A great place to start a business.
Washington State is consistently ranked as one of the best places to start a business. The state has more than 500,000 businesses registered, from one-person start-ups to some of the most familiar names in retailing, aircraft, software and outdoor recreation equipment. If you plan to be the next Amazon.com, Microsoft or Boeing, here are some resources to help you open your business and position it for success.
Startup Website
The Washington State Department of Commerce has designed a website specifically for entrepreneurs and small business owners. The site is filled with helpful resources, links, articles and information that will help you get your business off the ground and to keep it growing.
Global Entrepreneurship Month
Thinking about starting a business but not sure where to start? Global Entrepreneurship Month is a month-long celebration every November of our state’s primary economic driver – small businesses. Events held around the state will give you new ideas, help you formulate a business plan, and in some cases, even walk away with some bucks to get started.
SizeUp
A lot of entrepreneurs know they want to start a business, but aren’t sure what it should be or where. SizeUp is an online tool that helps you make these initial decisions. Enter some information, run the numbers and SizeUp will give you the lay of the land, from what you should pay your employees to where your competitors are. It’s a great starting point for researching your new business idea..
Small Business Playbook
The Small Business Playbook was written by business people for well, other business people. Packed with helpful tips, hints, links and resources, this guide teaches you everything you need to know to start, run and grow a business in Washington State. Written in a lively football theme, our online coaching staff will give you winning plays from start to finish.
Work Spaces
To help you find the right space to work on your new enterprise, we’ve created an interactive map that lists coworking spaces, maker spaces, incubators, accelerators and even a few commercial kitchen spaces that you can use to build your business, create products or design serves so the world can beat a path to your door.
Business Resources
Curated articles, reports, organizations, funding sources and other resources for women-owned and veteran-owned businesses as well as entrepreneurs and small businesses looking for capital and investors.
Washington BusinessHub
Washington BusinessHub is a great one-stop shop that includes nearly everything you need, from how to choose a business structure to licensing requirements. You may also want to look through their handy Business Roadmap, which is an easy to follow introduction to doing business in Washington State.
Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance
The Governor’s Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance (ORIA) offers great information and resources for small business and permit projects. Staff members are available to answer any questions related to local and state government regulations. Our Small Business Guide is a helpful tool for all phases of business.
Secretary of State
If the business structure you’ve chosen is a corporation, limited liability company, or limited partnership, you will need to register that company with the Office of the Secretary of State first, or have your attorney do it for you.
Registration with the Office of the Secretary of State is simple, just be sure to properly plan by using the Washington State Small Business Guide.
Department of Revenue
The Washington State Department of Revenue is a one-stop shop for registering your business, researching business incentives, getting a business line, filing quarterly or annual tax filings, and managing your business account with the state.