, the City of Bellingham and the City of Blaine.

Since 1983, Western’s Small Business Development Center has given back to the business community and helped to shape the economic future of Whatcom County by providing free, confidential advising, technical assistance, and research to business owners and managers in an effort to help businesses thrive.

For more information, contact the SBDC at (360) 778-1762 or visit the SBDC website.