Start a New Business in Washington

Washington States' Small Business Liaison Team (SBLT) makes it easier to do business across the state. Are you considering starting a business? This resource provides guidance on:

Business training: Take classes and attend workshops to gain the knowledge you need to be successful.

Business planning: Write a comprehensive business plan to guide you as you make your business a reality and avoid costly mistakes.

Washington State Small Business Guidance helps provide insights and resources on how to Start Your Business, Payroll Your Business, Open Your Out-of-State Business in Washington, Run Your Business, Grow Your Business, and Close Your Business.

Mailing address:
Post Office Box 43125
Olympia, Washington 98504
Phone: 1-800-917-0043

Washington State Small Business Guidance website

The Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises is the sole agency that certifies minority- and women-owned business enterprises to participate in public contracting and procurement. This program includes a comprehensive certification process, small business support services, and a Supplier Diversity team.

1110 Capitol Way South
Suite 150
Olympia, Washington 98501
Phone: 360-664-9750

Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises website

The State of Washington SBA is supported by main district offices in Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon as well as an additional location in Spokane, Washington. They provide services including funding programs, counseling, federal contracting, certifications, and disaster recovery. They can also connect you to partner organizations, lenders, and other community groups that help small businesses succeed.

The Seattle district office serves Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Douglas, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Whatcom and Yakima counties in Washington.

The Portland district office serves Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Umatilla, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler, Yamhill counties in Oregon and Clark, Skamania, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum counties in southwestern Washington.

The Spokane location serves Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla and Whitman counties in Washington and Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce and Shoshone counties in Idaho.

Examples of educational programs and events include Funding Your Working Capital Needs, Grant Funding with USDA, Tax Essentials for New and Existing Business Owners, Federal Contracting 101, and QuickBooks Online Basics.

Seattle district office:
2401 4th Avenue
Suite 450
Seattle, Washington 98121
Phone: 206-553-7310

Washington Small Business Administration SBA Seattle website

Portland district office:
620 South West Main Street
Suite 313
Portland, Oregon 97205
Phone: 503-326-2682

Washington Small Business Administration SBA Portland website

Spokane location:
801 West Riverside Avenue
Suite 444
Spokane, Washington 99201
Phone: 509-353-2800

Washington Small Business Administration SBA Spokane website

The Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is a network of more than 30 expert business advisors working in communities across the state to help entrepreneurs or small business owners start, grow, or buy/sell a business.

SBDC advisors provide one-on-one, confidential, no-cost advising on all phases of small business development and are often co-located with economic development specialists in community colleges, economic development agencies, or government agencies. Other services of the Washington SBDC include no-cost or low-cost workshops on a variety of business topics and customized market research services.

In addition to SBDC Washington headquarters in Spokane, offices are also located in Aberdeen, Auburn, Bellevue, Bellingham, Cle Elum, Coupeville, Des Moines, Everett, Goldendale, Kelso, Kennewick, Kent, Lacey, Lynnwood, Moses Lake, Mount Vernon, Okanogan, Pasco, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Poulsbo, Pullman, Puyallup, Redmond, Richland, Shoreland, Shoreline, Stevenson, Tacoma, Tukwila, Vancouver, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, and Yakima.

4420 East 8th Avenue
Spokane, Washington 99212
Phone: 833-492-7232

Washington Small Business Development Center website

The Washington Center for Women in Business, WCWB, works to grow and strengthen women-owned businesses throughout Washington state.

If you have a new idea for a small business or enterprise, they will support you from your idea’s first inception to its eventual expansion or diversification. WCWB offers entrepreneurial training programs, workshops, one-on-one counseling, coaching, and special events to women in all stages of business development.

4220 6th Avenue SE
Lacey, Washington 98503
Phone: 888-821-6652

Washington Center for Women in Business WCWB website

Washington Women’s Business Center, WWBC, supports the startup and growth of women-owned businesses. They equip women with the connections, resources, and training needed to successfully start and run a business.

Washington Women's Business Center provides free to low-cost classes and free one-on-one business coaching to develop your business, strengthen your systems, work smarter with your team, and increase profit margins.

WWBC can help you:

• understand your funding options.

• prepare loan packages and presentations for lenders and potential investors.

• manage business profitability.

• create a comprehensive business plan with financial projections.

• identify business expansion options.

Seattle office:
12720 Gateway Drive
Suite #207
Tukwila, Washington 98168
Phone: 206-324-4330

Tacoma office:
748 Market Street
Tacoma, Washington 98402
Phone: 206-324-4330

Washington Women’s Business Center website

SCORE Washington provides free and confidential one-on-one business counseling by phone, email, and in-person. SCORE conducts programs for both start-up entrepreneurs and seasoned small business owners alike, including:

• Mentoring: Entrepreneurs can access free, confidential business mentoring in person at local chapters and partner locations or remotely via email, phone and video. SCORE mentors are experts in entrepreneurship and related fields who meet with their small business clients on an ongoing basis to provide continued advice and support.

• Webinars and Courses: SCORE regularly offers free online workshops on topics ranging from startup strategies to marketing and finance. Attendees can watch webinars live or view recordings online on their own time. Courses are also offered on-demand so you can walk through each module at your own pace.

• Library of Online Resources: Business owners can also benefit from SCORE’s extensive collection of guides, templates, checklists, blogs, videos, infographics, and more.

SCORE Central Washington in Wenatchee serves the Wenatchee Valley to the Canadian border.
SCORE Greater Seattle serves King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Jefferson, Clallam, Island, and San Juan counties.
SCORE Mid-Columbia Tri-Cities in Kennewick serves Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla counties.
SCORE Bellingham serves Whatcom and Skagit counties.
SCORE South Sound/Tacoma serves Pierce, South King, Thurston, Lewis, Mason, Grays Harbor and Kitsap counties.

Central Washington:
200 Palouse Street, Suite 101
Wenatchee, Washington 98801
Phone: 509-888-2900

Greater Seattle:
2401 Fourth Avenue, Suite 450
Seattle, Washington 98121
Phone: 206-553-7320

SCORE Washington website

WBO helps women business owners be more connected, more empowered and more successful by providing:

• a powerful business referral network

• insightful business education

• personal and online connectivity and visibility

• strategic business support and inspiration

Serving both Seattle and the Eastside, WBO empowers women business owners to achieve success through a robust referral network, insightful business education, online visibility, and strategic business support.

Small group lunches, after hours networking sessions, business building groups, and mentorship programs, as well as workshops, help you grow your business and discover new and exciting opportunities.

2311 North 45th Street
#277
Seattle, Washington 98103
Phone: 206-575-3232

Women Business Owners website

The Center for Business and Innovation helps small businesses grow and succeed in Washington State. Programs provide free and low-cost resources to help you start and grow a business, including advising, business training, financial training, funding and more.

The Center for Business and Innovation operates in South Puget Sound Community College’s Lacey Campus. The Thurston Economic Development Council, Washington Procurement Technical Assistance Center, Washington Center for Women in Business, and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) all operate in the same space, creating a wrap-around hub for new business owners and entrepreneurs across Washington State.

The CB&I can support your business with:

• business advising

• startup training

• training on accounting, marketing, human resources and more

• market research

• prototyping

• location assistance

• strategic partner referrals

4220 6th Avenue SE
Lacey, Washington 98503
Phone: 360-754-6320

Thurston EDC Center for Business and Innovation website

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps small businesses get the funding they need. Funding resources include:

• Loans: Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the SBA.

• Investment capital: Find an investor for your business. Investors make both debt and equity investments.

• Disaster assistance: Get help after a disaster with low-interest disaster loans.

• Surety bonds: Protect your work and your client with an SBA-guaranteed surety bond.

• Grants: Look for government grants that help businesses do scientific research and development.

U.S. Small Business Administration SBA Funding website

Graham & Walker is a venture firm on a mission to support and invest in tomorrow’s most powerful companies.

Powered by Graham & Walker, Female Founders Alliance is a community of women dedicated to helping each other succeed, It is virtual, free, and inclusive and enables you to connect with other founders, investors, resources, and more.

1411 4th Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98101

Graham & Walker Female Founders Alliance website

Washington state’s Small Business Liaison Team (SBLT) makes it easier to do business in Washington State by linking entrepreneurs and small businesses to Washington state resources.

Business funding resources include Federal Loan Programs, Washington State Loan programs, and Local Loan Programs available to you to grow your business.

Mailing address:
Post Office Box 43125
Olympia, Washington 98504
Phone: 1-800-917-0043

Washington State Small Business Guidance Loan and Grant Programs website

The Entrepreneurship major at WSU’s College of Business leverages your personal strengths and builds skills that prepare you for success in new and existing ventures. The required coursework establishes a foundation in entrepreneurship, including the necessary tools in marketing and finance.

The Washington State University Center for Entrepreneurship (CfE) opens the world of entrepreneurial opportunity to students and promotes engagement, scholarship, and dialogue across the university and with stakeholders throughout Washington and the world. CfE provides programming, activities, resources, and events that help students identify the next right step for their entrepreneurial journey.

PO Box 644750
570 Todd Hall
Pullman, Washington 99164
Phone: 509-335-3596

Washington State University Carson College of Business Center for Entrepreneurship website

Part of the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, the Buerk Center offers real-world experiences and connections to the Seattle entrepreneurial community to inspire students from all majors and disciplines across campus to pursue their entrepreneurial passions.

While the core curriculum focuses on entrepreneurial strategy, finance, and marketing, electives run the gamut from Venture Investing to Software Entrepreneurship, from Grand Challenges for Entrepreneurs to Biomedical Entrepreneurship.

PACCAR Hall
4273 E Stevens Way NE
Seattle, Washington 98195
Phone: 206-685-3400

University of Washington Foster School of Business Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship website

The New Venture Lab at Gonzaga University’s School of Business Administration is a student run organization that works with local entrepreneurs to help develop new products and business ventures. Entrepreneurs interested in the free business consulting service provided by the New Venture Lab can apply, and if selected, are paired with a student project manager.

Five students then work with the entrepreneur to create a scope of work they will complete throughout the eight-week program. Services range from business plans to market research while providing new insight to develop products and businesses.

502 East Boone Avenue
Spokane, Washington 99258
Phone: 800-986-9585

Gonzaga University School of Business Administration website

Seattle Business Magazine and seattlebusinessmag.com deliver insight into the key people, enterprises, and trends that drive business in the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle Business Magazine website

425 Business is the premier publication for Seattle’s Eastside business community, 425 Business magazine features inspirational, empowering, and creative content relevant to Eastside business professionals and general consumers alike.

Each issue incorporates in-depth look at the area's important issues and provides information and ideas about startups, legacy businesses, technology, products, travel, philanthropy and more.

1100 Bellevue Way North East
Suite 8A #600
Bellevue, Washington 98004
Phone: 425-646-1380

425 Business website

South Sound Business is a business-lifestyle magazine for Seattle’s South Sound business community,

The magazine and its corresponding website provide information and ideas about business news, opinion, startups, fashion, philanthropy, travel, business lifestyle, technology, products, and more. South Sound Business is a monthly, full-color publication found throughout the region.

P.O. Box 1362
Tacoma, Washington 98401
Phone: 253-588-5340

South Sound Business website

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business reaches a targeted readership that includes owners, managers, decision makers, and key employees of companies throughout Benton and Franklin counties.

The Mid-Columbia region has a diverse business landscape that includes a booming wine industry, agriculture, science and technology firms, and everything in between and each issue of the Journal of Business focuses on at least one local industry.

Professional contributors offer tips and highlight trends in their area of expertise. From community and statewide news to some national news that affects the local economy, the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business has business covered.

8524 W. Gage Boulevard
#A1-300
Kennewick, Washington 99336
Phone: 509-737-8778

Tri-Cities Journal of Business website