LIFE GOT YOU down? Economic news depressing?
Members of “Animal House’s” Delta Tau Chi knew the two magic words that would the change course of one’s life when it starts to detour into the dumpster.
Road trip.
Hitting the road for the day is one way to shake off the doldrums, whether you are facing the dean’s displeasure, like the denizens of “Animal House,” or a dismal bottom line because of seasonal downturns.
That’s what Marty Gay, founding member of Team Jefferson and former Economic Development Council board member, discovered when he joined the Northwest Entrepreneur Network six years ago.
Traveling to Seattle for the breakfast meetings once a month, he always came away with an idea, either from the brief presentation or by talking with other members over coffee.
“I would come out of there, and think “Oh, man, this is something I can bring back to people,” Gay said.
Now Gay is bringing that enthusiasm to Jefferson County SEmD and you don’t have to borrow your brother’s Lincoln.
The vehicle: the Jefferson Entrepreneur Network, which Gay is jump-starting with EDC Team Jefferson/Washington State University Jefferson County Extension.
“Sometimes seeing things from little different perspective can get you through,” Gay says. “You need to get out of your silo.”
“Silo” is the metaphor that Shelby Smith, program assistant for EDC Team Jefferson, uses for the isolation that business owners often feel, especially in the winter when tourism traditionally slows.
The new network is designed for people who run small businesses, work out of home offices or studios, own retail shops or are spearheading social projects, Smith said.
“The goal is to help people keep their creative and entrepreneurial spirit alive,” Smith said.
To get things rolling, WSU, along with the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and Port Townsend Main Street, is sponsoring a seminar on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the WSU Extension Office in Port Hadlock.
Called “Hard Times/Good Businesses,” it shows people how to look at the winter months as an opportunity to explore new avenues to success.
The seminar features Peter Quinn, former director of the Northwest Entrepreneur Network, who now works for the Northwest Maritime Center.
Keven Elliff, former Centrum marketing and general manager, will talk about using social networking to jump-start a business and think out of the box.
Also participating are Jim Williams, who teaches business and entrepreneurial classes, and Joan Broughton of Frontier Bank, who will offer ideas on financing.
A $10 fee covers costs and refreshments.
Gay says that anyone who starts a business in a rural area knows that it is going to be a challenge. He also says this particular rural area is full of people who are very successful in life and business, and have powerful connections.
“There’s a matrix here that brought us all together,” Gay said. “I don’t know what it is, but let’s take advantage of it.”
Gay has also taken students from Jefferson Community School to the Entrepreneurial University, an annual event sponsored by the Northwest Entrepreneurial Network.
Getting young people in the community involved could be another way that the new networking group could strengthen the community.
And your nickname, like the one given to a Delta pledge, will no longer be “Flounder.”
For more information, e-mail Shelby Smith at shelby@jefferson.wsu.edu or phone 360-379-5610, ext. 222.
No Alley? No Problem
Bob Rosen, manager of the Quilcene Community Center, is always looking for a way to throw some fun into the mix.
Last fall, he brought back bingo, which is drawing people of all ages to the newly renovated center.
Now Rosen is going for another all-ages hit with the latest in tech rec SEmD Wii bowling.
“Everybody is really excited,” Rosen says.
Originally designed to give users an idea of how the Wii controller works, Wii bowling is so like the real thing, it became an instant hit.
Like bowling, it’s fun to do with friends, and leagues have sprung up, including an informal one among taverns and clubs in Port Townsend.
Now, Rosen is organizing a Wii bowling league at the Quilcene Community Center, which is being advertised with a poster created by JJ Jenkins, who also works at the center.
The advantage of virtual bowling: all of the exercise and none of the equipment rental or facility fees.
To sign up for a team, phone 360-765-3321.
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Jennifer Jackson writes about Port Townsend and Jefferson County every Wednesday. To contact her with items for this column, phone 360-379-5688 or e-mail jjackson@olypen.com.
