WWU's Small Business Development Center to Co-Host Export Planning Seminars for Whatcom County Businesses June 27 and 28

Source: Jennifer Shelton, director, Western Washington University’s Small Business Development Center, (360) 778-1762

BELLINGHAM – Small- to medium-sized Whatcom County businesses looking to generate sales to new markets will benefit from a program offered by the Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the International Trade Alliance (ITA), along with the Western Washington University SBDC, Moss Adams, Dorsey & Whitney LLP, US Commercial Service, Pacific Customer Brokers, Expeditors International, Export Finance Assistance Center and the Department of Commerce.

Those interested can attend the ‘Ready, Set, Export!’ seminar from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on either Wednesday, June 27 or Thursday, June 28 at Moss Adams in Bellingham. Topics covered will include tax considerations, financing, logistics, international marketing and certifications, intellectual property, risk, and expansion.

Existing small-to-medium sized Whatcom County based businesses who are interested in learning more about starting to export or those interested in gaining new markets should attend. Participants will be introduced to the no cost export services of the WWU Small Business Development Center and WWU’s Center for Economic Vitality (CEV); at the June 28 seminar, staff from the CEV will discuss the specific topic of ‘Export Matchmaking in Canada.’

“The ‘New to Export’ Seminar was my first introduction into what exporting our product would entail.  It was a positive experience that made me realize we could go global, especially with all the help that’s available,” said Patricia Pienta, director of Finance and International Business for TruckVault, Inc.

Pre-registration is required for the seminar. Cost is $59 if registered before June 13 or $75 after that date, and includes lunch. There will also be a free reception at Jalapenos Family Mexican Restaurant on June 28, hosted by Moss Adams. Enrollment is limited; register online at wsbdc.org/training-calendar.  

For questions about course content, please call the International Trade Alliance (ITA) at (509) 413-1470. If you have difficulty registering, or have general registration questions, contact Cindy Doyle at (509) 358-7890, or cdoyl@wsu.edu.

WWU’s SBDC is part of the most comprehensive small business alliance network in the U.S., which is made up of over 1,000 SBDC programs. SBDC programs are funded in part through a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WWU SBDC receives additional support from Whatcom County, the Port of Bellingham, and the City of Bellingham.

Since 1983, the Small Business Development Center has enabled WWU’s College of Business and Economics to give back to the business community and has helped to shape the economic future of Whatcom County. Business owners can receive no fee, one-on-one, professional, confidential business advising and research with a Certified Business Advisor on topics such as: Financing, Profitability, Financial Management, Marketing and Sales, Human Resources, Bookkeeping, Export Planning, Technology and Operations.

For more information about WWU SBDC contact SBDC@wwu.edu or (360) 778-1762.