“People tend to have the passion but not the business knowledge.” That’s what the young owners of Bellingham Wind Works shared with us on Friday when asked about their journey. In 2001, Ed DeVaney was faced with an incredible opportunity – to purchase the Music Shoppe where he had been employed. The Problem? He had no prior knowledge in running or operating a business. Prior to this business venture, Ed had worked as an apprentice under David Laws where he gained an incredible skill set and grew his passion for instruments and serving the community. This was when he first heard about the Small Business Development Center and decided to seek advice, mentor ship and direction for his business. Fast forward to 2011 after being a business owner for 10 years, Ed and his new wife Kat decided to change the name of the shop to Bellingham Wind Works where they and their 5 employees would continue to share the common goal to support music and arts in our schools and community.
Kat and Ed DeVaney, owners, Bellingham Wind Works
As the demand for musical instruments grew, Ed and Kat came back to SBDC to gain knowledge on how to accommodate the needs of a fast growing business. Ed and Kat, with the help of SBDC, are planning to expand their space, hire more employees and carry more inventory to grow Bellingham Wind Works to its fullest potential.
“SBDC has been an imperative part of our success. It was so comforting to walk into the office without any knowledge of running a business and the incredible staff will walk you through everything step by step” says owner Ed DeVaney.
By Nicole Rack, Marketing Intern, WWU SBDC
Contacts:
Kat & Ed DeVaney: 360.733.5840, http://bellinghamwindworks.com/
Western Washington University Small Business Development Center: 360.778.1762, http://www.wwu.edu/sbdc/, https://www.facebook.com/BellinghamSBDC/
