Washington Coast Works business competition boot camp underway in Forks

Published 12:01 am Friday, July 31, 2015

FORKS — Twelve finalists from coastal communities have been chosen to participate in an intensive small-business boot camp as part of the Washington Coast Works: Sustainable Small Business Competition.

The boot camp, which started Thursday and runs through Sunday, will include workshops on entrepreneurship, business and sustainability, according to a news release.

After the boot camp, finalists will have access to one-on-one technical assistance from business advisers to develop and refine business concepts before going on to compete for $20,000 in startup funding, along with ongoing training and support.

The first-place winner will receive $10,000 in startup funding, while two second-place winners will receive $5,000 each.

Prize funding is provided by First Federal and the Quinault Nation.

The finalists and their business proposals are:

■ Elizabeth Alexandra, Aberdeen: Launching a worker cooperative to collect food waste for production and sale of compost.

■ Emily Foster, Forks/Quileute tribe: Starting a business that smokes and sells locally caught fish to both residents and tourists.

■ Liz Ellis, Aberdeen: Launching a business providing low-income housing with community gardens.

■ Anna Kim, Westport: Starting a business to

manufacture and sell sustainable “papercrete” landscaping materials using recycled paper.

■ Robert Long, Neah Bay/Makah tribe: Launching a business to produce and sell sustainably farmed seaweed and shellfish.

■ Kelsey Pearson, Forks: Starting a food cooperative that will offer a diverse array of local food and produce to the community.

■ Linda Reeves, Queets/Quinault tribe: Launching a marketplace for Native American arts and crafts, as well as local produce and food.

■ Roxanne Eison, Taholah/Quinault tribe: Expanding her existing forest-thinning business to include sustainable harvesting and sale of salal.

■ Greg Larsen, Hoquiam: Starting a business to manufacture alternative, affordable and sustainable housing using shipping containers.

■ Mark Ray, Neah Bay/Makah tribe: Launching a coffee shop featuring local coffee roasters, craft beers, wines and foods.

■ Jean Ramos, Queets/Quinault tribe: Starting a business to sell traditional Native American medicinal products.

■ Michael Myers, Cosmopolis: Launching a consulting business focusing on converting waste to energy using methane digesters.

The competition is being presented by the Taala Fund, the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship at Pinchot University and The Nature Conservancy in an effort to diversify the local economy through the development of new small businesses, among other goals.

For more information, visit www.wacoastworks.org.