Jefferson County is home to an unusual concentration of skilled professionals, people who built careers in finance, technology, operations, food systems, real estate, and more. EDC Team Jefferson's approach to business advising is designed to put that expertise to work for local businesses and entrepreneurs.
To leverage that local expertise, the EDC has built a network of advisors with diverse industry backgrounds, matched to businesses based on what they need. The EDC team works directly with businesses to understand their situation and connect them with the right advisor or resource.
Here's what's available:
Trained Local Advisors Through the Recompete Program
The centerpiece of the EDC's advising model is the Recompete Business Advisor Training, a federally funded program that is training 25 new business advisors across Jefferson and Clallam Counties.
Five Jefferson County residents graduated from the first cohort in December 2025 and are now actively advising. They include George Sawyer, who brings decades of experience in software, intellectual property, business development, and farm and food services; Kit Malone, a nonprofit executive director and construction manager who specializes in operational strategy; Justine Wagner, who also serves as the local APEX government contracting counselor; Charlotte Richardson, a longtime salon owner and brand educator; and Devin Gonzalez, a bilingual advisor who has experience as a business owner in the restaurant industry and advising local businesses through the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship.
Cohort II has twelve additional advisors in training, graduating soon, with backgrounds ranging from accounting and financial consulting to technology operations, regenerative agriculture, real estate, healthcare, and sustainability strategy. A third cohort is planned for Clallam County.
The EDC pays for each Recompete advisor's first three sessions, so businesses can receive at least that many sessions at no cost. Businesses can reach out to advisors directly or contact the EDC to be matched with an advisor whose experience fits their industry and challenge.
On-Staff Advising
Two members of the EDC team also provide direct advising services: Anne St George focuses on south Jefferson County (Brinnon, Quilcene, and surrounding communities) offering advising on financial planning, budgeting, business strategy, and more. Anne brings over 15 years of experience in budget and financial management across city government, higher education, and financial institutions, and is available for consultations with south county businesses.
Laura Brooks provides grant writing assistance to businesses and organizations throughout the county, drawing on her background as a former Women's Business Center Director and rural entrepreneurship program designer.
Free Specialized Advising Through Partner Programs
The EDC also connects businesses to specialized advisors at no cost through established state and federal programs.
APEX Accelerator: For businesses interested in government contracts and subcontracts, Justine Wagner provides personalized assistance with bid reviews, marketing, certifications, and database registration. Jefferson County and EDC Team Jefferson partner with the Clallam EDC to ensure continued access to free, in-person APEX advising on the Peninsula.
Small Business Development Center (SBDC): SharonAnn Hamilton is the SBDC advisor for Jefferson and Clallam Counties. Based in Port Angeles, she works primarily with Jefferson County clients remotely, providing confidential, no-cost advising on financial planning, business development, and all phases of starting or growing a business.
Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE): The CIE serves entrepreneurs who face additional barriers to starting or growing a business, with one-on-one advising and targeted support.
Marketing Advising: Kim Carver of Jack Tar Media is currently providing marketing advising and training to West End businesses through a Washington State Microenterprise Association grant administered by the EDC.
How to Get Started
If your business could use advising support, whether you're just starting out, looking to grow, navigating a specific challenge, or exploring government contracting, the first step is to reach out to the EDC. We can work with you to figure out which advisor or resource is the best fit.
Email: admin@edcteamjefferson.org Phone: 360.379.4693 Browse advising resources: edcteamjefferson.org/business_advising_services