The City of Kirkland is excited to extend an invitation to apply to participate in our upcoming Workshop and Pitch Competition, tailored specifically for small businesses like yours.



Event Details:

• Application Link: http://tinyurl.com/ypxfz4sp
• Date: Every Tuesday from February 20 to March 19
• Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
• Venue: Peter Kirk Community Center, Kirkland
• Pitch Competition: April 3, 5:30 PM at Kirkland Performing Center



Workshops:

• Basics of Business
• Date: February 20, 2024
• Speaker: Cameron Wong and Christian Switzer, MBA
• Time: 11 AM-1 PM
• Location: Peter Kirk Community Center
• This is a crash course in the investment required of local small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs to both compete in a pitch competition and scale their businesses: time, effort, and a little outside help. Specific topics will include basic legalities such as organization, licensing, and taxes; an assessment of skillset, risk, and needed resources; and an overview of the competition, including requirements, schedule, learning deliverables, and prizes.

• Lean Canvas Business Plan and Market Research
• Date: February 27, 2024
• Speaker: Jim Lopez, MPA, JD, and Christian Switzer, MBA
• Time: 11 AM-1 PM
• Location: Peter Kirk Community Center
• Attendees will learn how to use Lean Canvas to summarize the primary components of a business plan. Emphasized will be identifying customer segments and competition, branding, revenue forecasting, and sustainable profitability. Extensive Q&A to follow.

• The Business of Finances for Small Businesses
• Date: March 5, 2024
• Speaker: Stephanie Morris, CPA
• Time: 11 AM-1 PM
• Location: Peter Kirk Community Center
• This session will cover the tax, audit, and accounting side coupled with the funding and budgetary side, respectively. The reporting requirements, risks, and common missteps of the small business owner will be reviewed so that attendees learn the value of recordkeeping and accurate financial statements. In addition, attendees will learn how to calculate, plan for, and communicate initial and ongoing capital funding needs to afford them their greatest opportunity for successful launch and growth.

• Marketing and More
• Date: March 12, 2024
• Speaker: Startup425
• Time: 11 AM-1 PM
• Location: Peter Kirk Community Center
• Presented by Startup425, attendees will learn how to communicate their vision with potential stakeholders, including customers, lenders, and judges. Entrepreneurs are the consummate do-it-yourselfers: focused, ambitious, resolute. Yet a common challenge remains the “sell”…the effective influence of a target audience toward a desired outcome. Branding strategies, sales techniques, and presentation how-to’s will all be covered.

• Preparing to Pitch
• Date: March 19, 2024
• Speaker: Startup425
• Time: 11 AM-1 PM
• Location: Peter Kirk Community Center
• Need assistance with your pitch? In-person coaching sessions will be available to contestants to help refine their presentation for the live pitch in front of the panel of judges.

• Live Pitch Finale!
• Date: April 3, 2024
• Time: Doors Open at 5:30 PM, Competition starts at 6
• Location: Kirkland Performance Center
• The Live Pitch will be judged by a panel of three judges in a competition for the $5,000 grand prize awards. All contestants will be required to give their pitch in person. 

Our engaging workshops at the Peter Kirk Community Center will cover essential topics to fuel your business growth, including:

Pitch Competition: Participants will have the chance to showcase their businesses at the Kirkland Performing Center, featuring three-minute pitches across three categories: People’s Choice, Start-Up, and Expansion. The top finalists in each category are eligible for prizes of $5,000

Registration: Small businesses across all industries are invited to register online through open forms. The limit is 43 businesses, and applicants will be selected by a random generator. Accepted participants will be notified by February 16, 2024.

This event aims to foster growth, innovation, and collaboration within Kirkland's entrepreneurial community. We believe your business has the potential to shine in this dynamic environment.

To apply fill out this form. For more information or questions, please reach out to Christian Switzer at cswitzer@kirklandwa.gov.

We look forward to your participation and the opportunity to witness the growth of your business!

If these dates and times do not work for you, reach out to the Renton Downtown Partnership about their upcoming Workshops and Pitch Competition which is at a later date with evening classes.