The U.S. Small Business Administration's February web chat will offer business start-up advice for entrepreneurs.

Janice Washington, state director of the Arizona Small Business Development Center Network, will host the February Web chat on "New Year, New Business: How to Start it Right." The series provides small business owners with an opportunity to discuss relevant business issues online with experts, industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs.  Chat participants have direct, real-time access to the Web chats via questions they submit online in advance and during the live session.

The Create Jobs for USA fund has surpassed $1 million in donations for a new small business lending program since its Nov. 1 launch, Starbucks and Opportunity Finance Network announced today.

For the effort, Starbucks teamed with OFN - a nationwide network of 180 Community Development Financial Institutions - to oversee the new fund and provide financing to community businesses in underserved markets. Contributions will be awarded as small business loans to create and sustain jobs in underserved markets.

Only about half of new businesses survive the first five years, according to the Small Business Administration, and the success rate for Latino-owned businesses is even smaller.

But one-to-one business advising, peer mentoring and a robust support network that includes training opportunities, education and resource sharing can make a huge difference, said José García-Pabón, Latino community studies and outreach specialist with Washington State University Extension.

A woman-owned general contractor from Tacoma was among the winners of major awards presented by the U.S. Small Business Administration during a luncheon today at the 29th National Minority Enterprise Development Week conference.

Karen Say, president of Saybr Contractors Inc., received the 8(a) Graduate of Firm of the Year award.

A new sports store on Shelton's busy Railroad Avenue is set to serve teams and fans throughout Mason County. All League Sports, which opened its doors last month, grew out of owner Becky Adams' home-based embroidery and screen-printing services.

"My wife was pretty busy at home," said co-owner Jeff Adams at the grand opening last Thursday. "So one day I told her that for how busy she is we should set up a store."

The welcoming reception for Ron Neilsen, the new Thurston County Economic Development Council's Small Business Development Center director, attracted business leaders from throughout the South Sound.

Attending the soiree – among many others – were EDC director Michael Cade, Thurston County Visitor and Convention Bureau executive director George Sharp, Squaxin Tribe tourism director Leslie Johnson, Olympia Downtown Association president Jeanne Carras, and Washington Business Bank president Jon Jones.

With the recent wrap-up of the Washington legislature's special section, small businesses should be prepared for some changes to the way they operate – and workers should expect changes to the job scene and pensions.

That's the take from Carl Gipson, director of small business, technology and telecommunications for the Washington Policy Center, and Eric Lohnes, economic policy analyst for The Freedom Foundation.

Uncorked Canvas is scheduled to open April 8 in Gig Harbor.
 
Co-owners Shaun Lindfors and Robin Kinerk will provide painting instruction to both adults and children, in addition to birthday parties and special events for adults including ladies night out, bridal showers, corporate events and team outings.

The overwhelming majority of women entrepreneurs use their own money to launch their businesses, according to a survey conducted by Wobwire.com.

The "Share Your Woman-Owned Business Story" survey showed that only 5 percent of respondents said they received commercial credit, venture capital or Small Business Administration loans.

Two South Sound organizations are among the 92 nonprofits from around the country to receive part of $8 million in grants from the U.S. Small Business Administration to help low-income and very low-income entrepreneurs with training and technical assistance to start, operate and grow their businesses.

The grants, delivered under the Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs, also will provide capacity-building services to microenterprise development entities to strengthen the quality of their programs.

Patrick L. Hughes, owner and managing member of Hughes Group LLC of Lakewood was named national Minority Small Business Person of the Year today during the 28th annual National Minority Enterprise Development Week conference in Washington, D.C.

The veteran-owned company was established in 1999 by Hughes, a veteran of 28 years in the military. It is an 8(a) and HUBZone certified firm, and is classified as a small disadvantaged business and a service disabled veteran-owned small business.

Start- up activity plummeted during the first half of 2010 as would-be entrepreneurs were either scooped up by employers or scared off by fragile economic conditions, a tight lending market and uncertainty over the sustainability of the recovery.

That's according to the results of a survey of job seekers released today by global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. which showed that an average of 3.7 percent of respondents opted to start their own business during the first half of 2010.

The Alliance of Women Owned Businesses will begin accepting memberships this month.
 
"The organization seeks to provide opportunities and resources to meet the real need for education, support and mentoring for women owners," said Julie Taperro, president of West Sound Workforce and the original organizer of the newly formed group. "We are forming to help women take their business to the next level. We are not a networking group per se, but we know good networking will happen."

The Thurston County Chamber is hosting Morning MIXXer from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. July 6 at Capital Place Retirement Community, 700 Black Lake Blvd., Olympia. The monthly networking event includes coffee and pastries. No registration is required. The cost is $5 for chamber members and $10 general admission.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber is hosting Small Business Start-up: 101 from 1 to 4 p.m. July 7 in the Simpson Community Room, 950 Pacific Ave., Suite 300. The free seminar is geared toward people who don't own a business. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. RSVP to Judy Singley at (253) 627-2175.

The south Tacoma Farmers Market opens June 20 at the corner of 56th and Washington streets in the Heritage Bank parking lot. Metro Parks is kicking off opening day at 8 a.m. with a Family Fun Run at it South Park location, with an award ceremony at the new market directly following. The space for the Farmers Market was donated by Heritage Bank, along with a $10,000 contribution to help revitalize community health in this district.

Lakewood Chamber of Commerce is hosting Extreme Networking 101: How to use Facebook to promote your business from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 21 at the Business Center at Clover Park Technical College, 4650 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Building 19. The cost is $99. RSVP to (253) 582-9400 or scottj@lakewood-wa.com.

Individual help with foreclosure issues will be available to the public at an upcoming free foreclosure workshop at 11 a.m. June 5 at the Best Western Park Plaza Hotel, 620 S. Hill Park Drive. Attendees should plan to bring current photo identification and Social Security number, last two years of W-2's and the most current tax return, last two pay stubs and two months worth of bank statements, complete file for first and/or second mortgage, and other account balances and monthly payment information. Click here for more information.

The Arts Commission of the City of Olympia is hosting a community arts roundtable at 6 p.m. June 7 in the Timberland Library meeting room, 313 8th Ave. SE. The topic is art record keeping, including cataloging artwork and basic information about digital images.  Speakers include Susan Rohrer and Domenico Spatola-Knoll. For more information, call  Stephanie Johnson at (360) 709-2678.

Washington's commitment to investing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics jobs has placed it among the top states in the country when it comes to entrepreneurship and innovation, according to a study from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Chamber Foundation.

The Enterprising States study highlights how state and local policies —including those in Washington — play a vital role in spurring job creation and economic development.

2 Watch Monitoring Inc. has received Minority Business Enterprise Certification in Washington State.

Tacoma-based 2WM provides house arrest and electronic home monitoring services, including live GPS monitoring, which allows real-time 24/7 tracking and monitoring of offenders coupled with a custom-made reporting protocol.
 
The company also has offices in Spokane and Apache Junction, Ariz.

The Thurston County Chamber of Commerce's Morning MIXXer is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. April 6 at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts, 2011 Mottman Road SW, Olympia. The cost is $5 for members and $10 general admission. Click here for more information.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber is hosting Small Business Start-Up: 101 from 1 to 4 p.m. April 7 at its Simpson Community Room, 950 Pacific Ave., Suite 300. The free workshop is being facilitated by Linda Jadwin of South Sound Washington Business Center and is geared towards those seeking to start a business. RSVP to Judy Singley or call (253) 627-2175.

Three outstanding business people will be recognized for their achievements at the Milgard School of Business' Ninth Annual Business Leadership Awards next month.

The awards spotlight business leaders from Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston and South King counties and strengthen the relationship between the business community and UW Tacoma. The honorees were nominated by the community and selected by a panel from the Milgard School of Business advisory board, faculty and staff.