Taught by leading faculty from the UW Foster School of Business, the Center’s Business Management Education courses provide business owners and other professionals an opportunity to learn proven business fundamentals and immediately apply them to their work. This management education leads toward creating expansion plans and the development of CEO-to-CEO networks that will open new business opportunities.
Ascend Seattle is a business education program that accelerates business growth through management education, access to contracting and business development opportunities with large corporations and government agencies, connections to lenders and investors, and the development of CEO-to-CEO networks that will open new business opportunities. Ascend Seattle is a cohort-based program designed to leverage resources and networks from the Foster School of Business to grow small to medium-sized companies in specific industry sectors.
Working together to strengthen our communities, the Ascend Seattle program is part of a national network of partners that works to connect business schools, business service-providing organizations, and community development financial institutions to generate a support ecosystem for helping entrepreneurs accelerate business growth. Learn more about this work here!
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The program is taught by Michael G. Foster School of Business faculty as well as business professionals and entrepreneurs. Some of the topics include:
- Strategic Planning and Decision-Making
- Financial Management and Forecasting
- Raising Capital for Growth
- Pricing Strategy
- Innovation Strategy
- Sustaining Growth
BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM
- Development of three-year strategic growth plans assisted by business experts and fellow company owners
- Connections with corporations and government agencies that are looking to expand contracting and supply chain partnerships
- Access to new sources of loans
- Access to consulting teams of business students to work on strategic projects for your company
IDEAL CANDIDATES
This program is ideal for founders, CEOs, or executives of established companies owned by people of color, women, veterans, those who identify as LGBTQ and/or those located in under-served communities. Companies must have been in operation for a minimum of one year AND have revenues of at least $300,000 per year. Generally, companies with revenues approaching or above $1 million are best suited to take advantages of the resources provided in this program.
For the Ascend Seattle 2023 program cohort, we are seeking participants from companies providing products and services in the following industries:
- Commercial Construction
- Real Estate Development
- Construction & Clean Energy
- Affordable Housing Construction (including workforce housing): Firms in this cohort include subcontractors of all trades with experience on commercial construction projects, affordable housing projects, or both.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Start date: Friday, February 17th, 2023
End date: Friday, June 23rd, 2023
Time & Frequency: 8 AM – 12 PM, every other Friday
Location: In-person, UW Seattle Campus, Foster School of Business
Cost: $3,000 – Scholarships available*
APPLICATION
Applications open in late December 2022 and close in early February 2023. In addition, there is an interview process to review applicants. Companies can either self-pay or be nominated by one of the Center’s corporate partners.
* Should an applicant receive a scholarship from the UW or Ascend Seattle Partner, it is not guaranteed that the applicant will receive future business opportunities from these organizations. Application information will be shared with Ascend Seattle Partners should an applicant opt for wanting a scholarship (see application). Some partners have follow-up requirements such as meetings with partner and business documentation.
Applications will open in late December 2022
COMPLETE THIS INTEREST FORM TO STAY UPDATED!
CONTACT
Wilfredo Tutol, [email protected]
Rebecca Thornton, [email protected]
The Minority Business Executive Program is a one-week residential program that takes place each Fall for supply chain partners of large corporations and government agencies from across the US. The intensive curriculum grows business leaders from companies owned by individuals who are people of color, women, veteran, disabled, LGBTQ and other minority groups, helping them to position their companies for today’s global economy.
Participants learn to utilize financial tools to make better business decisions, develop strategic plans for growth and sustainability, identify new technologies to scale operations, learn how to market their products and services more effectively, explore strategies to access global markets, and develop their leadership acumen. They return to their business with enhanced knowledge, a renewed personal energy, and an invaluable network of fellow diverse business leaders.
Please visit the Minority Executive Education’s website for more information.
This 10-credit program includes courses in Management and Leadership, Marketing, Accounting and Finance with a Capstone course that brings all of the learning together. The course combines general business education with issues specifically relevant to the tribal gaming business to create a unique learning environment.
Curriculum is developed in partnership with leaders of Tribal gaming enterprises, and in partnership with the UW Department of American Indian Studies.
The course is offered each summer (summer terms A and B) in three 4-day sessions (one session in June, the second in July, and the final in August). Because this course is designed with experiential learning in mind, the majority of the class sessions will be held on site at Tribal casinos throughout Washington.
In conjunction with the leaders of Tribal gaming enterprises, this program’s goal is to help prepare the next generation of leaders for tribal casinos in the northwest.
(Location details will be provided following registration; all site locations are within a day’s drive of the UW campus.)
APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION
The application and registration process is between February and May each year.
Application Fee: $80
Registration Fee: $3,835
CONTACT
Gabriela Michan, [email protected], (206) 543-9545
The Business Certificate Program improves the business knowledge, skills, and leadership abilities of employees and small business owners of Seattle’s leading businesses. This is a FREE six-week course taught by UW business professors, open to all business owners and/or employees. This program aims to allow participants to learn proven business concepts and apply them to their work immediately. The program is designed for people who want to become more effective in their jobs, develop their leadership and strategic thinking skills, and improve their problem-solving abilities.
Topics Included:
- Leading a Highly Effective Organization
- Strategic Decision-Making
- Financial Management
- Understanding Your Company’s Financial Health
- Marketing and Branding Fundamentals
- Marketing Plan Development
Winter 2024 Dates:
Dates: Every Thursday, Jan 25th – Feb 29th
Times: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Virtual via Zoom
For more information and to register, click on the link below:
The Business Certificate Program improves the business knowledge, skills, and leadership abilities of employees of the Yakima Valley’s leading businesses. This six-week program is taught by leading faculty from the UW Michael G. Foster School of Business and provides participants an opportunity to learn proven business fundamentals and immediately apply them to their work. This program will expand your business skills and improve your job performance. The program is designed for people who want to become more effective in their job, who want to develop their leadership and strategic thinking skills and improve their problem-solving abilities.
Topics include:
- Leading a Highly Effective Organization
- Strategic Decision Making
- Financial Management
- Understanding Your Company’s Financial Health
- Marketing and Branding Fundamentals
- Marketing Plan Development
We are also offering the advanced version and the topics include:
- Human Resource Management
- Performance Management
- Industry Analysis and B2B Marketing
- Corporate Social Strategy
- Managerial Accounting
- Performance Evaluation
Participants may register through one of the following options:
Spring 2022
Fundamentals Course
- Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 9:00 PM
- March 10, 17, 21, 31
- April 7, 14
Advanced Course
- Friday mornings from 9:00-12:00 PM
- March 11,18, 25
- April 1, 8, 15
Mid-Spring 2021
Advanced Course
- Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 9:00 PM
- April 21, 28
- May 5, 12, 19, 26
Fundamentals Course
- Friday mornings from 8:00-11:00 AM
- April 22, 29
- May 6, 13, 20, 27
For more information and how to register please contact:
Gabriela Michan: [email protected] | (206) 543 9545