Business Development Counseling
Testimonials, What people say about us
As the Center for Economic Vitality
"James helps us see the big picture and has worked to help us grow our business. This business is competitive and we started in a difficult time. It is important to have someone that can provide the technical business input that we need and can relate to the emotional aspect of running a business that I need. And we have found that in James, our business advisor." See Success Story.
-Mari Kemper
Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen
Bellingham, Washington
"I am convinced that if we hadn't seen Tom, we would be out of business. He has helped us control costs, market in a bad economy, learn how to staff appropriately, and understand all about the financing side of business including managing accounts payables and receivables. Tom has been a mentor that has made a significant difference in our business." See Success Story.
-Paul Van Metre
Pro CNC
Bellingham, Washington
"The CEV isn't just for when you are having a hard time. I use it when my business is thriving. Tom has been my business coach and helped us establish priorities, strategically plan for expansion and asks the hard questions like, 'What is most important to you?' It is great to have the CEV looking out for us." See Success Story.
-Wendy Defreest
Avenue Bread
Bellingham, Washington
"The Center for Economic Vitality and its staff were extremely friendly and helpful in assisting me in my business. Their professionally trained staff helped me streamline my business by reducing operational costs and increasing income. In addition, I got assistance in my financials and created a financial portfolio including a balance sheet which helped me secure a commercial loan for my business. This made a huge impact in the success of my business."
-Michael Barnes
Real Estate Investor
Bellingham, Washington
"It doesn't matter how great our product is; if we build our business ineffectively it will fail. The CEV has been dynamically working with us during our growth. We are in a dynamic mode and at times need to change on a dime.
As we developed our marketing strategies and tactics, we tapped the CEV's research sources for targeted demographic and competitior information. This allowed us to focus our marketing resources in areas of the greatest potential return." See Success Story.
-Tom and Theo Wanne
Theo Wanne Classical Mouthpieces
Bellingham, Washington
"Tom has given us awesome support and guidance. He is a great sounding-board, and he continues to give us new tips that contribute to the bottom-line. With this difficult economy, Tom has really helped Parts Warehouse focus on the importance of margins and efficiencies. Tom helps us see the big picture. We are so involved in the details it is hard to step back and see the big picture." See Success Story.
-Jim Anderson and Cindy Heins
Parts Warehouse
Lynden, Washington
"We at Home Attendant Care are well aware of the benefits of using the Center for Economic Vitality. With their help we completed an ownership transition which included securing SBA bank financing. We relied extensively on their expertise and research capabilities as well as their knowledge and contacts in the community. Simply put, we could not have done this without them.
Tom Dorr is a dynamic and resourceful individual who has the ability to not only assist you in developing your vision for your organization but the passion to help you achieve it.
Tom and the CEV have helped me feel comfortable stepping up to the leadership position in my company and developing my own personal style of management. They have not only kept me sane, but have also supported me in a variety of roles including mediator, motivator, educator, and at times, counselor."
-Debbie Gann
Home Attendant Care
Bellingham, Washington
"The CEV has helped me restructure my energy into planning for the future instead of wasting that energy on putting out fires. Some of the areas of planning have included hiring employees, understanding my financials and planning on the vitality of the company for the future years.
I have to say that all of the support may have been given "free of charge" but its value has been immeasurable. I feel a sense of reassurance after leaving each appointment - knowing that this business will continue to grow with support from my community and the Center for Economic Vitality." See Success Story.
-Trudy Scherting
Moka Joe Coffee
Bellingham, Washington
"I have had the pleasure and good fortune of meeting with Tom Dorr many times since our first chat in 1999 as a "yet to be" business owner. I'll never forget our early conversations and how well he calmly guided me toward what would be necessary for success in my new business. He quickly earned my confience with his knowledge, the resources he could provide, and his supportive but realistic demeanor in his coaching.
The fact that this caliber of guidance was free and non-biased was incredible to me and I could not imagine anyone starting or developing a business without consulting Tom or his staff at the CEV.
If I needed a confidence boost, a new lesson, industry data, partnership advice, planning tools, or even a "stern" word of warning, Tom was there for me with an encouraging smile and sound advice that I sincerely trusted. It worked and I feel smart by having utilized his services for so many years.
Having been in business now for 11 profitable and enjoyable years, I can and often do say I owe much of that success to Tom's help and the resources at the CEV."
-Steve Roguski
Fairhaven Runners&Walkers
Bellingham, Washington
"The mentoring I obtained from the CEV that truly set me up for success. Mentors at the CEV gave me not only the tools and information, but also the encouragement I needed, and the reinforcement of my faith that my business would be successful.” See Success Story.
-Terri L. McCalla, DVM, MS, DACVO
Animal Eye Care
Bellingham, Washington
"Working with Tom over the years has been part of our routine. He's helped us with strategic acquisitions, marketing plans, accessing credit, and finding capable workers." See Success Story.
-Shad Malone
MGM Solutions
Bellingham, Washington
"The following is a synopsis of how the Center for Economic Vitality (CEV) helped my business and its role in the community.
In order to truly grow a community, small businesses must flourish and be able to understand trends and respond accordingly. Small businesses are the back bone of the community. The dilemma for a small business is that they are ill-equipped to master at any depth all the financial, economic, and basic business issues facing them. Small means for the most part an owner is multi-tasking, working out front selling services or products as well as trying to manage the payroll, accounts payables/receivables, and marketing with little time to set goals and study the economic issues and trends that will impact them.
The Center for Economic Vitality's role is two-fold. They exist to help stimulate the economy and to help advise, offer business tools, and support new businesses. Although I have 25 years of business experience in the corporate world, without their services I would not have been able to keep my doors open. Previously I researched the possibility of opening a smoothies franchise. On my own I read the UFOC, called prior franchises, contacted lawyers, made real estate decisions and ultimately landed two sites and what I believed to be sufficient funding to make my dream come true. I only contacted the CEV later, when I was having cash flow problems and needed help in acquiring more funding.
The CEV reviewed my financials, asked hard questions concerning the market, franchises in general, and counseled ways to acquire more funding. They took an active role in providing templates of spreadsheets that were accepted by various financial institutes, looked at the concept, and when I hit the wall with rejection; they offered more avenues for me to pursue investor funding. When I was faced with the unforeseeable destruction of my parking lot due to building construction of the landlord, they helped me present a financial picture of projected losses which led to a win-win negotiation of rent abatement. I looked to the CEV again when I found that my franchise wasn't supporting me sufficiently in local marketing. Their knowledge of the franchise world gave me insight and information to again negotiate an equitable solution that ultimately saved me money.
I entered into entrepreneurship with a good foundation of business. I still needed the CEV and feel lucky that they could offer me a wealth of experience to navigate tough issues. Many new business owners have dreams and passions but don't have the skills or time to create a business plan and study all the factors. The CEV should be their first stop. The CEV can save time, energy, and inform clients of financial realities.
The role of the CEV is to give business owners the tools to make their dreams come to fruition. They are fact finders, designers and advisors. The CEV offers these consulting services free of charge. I, like most struggling businesses, can not afford to pay for these services. Ironically, it is these very services that will help me be profitable. My profitability is tied to the success of the community. The CEV is the very foundation of success."
-Abbe Rolnick
Robeks Fruit Smoothies and Healthy Eats
Bellingham, Washington