UW Consulting & Business Development Center

07/20/2026

The Business Management Consulting Program (BMCP) pairs your business with talented student consultants and advisors to develop practical solutions that drive long-term growth. Applications are now open for 2026-2027!
Apply by August 28, 2026.
Program Flyer: https://adobe.ly/4wBEmok
Apply Now: https://uwfoster.tfaforms.net/130?tfa_274=BMCP

07/01/2026

🎓 Congratulations to our 2026 Ascend Seattle Cohort!
This past Thursday, we celebrated the graduation of an incredible group of small business owners who spent the last 3 months showing up with dedication, curiosity, and a true commitment to growth. Watching them sharpen their business acumen, challenge themselves, and support one another throughout this program has been truly inspiring. The work they put in doesn't just impact their businesses; it strengthens our entire industry. A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors and program partners who make Ascend Seattle possible. Your belief in these entrepreneurs and the expertise and industry knowledge you so generously share makes all the difference.

06/30/2026

"Anh Ơi Bake Shop is a Vietnamese-American bakery located in Seattle's Japantown, specializing in cookies created by Vince Vu. As an Asian American consultant, I am excited to help Vince streamline his business operations by applying what I have learned as a student at the Foster School of Business and real-world experiences as a Seattle foodie." -Dana M. Loui, CBDC Summer Consultant 2026

06/25/2026

Last week, Ascend Seattle participants explored two essential business skills: sales and negotiation.

Brooklyn Dicent of The Happiness Consulting Company led a conversation on the art of selling, guiding participants through a customer-first framework — one that prioritizes understanding consumer needs before leading with a product or service.

Professor Elizabeth Umphress shared her expertise on contract negotiation, challenging participants to think beyond their own interests. The session highlighted how a partnership-driven approach tends to produce stronger, more sustainable outcomes for everyone at the table.

A sincere thank you to both Brooklyn and Professor Umphress for bringing such valuable perspectives to our cohort.

06/23/2026

Mouhamed is the owner and president of Evergreen Safety Signals LLC which is a certified DBE/MBE traffic control company based in Washington State, serving the Puget Sound region. They specialize in providing Traffic Control Supervisors (TCS), flaggers, and traffic control equipment for public and private construction projects

Each year, Ascend Seattle supports small businesses across the Greater Seattle area through a 10-week program designed to help participants refine and grow their ventures. Mouhamed is a strong example of how Ascend Seattle delivers meaningful impact across diverse business needs. A special thank you to our UW partners for supporting this impactful program, especially for GLY for sponsoring Mouhamed.

04/21/2026

When Bill and Al created this award, they aimed to do more than recognize research—they wanted to inspire what comes next. By supporting emerging scholars, the award fuels new ideas and drives innovation that creates real change.
Their vision unites the Foster School of Business at UW and UCLA’s Anderson School of Management—two public institutions working together to expand opportunity and accelerate wealth creation for all. Congratulations!

03/14/2026

Celebrating our newest Ascend National Cohort graduates! 🎓🐾💜🫶🫶

02/20/2026

🫶💜 The UW Consulting and Business Development Center would like to extend our appreciation to Basil Alnahdi, Ryan Hamilton and, Angel Ibarra, from KeyBank, who generously volunteered their time to mentor 15 student consulting teams in the Business Management Consulting Program (MKTG/MGMT 445 class). Each team is working with a small business this quarter, representing industries such as food and beverage, manufacturing, construction, beauty, professional services, healthcare, arts and recreation, and more.

The financial guidance provided by our advisors is incredibly valuable. Their insights help students assess their client companies’ financial health and develop strong, data driven recommendations to support business growth. driven recommendations to support business growth.

We also want to give a special shoutout to Reed Standlee for his ongoing partnership and support of this program year after year.

Thank you to KeyBank for your continued commitment to our students and the small businesses we serve!

01/07/2026

CBDC's Tribe programs are getting spotlights on the Seattle Times! EQC's innovative approach to community‑driven development is starting to draw well‑deserved attention here in Seattle. 🥳

The scope of Washington's tribal economies is expanding its reach — and the tribes' reasoning is that's to the aid of all.

01/03/2026

We were so happy to see our students and nonprofit partners at the 25-26 Board Fellows Kickoff Breakfast! 💜🥳

Thank you to our panelists Ed Bridge, Jimese Harkley, and Mo Malakoutian for their invaluable insights on leadership, fiduciary responsibility, and effective board service. We look forward to what our Board Fellows will accomplish as they bring fresh perspectives to nonprofits boards across the community.

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