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Last Tuesday evening, we welcomed the Spaceworks Fall Business Plan Cohort at their first session at the Chamber office! This cohort includes businesses like; Illustrator, Clothing designer, Ceramicists, Art Therapist, and Tattoo Artist, to name a few. We’re excited to walk them through their business plan development and look forward to inviting you all to their graduation! About Spaceworks Business Plan Cohort The Business Plan Cohort is the backbone of Spaceworks Tacoma's Incubator and results in a formal business plan. Participants meet once a week for 12 weeks (3 hours/week). This cohort focuses on those businesses that have tested their product or service in the market (friends, family, markets, Etsy, brick and mortar, etc.) and have a clear understanding of what they are providing to the customer. At the end of this 12-week cohort, participants will have gained the knowledge to successfully run your business, a completed business plan, and will have presented your pitch at your Graduation. Photo of Incubator alum, BirdLoft:  The Business Leadership Academy of Tacoma-Pierce County aims to connect both current and emerging leaders with our business community, fostering leadership development and interaction with exemplary figures in their respective fields. This program is sponsored by the Chamber and Pacific Lutheran University and has been a regional community leadership program since 1978. This program kicked off its 46th year last week as we welcomed 19 excited leaders into the Business Leadership Academy community! There are many things to look forward to over the next several weeks as these leaders explore leader development, assess their leadership strengths and weaknesses, learn from leaders that contribute to the vitality of our community, and visit organizations at the heart of our regional business community. During the first day of class, students received the chance to hear from Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber President & CEO, Andrea H. Reay. She shared more on her career journey, valuable leadership insight, and what led her to our Chamber. Thank you, Andrea, for taking the time to speak to our BLA students! What's Ahead We are excited to engage with Tacoma's Downtown community through an extensive tour led by JD Elquist, Retail Advocate at Downtown Tacoma Partnership. Additionally, our Economic Development Tour will take participants through the Port of Tacoma, showcasing the vibrant economic opportunities in the region. These tours will highlight the dynamic business environment and offer valuable insights into Tacoma's economic landscape.  On Wednesday, January 31, 2024, over 400 members of the business community joined us for the 2024 Horizons Economic Forecast! The morning kicked off with coffee and networking, then moved into the main program where local and regional leaders discussed the Pierce County economy. Thank you to all you attended, especially our event sponsors and speakers! Sponsors
Speakers
2023 was an exciting year for the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber and our local business community! This past year we were thrilled to host sold out signature events where we strengthened relationships with friendly faces — many familiar and many new! The conferences we took part in gave local leaders chances to learn, grow, and be inspired with ambitious ideas for the South Sound. We were honored to play a role in leadership development programs for business owners and entrepreneurs on the rise in our region. Advocacy to protect business interests and ensure a thriving local economy was a top priority for us on a local, state, and national level. Throughout the year, we enjoyed many different opportunities to celebrate the successes and accomplishments of our vibrant business community. Thank you to everyone who joined us this year to make an impact for business in the South Sound. We can't wait to have you alongside us for everything 2024 has in store! Read our recap of the Chamber's Top 10 accomplishments, events, programs, and moments from 2023 below!
On November 16th the Tacoma Pierce County Chamber hosted a graduation luncheon for the 45th Business Leadership Academy.  The Business Leadership Academy of Tacoma-Pierce County, sponsored by the Chamber and Pacific Lutheran University, is a regional community leadership program founded in 1978. The Business Leadership Academy of Tacoma-Pierce County is an opportunity for current and emerging leaders to engage with the business community while developing leadership skills and interacting with exemplary leaders. Over the past 9 weeks the Business Leadership Academy participants:
 On October 19, the 45th Annual Business Leadership Academy embarked on a half day bus tour of the Port of Tacoma focusing on the main economic impact drivers of the South Sound. We focused on the Port footprint and highlighted the history of the Port and major economic impact industries- maritime, military and manufacturing. We started the morning with a presentation from Kristen Ang, commissioner, Port of Tacoma with a Port Overview. Our next stop was Tacoma Rail where Superintendent Dale King let attendees get up close to working Tacoma Rail. Leslie Barstow, Community Relations, Port of Tacoma took the group on an hour-long tour of Port of Tacoma Road. The tour provided the group with an overview of port operations, equipment and waterways. The Port highlighted efforts to restore critical salmon habitat and ensure that the future of operations in Tacoma will continue to set the standard for economic impact and sustainability, and environmental stewardship. Lastly, the group toured Foss Waterway Seaport Museum with Executive Director Brent Mason. We learned about the historic role the building played in Tacoma’s port-maritime activities, serving as a grain terminal. We were able to learn how Tacoma’s “rails to sales” story evolved over the years, and the influence of the labor movement on Tacoma’s working waterfront. The museum is also home to a marine science program that serves Tacoma Public Schools and a wooden boat shop which offers a range of community programming. It is important to be able to see first-hand how our Port and industrial areas along with a robust manufacturing sector connect with Joint Base Lewis McCord to form the backbone of our economy in Tacoma and Pierce County. Special Thanks to Tour Guide, Ryan Spence, of the Chamber’s Manufacturing Industrial Council. Special thank you to our speakers and tour guides: Kristen Ang, Port of Tacoma Commissioner - Tacoma Rail Superintendent Dale King - Leslie Barstow, Community Relations, Port of Tacoma - Brent Mason, Executive Director of the Foss Waterway Seaport - Ryan Spence, TPCC Manufacturing Industrial Council Education is a powerful tool for growth and development, and when it's tailored to the unique needs of entrepreneurs, it can be transformative. The Pierce-County Business Accelerator (PCBA) program is designed to equip budding entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge needed to take their business ventures to new heights. As the recent PCBA cohort reached its graduation milestone, we are thrilled to celebrate with them and welcome them as Chamber members. In the PCBA program, participants undergo a 6-week class designed to provide them with new skills and mentorship to guide in their entrepreneurial journey, enabling them to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. It's not just about the skills learned during the program; it's also about the optimism and connections it provides. Graduates find value in the relationships formed during the program, and we are excited to provide more networking opportunities as they work to continue to grow and thrive. The graduation commenced with a warm welcome from the Instructors, Pierce County representatives, and the Chamber. After the official welcome, the program was turned over to the entrepreneurs, who had prepared a pitch for their business, showcasing the culmination of their hard work and the skills they had acquired during the PCBA program. These pitches were a testament to the growth and development that had taken place over the six-week cohort.
The success of the recent PCBA cohort is a testament to the program's effectiveness in nurturing and empowering entrepreneurs. With high levels of engagement, skill development, and a focus on mentorship and professional services, the PCBA program is creating a thriving community of entrepreneurs ready to take on the challenges and opportunities in the business world. As these graduates embark on the next stage of their entrepreneurial journeys, we take a moment to celebrate them and all their achievements. Join us for the PCBA Showcase, on November 8th, 2023 at the Washington State Fair Grounds Expo Hall from 5 – 7 pm. Discover potential collaborators, savor outstanding catering services, engage with enthusiastic business leaders, and explore the hidden gems of Pierce County’s innovative products and services you never knew you needed. Event is free and family friendly. Don’t miss out – secure your spot by registering now!  October 10-12, 2023 The Chamber was grateful to welcome twenty-four audacious and courageous leaders with us on our Aspire Austin Intercity Leadership Conference as we experienced how that community tackled rapid urban growth, technology and innovation, workforce development and supporting the creative economy and housing and homelessness. We started our conference with a tour of Cruise, an autonomous vehicle company driven to improve life in the communities they serve by safely connecting people with places, things and experiences. These self-driving cars, currently only available in a handful of markets, are setting the pace to truly transform our transportation system. Imagine a city with no need for parking, with fully accessible vehicles, all running on an electric grid. The future is nearer than you may think with the technology advancing rapidly. We continued that first day with set of panel discussions where we paired industry and subject matter experts from Austin with Tacoma to discuss education and workforce development, urban planning and development, and technology and innovation. We also toured the Paramount Theatre and learned more about the impact of the creative economy in Austin, which is so well known for both Austin City Limits and South by Southwest. The final day of the conference awarded us with an opportunity to see and experience what we discussed the previous day during our panels. Part of the focus of Aspire is not only discussing solutions with other communities, but it’s bringing together our own leaders to build trust, grow relationships with each other and truly see the change for themselves. The only way change happens is when people can experience it for themselves. Aspire attendees toured Austin Community College’s Highline Campus and Communities First! Village. Full conference report and information about Aspire 2024 coming soon!
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