The Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce and Microsoft have come together to help support small businesses in Issaquah and the Eastside.
The chamber is the Microsoft Store’s Community Partner of the Month in May. The company has also agreed to serve as one of the sponsors of the Issaquah Small Business Resource Center (SBRC), a platform of small business services and programs aimed to help support the local small business community.
“We are thrilled to announce Microsoft as the first of a number of sponsors for the Issaquah Small Business Resource Center and we look forward to helping local businesses connect with the company’s wide range of products and services to help our business community continue to thrive,” said Matt Bott, chief executive officer for the chamber. “With so many of our businesses and local families uniquely tied to this leading Eastside company, we are very much looking forward to this partnership to help local small businesses access the technology tools that will help them succeed.”
As a part of this effort, the chamber, Microsoft retail store and strategic local Microsoft IT partners will provide opportunities for small businesses to receive hands-on training and updates on the latest in Microsoft products, updates and services.
“The new Office365 technology from Microsoft really does offer local businesses an opportunity to reduce their IT spending and [access] tools that enable employees to be more collaborative and productive,” said Stephen Jones, of Issaquah’s Cohesive Logic, an Issaquah IT support firm and a Microsoft Partner.
“The Microsoft retail store at Bellevue Square is excited to be a community partner with the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce — providing technology and business solutions that will empower local small businesses to grow and operate more efficiently” said Hollie Ekornas, store manager at the Bellevue Square Microsoft retail store. “Our store is designed to serve as a great resource for small business customers in the Bellevue, Issaquah and Eastside areas by offering complimentary tech trainings, business-ready PCs, phones and more — it’s like having your very own IT department right in our store.”
The chamber’s membership consists of over 500 members, with the vast majority being employers with 50 employees or fewer, representing a broad cross-section of local industries.
To support the needs of local small businesses, the chamber is asking for feedback on which topics/programs local businesses are interested in relative to technology and productivity needs. The chamber has developed an online form to provide this feedback, which can be found at: http://www.issaquahchamber.com/form/microsoft-workshops-build-your-skills-improve-your-productivity.
The chamber formed the Small Business Resource Center to provide local small businesses with a one-stop platform of services, programs, discounts and tools to help small and early stage businesses thrive in Issaquah. The center provides connections to local and regional resources, such as those found through small business S.C.O.R.E. counseling, SBA tools, Business University seminars and more. A list of various programs and services can be found at http://www.issaquahchamber.com/business-resources/business-resources-and-information.
Upcoming May/June SBRC programs include a series of Microsoft services workshops, a Business University seminars on employee engagement and a luncheon program on utilizing linkedIn to develop stronger business-2-business connections. Businesses can register at www.issaquahchamber.com.
