Comcast Celebrates Small Business Owners in King County at MOHAI Event

Last week, Comcast brought together Comcast RISE recipients, community partners, local chambers, Comcast leaders, and more from across King County for Comcast RISE Day, an evening of education, collaboration, networking, and recognition. Held at the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) in South Lake Union, the event featured presentations on how small businesses can leverage A.I. and protect themselves against cybersecurity threats. Additionally, GSBA and the Seattle Metro Chamber provided free one-year memberships to attending RISE recipients.

This year, Comcast RISE awarded 100 small businesses in King County over $3 million in monetary, marketing, and technology grants. The comprehensive grant packages include $500,000 in monetary grants, technology makeovers powered by Comcast Business, creative production and media schedules from Comcast Advertising, educational resources, and business consultation services.

King County is one of only five metropolitan areas in the nation chosen for the program this year. Comcast RISE Day showcased our commitment to supporting local businesses and fostering economic growth in our communities.

“Everybody thinks that there should be a lot of money and tools out there for small businesses, but there’s actually not. I was excited when I found Comcast RISE. I know it’s kind of a long shot, but I applied for it. It’s super exciting to have been picked for it, said Joe Simmons, Owner – Superior Imprints in Kent, Washington. We will use the grant package to help update and digitize our internal systems and to set up an e-commerce platform. Many of our current processes are still paper-based – but not for long. This change will speed things up and smooth out our office work.”

“We have quite a few ideas to expand and grow; we just need the funding and support,” said Gail Thompson, Owner of Junebug’s Sauce Inc. in Federal Way, Washington. “These resources from Comcast will help us plan more strategically and better leverage some of the processes we already have in place so we can grow our wholesale customer base and get our sauce on more shelves.”

To date, Comcast RISE has provided $160 million in monetary, marketing, and technology resources to 14,500 small businesses nationwide.

“At Comcast, we recognize that small businesses are the backbone of our communities,” said Keith Turner, Senior Vice President, Comcast Pacific Northwest Region. “Through the Comcast RISE program, we are committed to providing entrepreneurs with the resources to grow and flourish.”

Disclaimer: Andy Colley is a senior director and copywriter for Comcast NBCUniversal.