Client Success Story: TKC Community Consignment

TKC Community Consignment - Port Angeles

TKC was started in late 2019 when Terry found herself between jobs. Then she got the idea to start a consignment shop. Within days, she had rented a space, pillaged her own closet and began stocking the small storefront with an eclectic range of clothing and collectibles. Right as her business was picking up, the pandemic hit. Fortunately for Terry, she was enrolled in the Self Employment Assistance Program (SEAP) through WorkSource, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, and CIE’s Start Simple Course.

After completing the Start Simple Course, Terry has been working with Rick Dickinson, one of CIE’s Business Advisors.

Terry has figured out a successful business model and a few creative ways for her business to contribute to her community. The consignment model gives back to the community. “I have a lot of great consignors. We are not a thrift store; we are a consignment shop. Once consignment items sell, a portion of these items go back into the consignors’ pocket, which is basically going back into the community” says Terry. She partnered with Serenity House, a local organization focused on preventing homelessness, to accept their voucher program - clients trying to get back into the workforce are able to visit the shop and get up to $25 worth of clothing. She also offers some clothing free or at low cost to help hard-working families struggling to make ends meet and she often gives unsold clothing to local charities.

Why is giving back such a priority? “I was born and raised here. My kids were born and raised here. It’s my community!”. For Terry, it’s just what you do.

 “The community response has been awesome, I have a number of people that donate knowing that the clothes will get put out for people in need.”  - Terry

 In January of 2021, Terry moved to a larger location. She now has more than 125 consignors and growing, and more and more customers are coming in. She even has a couple people who volunteer who help with tagging, steaming, and organizing inventory. “They’re a godsend!” says Terry.

What do you love about running the consignment store? “Interacting with my customers, clients, consignors, community, and getting to be my own boss.” - Terry

Come visit TKC Community Consignment!

128 E 5th St, Port Angeles, WA 98362

Tuesday through Saturday, 11-5

 Follow TKC on Facebook here

Cake to Dye For

Cake to Dye For by Chris Orr

 I remember, as a child, lying in my bed at night praying that I would wake up the next day and be a boy, to be my authentic self, and to just have my family be proud of me. I remember looking into the mirror struggling to say just two words, 'I'm transgender.' There is power in naming yourself, in proclaiming to the world that this is who you are. Wielding this power is often a difficult step for many transgender people, because it's also a very visible one. My pronouns are he and him. I identify as male, specifically as a transgender male. And my name is Christian Richards. Being transgender makes me who I am today. I am a strong, independent and confident person. Being transgender gives me my personality. Being transgender, like being gay, tall, short, white, black, male, or female, is another part of the human condition that makes each individual unique, and something over which we have no control. We are who we are in the deepest recesses of our minds, hearts and identities. 

I've wandered through the world, and written myself through the darkness of the streets inside me. I often see people walking through the city and wonder where they've been, what they’ve been doing and what events in their lives have made them the people they are today. If they are anything like me, the events in their lives have held them up and shot them down.

 Some of the most memorable and fulfilling times in my life have been the times when I was helping others. I don’t want to live in the kind of world where we don’t look out for each other. Not just the people that are close to us, but anybody who needs a helping hand. There is no better feeling than the feeling you get when you reach out your hand to help lift people up. The feeling you get when you are able to do a simple act of kindness to make someone's day just a little brighter. Go into the world everyday and do well. Most importantly, go into the world and do good.

Breaking generational curses, dreaming, and wondering is what Cake To Dye For is all about. Making the difference you have been working your entire life for requires an amazing team. A team that is not only trustworthy and hardworking, but a team that has become like a family who wants to educate others in order to promote change. And I found just that when I was offered the “back of the napkin course” with CIE I felt honored that someone was willing to take a chance on me, by educating me and in return ensuring future success. Because of this course, I am confident in my ability to continue to follow my dreams of being a transgender business owner as well as not losing myself or my beliefs in the process. It has helped me take the skills I’ve learned and share them with others.  It has allowed me to pursue my passion for baking and continue helping others in the process.

One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn’t as individuals. When we pool our strengths and share the workload and responsibilities, we can welcome people from many walks of life. Even those in deep distress, and perhaps help them find self-confidence and inner healing. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn someone’s life around. CIE and Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market saw the potential in me. Gave me a listening ear and a kind smile. They helped me turn my life around.  If you're convinced you've found your field of dreams, build it! Always remember you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and change the world.

“Dreams do come true, you just have to chase them. There are still bananas you haven't peeled, and a future ahead of you that you haven't lived.”

You can find Cake to Dye For on Instagram @caketodyefor

Heart & Place is open for business!

Jenn Peach

I started Heart & Place after helping my family complete two large home downsizing projects. Afterwards I wanted to help others sort and clear years of paperwork, outdated clothing, photos, and more. Each home and person is unique and so I tailor my work to help accomplish a client's specific goals. My biggest joy comes from when I can help ease life transition points by creating calm, efficient spaces for people: the birth of a child, empty-nesting, divorce, or the loss of a loved one. These life transitions often come with the need to re-evaluate what stays in the home and what needs be edited out. I love supporting people and families during that process.

The real starting point for my business was when I enrolled in the Start Simple Business Course with CIE last summer during the height of Covid. The course gave me a way to focus my energy and thoughts during a chaotic time, and I have emerged with a clearer picture of business finances, marketing, and branding. I just announced my business grand opening on social media and I'm booking clients… just in time for spring cleaning season!

Let Us Show You Learning

After working 25 years as a network administrator, Brian Williams wanted to show people the power of software they already had. As an African American man, he knew it was going to be harder to start his business, but knew it would be worth it. “I decided to let this fuel my fire,” said Brian. While attending CIE’s Bootstrap Business Course, “MVP” (the concept of Minimum Viable Product) really resonated with him. He went from planning a business to running a business. In May of 2019, Let Us Show You Learning was open for business. Click here to learn about his services including word, excel and outlook.

Open for Business: Larsen Marine Pre-trip

“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.