Startup Whitman launches as pilot program

Startup Whitman, a program aimed at connecting entrepreneurs with business resources, has been launched by Startup 365 Washington as a pilot program. The Whitman County center opened earlier this month.

Startup Whitman, headed by Robin Fahle Ohlgren of Pullman, was announced Dec. 9 along with Startup Asotin. The programs are the first to launch in eastern Washington.

Governor Jay Inslee, quoted in the Washington State Department of Commerce press release, said these startup centers will allow experience to guide entrepreneurs.

“Innovation and entrepreneurship is something I see in every corner of our state, urban and rural,” he said. “Sometimes the secret ingredient to success is as simple as having an experienced mentor or adviser to help you launch.”

Ohlgren said the goal of the program is to help people with current businesses and to help those interested in starting businesses, too.

“The initiative is to create these centers in rural communities or counties,” she said. “We are really trying to create an environment where people can bring their ideas and work on them. We want to be supportive of anyone's creative endeavor.”

Ohlgren said the program does not exclude any industry, and she is excited to see the ideas that come and where the programs goes as it develops.

“It is an exciting program,” she said. “It is a pilot program, so it will be reviewed, no pressure there. People are already contacting me from across the state to ask about it.”

Ohlgren said the basic concept is for her to provide opportunities such as speakers, workshops or experts and provide the resources with helping someone to launch a business or keep a business going. She said that she does not have funding to provide for people, but what can be given is still valuable.

“I can bring in an expert who people might be interested in,” she said. “It is really programming and providing workshops.”

She said she does have a limited amount of funding which can be used to send people to workshops, events or entrepreneurship boot camps.

Ohlgren also said that, with the launch of Startup Whitman, it was decided that a Startup Pullman group would be launched as well. This will allow for a specific focus on the rest of the county and another focus on Pullman with the university and other development there.

“Pullman is the kind of environment that especially young entrepreneurs are interested in,” Ohlgren said. “I think it does make sense to create two names.”

Right now, Ohlgren said the Startup Whitman program is mostly centered on Colfax, and she hopes to be able to get into the other communities and see what impact can be made. She said she has been out to many of the communities through the libraries and mayors.

Ohlgren said she wants to be able to capture the momentum that has been going, especially in Colfax with the addition of a unified executive director between the Chamber, downtown association, arts council and historic preservation commission, as well as the recent Main Street bid the city received.

“She is going to feed off of what we have already started,” said Valoree Gregory, Colfax's unified executive director.

Of the Main Street program, Ohlgren said that is a “perfect fit” with the Startup Whitman program.

“I think that is going to bring some badly needed dollars into town,” she said. “It is just another tool for creating economic opportunities.”

One way that Ohlgren is going to start her community involvement in Colfax is with the program “Coffee with Val,” which has no set date yet, but the next one is slated for Jan. 21 at 7 a.m.

“She is going to talk about her program and how it is going to help Colfax,” said Gregory.

Ohlgren described the Coffee with Val, as well as Cup of Joe program in Pullman, as informal and a way to get people together to discuss ideas for the community as a whole.

“We are trying to do it several different ways in order to gather ideas and what people want,” she said.

Ohlgren added that the 7 a.m. start time was decided upon in the hopes of getting people to attend before they head out for work, especially if they work in another community.

“The trick is talking to people who leave town for work and seeing what kinds of things they would want here,” Ohlgren said, adding that she is toying with the possibility of adding lunchtime and dinnertime hours as well.

At the last Coffee with Val, which was in November, Gregory said several ideas were discussed for the community. Among these were bringing in clothing retailers, family-centered restaurants, cupcake and ice cream shops and a movie theater.

“People really thought outside the box,” Gregory said. “People even thought of Target. They did not limit themselves.”

Gregory said what is needed now are people to make the ideas a reality.

“We need business owners and we need to try get these empty buildings filled with what people want right here in Colfax,” she said.

Ohlgren also said that she is providing office hours in both Colfax and Pullman, and those hours will be “a little more formal.” She said these hours will provide opportunities for people to have a 30-minute consultation to provide resources and directions for “a company or startup who would not normally be able to afford that.”

Ohlgren said her biggest priority is helping people start or maintain their businesses and then seeing them grow.

“There is a lot of momentum, and I am hoping that we can continue to grow it and fill some of those beautiful empty buildings.”

Ohlgren can be reached via email or telephone.

[email protected]

208-301-1011

Her Pullman office is located at 126 South Grand Avenue.