The Small Business Development Center of Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, launched the Bellingham BusinessLINC® Coalition in January 2002. The objective of the program is to link small business owners and managers with others in their industry, to facilitate the sharing of expertise and experience and to provide a safe and confidential environment where members can talk about sensitive business problems and issues.

The Bellingham BusinessLINC® Coalition runs the mentor-protégé program and the Small Business Roundtable Program. The mentor-protégé program matches up small business owners with experienced members of the business community who act as mentors. Mentors and protégés decide together how often and in what manner they want to communicate.

The Roundtable Program provides the opportunity for small business owners and managers to connect with experts from their industry on a monthly basis. Industry experts are invited to speak on a specific topic, followed by an informal discussion during which participants can share their own experiences and knowledge and ask for advice and support. Topics for discussion may include strategic planning, marketing and PR, or budgeting. According to small business participants, the most valuable aspect of the Roundtable Program is the opportunity to meet with peers for support and to share common problems and solutions. The coalition’s plans this year are to expand the Roundtable program to include agricultural producers and rural entrepreneurs.