Tuesday the Vancouver Chamber kicked off their first public event aimed to bring more awareness, more access and more effective application of the numerous resources that are in place to support and nurture small business .  This effort actually began way back in 2013 when the GVCC and the City of Vancouver  coalesced around creating a website where entreprenuers can go to see the wide array of resources

Here is a fantastic page if your considering starting a business http://www.cityofvancouver.us/ced/page/starting-business-start-here .  You’ll find links to the State of Washington, and a bundle of other sites.  The City is working hard at all times to be a good partner and make the start-up or expansion process for small companies as smooth as possible

In the spring of 2014 the GVCC Board decided to repurpose the Membership Services committee, to bring greater focus and attention to the Small Business Resources effort. So for the past six months meeting have been built around creating a framework, and seeking to become knowledgeable about all  potential partners and resource providers.   In addition the City put out an RFP to actually formal name and fund a provider for a Small Business Resource Center.

One step the new SBRC committee settled on was a monthly open house where providers would be gathered, for a two hour session to make access easy, but also put the very human touch that the Chamber can bring by face to face introductions and an actual person to be able to ask questions.

It was announced by GVCC President Kelly Love that the Chamber had been formally  awarded  as one of two  partner agencies  by the City to provide the Small Business Resource Center Services.  Keep an eye on their website as the schedule of open houses gets formalized and announcements made on upcoming providers.