SEATTLE (November 30, 2017) – Signing an Executive Order at Elliott Bay Book Company, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan established the Seattle’s first Small Business Advisory Council (SBAC). Tasked with ensuring small businesses have a role in informing policies and programs as well as access to resources, the council will provide input on impact of City decisions, make policy recommendations, and help increase access to tools and resources available to small businesses.
“Inventing the future and supporting vibrant neighborhoods means supporting small businesses that call Seattle home. Our small businesses must be a part of solving our urgent challenges of affordability and growth,” said Mayor Durkan. “With this first ever council, Seattle’s diverse and innovative small businesses will have a voice in City Hall and be a part of creating and crafting solutions.”
As part of today’s announcement, Durkan announced four co-chairs including: Joe Fugere, Owner of Tutta Bella; Taylor Hoang, Entrepreneur and Executive Director, Ethnic Business Coalition; Donna Moodie, Owner of Marjorie Restaurant and CEO of Mint Holding a food and design company; and Tracy Taylor, Manager of Elliott Bay Book Company.
The SBAC charter will be determine by February 1, 2018 with the first meeting by March 1, 2018. SBAC members will represent businesses of different sizes, different industries, different neighborhoods, and from different sectors, stages, and ownership models and will include under-represented entrepreneurs: women, immigrants, refugees people of color, and the LGBTQ community.
Seattle has about 36,500 businesses with fewer than 50 employees that employ nearly 200,000 people in Seattle. Across Washington State, small businesses account for more than half of all of our jobs in Washington State. Collectively, our small businesses employ nearly 200,000 people in Seattle.
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