Leading professionals to conduct online sessions to spur new business starts and inspire entrepreneurship statewide

OLYMPIA, WA — As Washington state turns the corner on the pandemic, record numbers of entrepreneurs are starting their own businesses. Compared to 2020, new business starts are up 19.8% statewide, increasing from 55,539 through October last year to 69,301 new businesses this year. (US Census Bureau Business Formations Dashboard).

With that in mind, the Washington State Department of Commerce is once again focusing on the state’s entrepreneurs, offering a wide selection of free online workshops and sessions as part of this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Month (GEM) celebration.

Gov. Jay Inslee has proclaimed November Global Entrepreneurship Month in Washington to kick off the month-long GEM series. Global Entrepreneurship Month will cover a wide range of topics designed to address the significant challenges businesses face now and in the years to come as owners rebuild, recover and restart.

“Entrepreneurship is one of the important tools we have to ensure a broad, equitable economic recovery that leaves no one behind,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, accounting for a primary source of jobs that strengthen communities and create thriving local economies. Global Entrepreneurship Month exposes residents to the idea of starting and running their own business and provides them with essential skills to increase the chances of success.”

This is the seventh year the Department of Commerce will lead the state’s participation in the events teed up by the annual international Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration (Nov. 8-14, 2021). Over the years, the department has co-hosted and coordinated more than 300 events in-person and online. With public safety top of mind, Commerce decided only to hold online sessions again this year. Leading experts from state and federal agencies and the private sector will teach the free online sessions.

“The Spokane Community College Start Up Academy and Launch Lab is excited to participate and lead two live webinars and share our expertise during Global Entrepreneurship Month 2021.  Last year was a great experience for me as an entrepreneur and educator to engage with aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs from multiple locations around the state. We look forward to introducing entrepreneurial strategies again this November,” said Michael Allen, Start Up Academy and Launch Lab, Spokane Community College Director and serial entrepreneur.

“I’m excited to be leading two live webinar presentations during the upcoming 2021 Global Entrepreneurship Month in November. Delivering a presentation last year was a rich and rewarding experience that brought engaging entrepreneurs from across the state of Washington together to learn best practices. It’s always great to share business growth strategies with entrepreneurs to help their businesses succeed.” said Daryl Murrow, CEO of Coach DMac, entrepreneur and ScaleUp Master Facilitator.

Check out the complete list of Global Entrepreneurship Month events.

Entrepreneurs may also want to check out Commerce’s Entrepreneur Academy, a series of 11 courses covering everything from ideation to avoiding common mistakes in building a business.

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