Entrepreneur Centers seek Eastside businesses to receive free consulting help

BELLEVUE, WASH. -- The Washington Small Business Development Center @ BCC and the Bellevue Entrepreneur Center are seeking seven east King County businesses to take part in no-fee consulting projects that start in late March and early April, 2006.

Selected businesses receive consulting assistance from teams of faculty, students and industry advisors from Bellevue Community College and the University of Washington-Bothell. To date, 48 local businesses have received assistance valued at more than $1.2 million from this program. Projects have led to revenue growth as high as $140,000 per month at some businesses

The projects focus primarily on women-, minority- and immigrant-owned firms with five or more employees, but all businesses on the Eastside are encouraged to apply.

Selected businesses receive free assistance over three months, reimbursing the teams only for small materials costs. The consulting teams sign confidentiality agreements to protect company privacy.

For more information, contact Corey Hansen at the Washington Small Business Development Center @ BCC by email at wsbdc@bcc.ctc.edu or by phone at 425-564-2888.

The program application may be found online at www.beconline.org.

The mission of the 16 Small Business Development Centers in Washington state is to help owners and operators of small businesses accelerate growth, acquire financing, increase profitability, enhance competitive advantages and develop long-term stability. The centers, which provide free and confidential business management and research assistance, are sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Washington State University and local organizations such as Bellevue Community College.

The Bellevue Entrepreneur Center is a non-profit partnership of local governments, higher education, community organizations and private enterprise working together to accelerate small business development and success. The center is located at the North Campus of Bellevue Community College.

###