Seminars aim to support Washougal’s small business owners

The city of Washougal is teaming up with the Washougal Business Association to present Gateway to Success: Build Your Business Momentum, a free business education initiative aimed at supporting small businesses.

“I’m proud to see the Gateway to Success Series come to life,” said Joe Walsh, the city’s community services and strategy director. “This program was developed through direct input from business leaders and is designed to provide tangible, actionable strategies that help local businesses grow and thrive. It’s a key step in fulfilling our plan’s commitment to building a resilient and prosperous economy.”

The Gateway to Success program will offer three in-person sessions with presentations by Spencer Crandall, owner of Small Biz Pathfinders, a West Linn, Ore.-based business coaching firm. After each session, attendees will be sent a link to a group Zoom call, during which Crandall will dive deeper into the various strategies that help small businesses thrive.

Business owners can sign up for one, two or all three of the sessions. Each session will explore a different theme.

• The Essential Financial Habits In a Time of Economic Uncertainty session will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon April 17, at the Best Western Plus Camas-Washougal Convention Center with a follow-up Zoom session from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. May 1.
• A session discussing artificial intelligence, “A.I. and Automation: Your Small Business Accelerators,” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon May 15, at the Best Western Plus Camas-Washougal Convention Center with a follow-up on Zoom from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. May 29.
• And the Smarter Marketing for Your Small Business — The Best ROI for Your Efforts session will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon June 12, at 54-40 Brewing Company with a follow-up session on Zoom from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. June 26.

“There are a lot of resources out there for businesses,” Washougal Business Association President Lori Reed said. “But as a small business owner here in Washougal, it’s hard to leave your business to go to (where the resources are). We were talking about, ‘Let’s bring the information here and make it really easy.’”

The series also will provide opportunities for Washougal’s small business owners to connect with their local business community.

“Our hope would be that it will bring some engagement,” Reed said. “If you’re starting a business, you have a lot of the same challenges as business owners in other industries, so we’re hoping that this might be an opportunity to network with other business owners.”

The series is part of a broader strategy to support small businesses in Washougal as outlined in the city’s Economic Development Plan, completed in early 2025.

“The success of our local businesses directly contributes to the vibrancy and quality of life in Washougal,” Washougal Mayor David Stuebe said. “By empowering our entrepreneurs with the tools and support they need to thrive, we are investing in the future of our community.”

Doug Flanagan: 360-735-4669; [email protected]