PORT TOWNSEND — An all-day symposium designed to help small businesses share resources will take place in two locations Friday.
“We feel the more we can do for our members to use networking to build their business, the more successful they will be,” said Heather Dudley-Nollette, co-founder of the CoLab at 237 Taylor St., which provides space for small-business owners to use downtown without having to rent their own office space.
“We want to show them how using a co-working space can help them connect with useful business services,” Dudley-Nollette said.
The CoLab, which opened in May 2013, now has about 25 members, less than expected or hoped for but enough to keep it afloat, Dudley-Nollette said.
The event, in its fourth year, has changed its focus, according to Dudley-Nollette.
It was previously called the Small Business Symposium but has been rebranded as Business to Business, or B2B.
Friday’s B2B symposium is free and open to the public.
Anyone interested can spend the day attending forums, consulting with experts and taking the CoLab for a test-drive; free use of the space is part of the event.
Three forums also are included at the Business Resource Center, 2409 Jefferson St.
An after-party from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. will include short presentations about some local business ideas.
The day includes six free consulting sessions at the CoLab.
They are:
■ One-on-one general business consultations — Sessions will be between 20 and 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
■ Web development with Nate Malmgren of Codepress — 20-minute slots are available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Consultation will be on WordPress training and website solutions for small businesses, independent professionals and nonprofit organizations.
■ Bookkeeping with Melissa Patrick of Keeping the Books — 20-minute slots are available from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
This focuses on organizing and recording financial transactions.
■ Life and business coaching with Chauncey Locklear — 30-minute slots are available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This concentrates on establishing priorities and how to achieve business goals.
■ Graphic design with Sarah Peller of Fruition Design — 30-minute slots from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
■ Legal services with Lisa von Trotha of Von Trotha Law — Consultations are available at 1 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. This addresses legal concepts important to businesses.
The forums are:
■ “Using Data to Find and Reach Your Market” — 10:30 a.m. to noon, which will discuss applying marketing data.
Panelists are David Timmons, Port Townsend city manager; small-business consultant Luisa Walmsley; and Scott Wilson, editor and publisher of the weekly Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader.
■ “Funding Options from Startup to Expansion” — 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Panelists are Dominic Svornich, Kitsap Bank branch manager; Hilary Wilson of Community Sourced Capital; Deborah Stinson, a principal of the Local Investing Opportunities Network (LION) and a Port Townsend City Councilwoman; and business lender Brian Kuh.
Peter Quinn, the executive director of EDC Team Jefferson, will moderate both panels.
Reservations are advised for all the consultations and forums. See www.ptcolab.com/b2b/agenda.
The CoLab also operates a second location in Chimacum at 9165 Rhody Drive.
For more information, go to www.ptcolab.com or call 360-385-9655.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
