washington business
Washington is set to gain two million new people by 2040. Where will they live? What jobs will they have? What kinds of new businesses will they start and how will we power them?
To help prepare for the growth and changes ahead, AWB partnered with the Washington Roundtable to launch Washington in the Making 2040, a 15-year economic roadmap that draws on the input of more than 4,200 Washingtonians.
Gorgeous Seattle sunshine shimmered through the Glasshouse at the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum as employers, nonprofit and government leaders from across the state met to unveil this new project in June.
“ It’ s a plan that puts people first, and was brought to life by the people of Washington,” AWB President Kris Johnson said at the launch event.“ The ultimate goal is to make an even more vibrant Washington state, with opportunity for every person, and prosperity in every region.”
In 2023, 470 people joined 22 town hall meetings hosted by local chambers and economic development groups. Another 3,500 shared feedback online. Sixty-five subject-matter also experts helped shape the plan.
Across small towns and big cities, Washingtonians shared common priorities: affordable housing, clean and reliable energy, workforce training for young people, and a business climate that supports growth.
These themes form the pillars of Washington in the Making 2040.
“ Washington in the Making 2040 is more than a vision— it’ s a starting point for long-term collaboration and action,” said Washington Roundtable President Steve Mullin.
The next phase of the project will come through issue-specific Solution Summits. These will unite business owners, civic and community leaders to share ideas for bringing the plan to life. The first, the Energy Solutions Summit, took place in October. Progress will be measured through the AWB Institute Vitals, a data dashboard that tracks 36 economic indicators down to the county level.
pillar one: business environment
Opening a small business can be tangled process.
Efrain Martinez and Fidel Negrete grew up in Yakima Valley communities with deep Hispanic roots. Now they own Fiddle’ s Coffee House in Wapato, employing a dozen people. Their journey to ownership was, at times, confusing. They were surprised to find along the way, for instance, that they needed licenses from multiple local entities as well as the state.
“ We did not know where to get resources,” Fidel says.“ We spent a lot of time Googling.”
Their story reflects the challenges faced by many entrepreneurs.
The business environment pillar is about making Washington a top state to start, grow and sell a business. To reach that goal, the plan calls to streamline processes for starting a business— as well as making those resources easier to navigate.
It also needs a tax and regulatory environment that is more competitive, consistent and predictable, Johnson added. Washington is one of the most regulated states for business owners in the country— the state has more than 45,000 workforce-related regulations compared to an average of 7,000 in other states, he said.
At A Glance
This summer, AWB and the Washington Roundtable launched Washington in the Making 2040, a 15-year vision for our state’ s economy.
The vision is shaped by the perspectives of 4,200 Washingtonians, who shared their top economic priorities in 22 town halls and an online survey.
There was broad consensus around the need for more affordable housing, reliable and clean energy, more resources for workforce training, and a business climate that supports growth and innovation.
There will be Solutions Summits to bring the plan to life. Fidel Negrete and Efrain Martinez operate Fiddle’ s Coffee in Wapato.
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