In August of 2019, the Northeast Portland brunch cafe Beeswing closed its doors. The restaurant had been open for two and a half years and was owned and operated by industry veterans. The reason? It wasn’t profitable enough. Beeswing isn’t alone: Portland has a long history of shuttered restaurants and bars that served amazing food and drink but still eventually closed. After all, the revenue needed for restaurants in Portland to succeed is staggeringly high.

"The program was a great help, I wish we would have started (with Restaurant Business Builders) before we actually considered the idea of opening our own business."

Watch: Senior Advisor and Program Facilitator Leslie Hildula interviews Daisy and Ivan from Good Karma Rose Juice Bar & Caffé - located in Portland, Oregon's Kenton neighborhood - and recent graduates of the Restaurant Business Builders program.

With a deep background in the wine industry, professional education in agriculture and business, and experience as a food researcher, Jill Beaman came to lead the Getting Your Recipe to Market Program at the PCC SBDC 7 years ago. This is her story.

Registration for fall programming opened last week and PCC SBDC is accepting applications from small business owners, entrepreneurs and global trade professionals seeking to tap into the experts and advisors at the PCC Small Business Development Center. Read on to learn more!

Earlier this month, Barneys filed for bankruptcy, joining a growing list of other large retailers to file in recent years including Toys “R” Us, Radioshack, Sears and Sports Authority. Another story in the Guardian newspaper last week reported that tourists in NYC are surprised by the shuttering of retailers. However, the same isn't necessarily true in Portland—there are many reasons why retail will survive here.

Carmen Ripley Wilson approached the PCC Small Business Development Center seeking help with her new retail business. She was going through a career shift, having spent 15-years working as a naturopathic doctor. Combining her passion for small business retail with an emphasis on sustainability, Carmen came up with the idea for Beanstalk Children's Store.

Orientations offered by PCC’s Small Business Development Center (at no cost!) are a great way to learn about the opportunities we offer to help you turn your business idea into action. A typical orientation includes a small group of future entrepreneurs – but may also include sole-proprietors and small business owners seeking to find efficient, practical and effective solutions to common business-related challenges. You’ll leave our 2-hour orientation having identified new resources, and with an action plan to guide your next steps.

Register for an upcoming orientation today! 

Hannah Kullberg began her work with the PCC Small Business Develop Center in March of 2019. She is an advisor in the Getting Your Recipe to Market (GYRM) Program. This is her story.

After years of working as a solo entrepreneur, a CPA, and a strategic adviser at the Portland Community College’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Jackie Babicky Peterson realized her clients did not want to hire employees, but rather were interested in making a living doing what they love (especially those over 50),  So she created a program to address their needs.

Patrick and Melodie Ethel-King, owners of New Horizons Wellness Services 

New Horizons Wellness Services, for many years existed as Dr. Patrick Ethel-King’s successful mental health private practice.  Starting in 2012, Melodie began to work within the clinic to expand the services provided with a combination of physical and mental health treatments. They have a unique, multidisciplinary wellness approach that includes occupational therapy, speech therapy, psychology and counseling, psychological evaluations, social skills development groups, and summer camps. This is their story.