Date: October 8, 2025
Time: 10:00 - 11:15 AM
Speaker: Shawn Palmer, OneEastside
Location: Kirkland City Hall | 123 5th Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033
Small Business Case Studies: Learn from local business success, failure, and dysfunction
How assertively would you like to accelerate your learning curve?
In a blend of classroom presentation and small group work, analyze and evaluate real-life small business case studies to avoid pitfalls and maximize opportunities
Topics covered: Customer acquisition, marketing, negotiating, when to burn the midnight oil/when to outsource, employee management and workplace culture
Audience: established businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs
More information here.
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When: 2nd Wednesday of the Month, from 11 AM to 2 PM
Where: Kirkland City Hall
Who: All are welcome! We have a quiet space and an option for business advising
Join us for the entire time or pop in at the times that work best for you. Instead of working from your house, office, or local coffee shop, join us at City Hall!
Need some one-on-one assistance? Sign up below!
Business Advising 1:1 Sign Up with Shawn Palmer
Created specifically and exclusively for entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners in the beautiful city of Kirkland. Startup and Small Business Co-Working is designed to foster collaboration, inspire innovation, and provide valuable resources to help you thrive in your entrepreneurial journey along with fellow entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners.
Hosted by the City of Kirkland, Startup425, and OneEastside. Learn more here.
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Effective January 1, 2026, the sales tax rate in the City of Kirkland will increase to 10.4%. The current rate of 10.3% will remain in effect until that date. You can learn more about what the .1% increase will fund, here.
The 2025 Washington State Legislature passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 5814, which added new business activities to the definition of retail sales. As a result, businesses will be required to begin collecting sales tax on the following services starting Oct. 1, 2025:
- Advertising services.
- Live presentations.
- Information technology services.
- Custom website development services.
- Investigation, security, and armored car services.
- Temporary staffing services.
- Sales of custom software and customization of prewritten software.
ESSB 5814 also removes the following exclusions from the definition of digital automated services (DAS):
- Services involving primarily human effort.
- Live presentations.
- Advertising services.
- Data processing services.
The bill also created a new exclusion to DAS for “telehealth” and “telemedicine services.”
During the 2025 legislative session, state leaders passed a $9.4 billion revenue package, the largest tax increase in Washington state history. On October 1, 2025, the new rules for the Sales and Use and B&O taxes will become effective.
Join Seattle Metro Chamber's special webinar with the Department of Revenue to learn everything you need to ensure your business is ready to be in compliance with these new rules.
Thursday, September 18, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
[Register here for Webinar]
Learn more from the Department of Revenue website here.
The Seattle Metro Chamber, in partnership with its regional economic development partner, Greater Seattle Partners (GSP), is now accepting applications from small and mid-sized businesses in King County seeking customized export assistance.
The Greater Seattle Export Accelerator provides expert-led training, personalized trade advising, and access to a strong network of public and private export partners.
GSP is currently inviting applications from small and mid-sized businesses in King County for customized export assistance. Act fast - applications are open today: https://greater-seattle.com/exportaccelerator/
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The Seattle Metro Chamber’s Community Business Connector (CBC) program is thrilled to announce the launch of Game Ready Activation Grants!
These grants will support business area activations through local organizations, ensuring we maximize the incredible economic opportunities of the 2026 Games.
We encourage applications for inclusive, community-building events such as cultural festivals, family-friendly gatherings, and business promotions designed to engage King County’s diverse communities and celebrate this global event.
- Awards of $5,000, $10,000 and $20,000
- Open to business districts, cultural organizations, merchant associations, and small businesses in King County
- Activations must be free, family-friendly, and completed by Dec. 27, 2025
- Events must take place in small or mid-size cities or unincorporated areas in King County
DEADLINE: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through Nov. 10, 2025, or until funds are exhausted. Apply here.
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The City of Kirkland saved more than $22,000 in 2024 by participating in Puget Sound Energy’s Commercial Strategic Energy Management (CSEM) program. The City’s energy savings equaled $11,056 in direct incentives from PSE and an estimated $11,804 in avoided utility costs. In terms of actual energy usage, the City of Kirkland saved 84,770 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 4,174 therms of natural gas in 2024.
“Kirkland is proud to be a part of this program and help encourage others to save money,” said Councilmember Neal Black. “Through the CSEM program, we’ve shown that managing the City’s energy usage benefits both the environment and taxpayers. We hope our local businesses sign up for the program and see similar results to their bottom lines.”
The CSEM program helps organizations cut costs by incorporating energy-saving practices into their daily operations. Participants will work with PSE engineers to identify energy-saving opportunities, track their energy usage with PSE’s software, and receive financial incentives to reduce energy use. The program is open to businesses of all sizes and sectors across the region.
Businesses that join the program can:
- Lower their energy bills through operational improvements.
- Access cash incentives for measurable savings.
- Demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and community leadership.
To learn more or enroll in the program, visit PSE’s website: https://www.pse.com/en/business-incentives/energy-management-programs/commercial-strategic-energy-management.
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If you a City of Kirkland business and you have storm drains on your property (grate structures located in parking lots), the City of Kirkland will install storm drain markers next to your drains for FREE! These storm drain markers have the colorful message, “Drains to Lake Washington - Only Rain Down the Drain”. Did we mention we will deliver and install for FREE!
If interested, schedule a time on the City of Kirkland Storm and Surface water webpage (Business Pollution Prevention).
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Want to stay up-to-date with everything happening in Kirkland? Sign up for our Events Guide Newsletter here or check out the calendar here. |
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Event: Umbrella Fringe
Presented By: Kirkland Arts Center
Dates: October 3-5, 2025
Location: Downtown Kirkland
Umbrella Fringe is a bold and exhilarating festival that celebrates the unconventional, the experimental, and the downright unexpected.
More information here.
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Event: Harvest Festival
Presented By: City of Kirkland - Parks and Community Services
Dates: October 4, 2025
Location: Juanita Beach Park (North Side) | 9703 NE Juanita Dr, Kirkland, WA 98034
The event will include craft and food vendors, food trucks, contests, pony rides, kids corral with games and crafts, as well as a pickleball tournament.
More information here.
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While doing business in Kirkland, you may occasionally be impacted by construction projects. Keep up-to-date on projects as they are planned and happen by visiting the City of Kirkland's construction project webpage using this link.
Highlighted Projects
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