“Guys like us don’t often get the chance to participate in this sort of thing,” said Pat Larsen of participating in the Startup Skagit Valley initiative.
For most of his adult life, Pat has worked the boatyards in Skagit County. To have more flexible hours and more time for his young family, he came to our program to learn how to start his own business.
Pat showed up early for each session, ready with a comment about lessons learned during the prior session, and grateful for the opportunity to learn with peer entrepreneurs. Participants worked on businesses ranging from farm stands to refrigerator repair, to home schools, to transitional housing, to videography, and personal trainers. Some of businesses were already up and running, but most were still just a dream.
Pat initially wanted to start a public storage business, but the land alone would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars – and he had nowhere near that amount to invest. Employing the steps he learned in CIE’s Bootstrap Business Course, Pat quickly figured out this business wouldn’t be feasible for him. But he didn’t give up on his dream to be his own boss.
Pat knows everything and everyone who has anything to do with boats from Olympia to Bellingham. Capitalizing on his unique skills and nearly two decades in the marine trades, Pat decided to establish a “pre-inspection” service for boat owners and boat brokers.
Supported by his current employer and already owning all the tools he needed, Pat used the Bootstrap Business Course curriculum to work out the numbers. He established pricing based on the length of the boat, decided on a conservative hourly rate to charge, and formed a strategy to find customers. He came up with a name, applied for and received a business license, and opened bank and Venmo accounts. He created forms for quotes and invoices, printed business cards, and began spreading the word. Today, Larsen Marine Pre-trip is open for business.
In many ways, Pat is an unlikely entrepreneur. But, he had a simple solution to an everyday problem in the marine industry perfectly aligned to his unique gifts, skills, and interests. He trusted his instincts, sought out the business skills he needed, and came up with a realistic and achievable business idea. At Larsen Marine Pre-trip, Pat is now the boss. As the business grows, he’ll be able to live in and give back to his community and do the work that he loves – and he may never work for anyone else again.
This is what CIE is all about.
Over 45 emerging entrepreneurs participated in Startup Skagit Valley, a collaborative effort with the Mount Vernon Small Business Development Center, the Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County, the Port of Skagit County, the Mount Vernon Downtown Association, the Sedro Woolley Downtown Association, and the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce. It was funded in part by the USDA’s Rural Business Development Grant, a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce through the Washington State Microenterprise Association, and sponsorships from Harborstone Credit Union and the Port of Skagit County.