As the official support publication of Whatcom Business Alliance, we report on business and commerce issues and features throughout Whatcom County.
12/22/2025
Business Pulse magazine contributor Fred Likkel explains the status of the critical water adjudication process in Whatcom County. Read his update on this far-reaching court case: businesspulse.com/nov-dec-2025, page 47.
Fred is the executive director of Whatcom Family Farmers, dedicated to preserving the future of Whatcom County family farming. Photos courtesy of Dillon Honcoop.
COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION: Join WBA for a free subscription to Business Pulse magazine, and stay informed.
12/19/2025
Vote for the WBA tree at the Hotel Bellwether (hotelbellwether.com/blog/holiday-trees-celebration) and make a difference for Skookum Kids!
Every Christmas season, the Hotel Bellwether graciously opens its lobby to the public for the Annual Holiday Tree fundraiser, an event benefitting Skookum Kids. Vote for your favorite tree by monetarily donating to Skookum Kids ($10.00 minimum donation requested) at the hotel’s front desk or online.
This year’s WBA tree — again generously sponsored by WRS — portrays peace for the holiday season and prosperity for the coming year. Underneath the tree, look for miniature representations of cherished Whatcom businesses in our Christmas village: your favorite theater, book shop and café are there, reminders to shop locally at the businesses that make a thriving Whatcom County.
Those who donate to vote on their favorite tree will be entered to win an overnight stay in the Hotel Bellwether’s iconic three-story Lighthouse Suite valued at $1,000. Voting ends December 31 with the winning tree (and lucky Lighthouse Suite guest) announced in the new year. All donations go to Skookum Kids, a volunteer-staffed, safe space that provides care and support for children entering foster care.
12/18/2025
FEATURE STORY: Whatcom County plans a local career and technical skills center to train high school students in the trades. In Business Pulse magazine, read about Whatcom’s career-focused students and how they will benefit from the future Whatcom County Skills Center: businesspulse.com/nov-dec-2025, page 52. Writer: Elisa Claassen.
COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION: Join WBA for a free subscription to Business Pulse magazine, and stay informed.
Pictured: Whatcom County Skills Center fire science program, Meridian High School. Photo courtesy of Northwest Career & Technical Academy.
12/17/2025
Business Pulse magazine contributor Dana Rozier anticipates how your work team may resist artificial intelligence and how to respond. Read about how to break through barriers: businesspulse.com/nov-dec-2025, page 58.
Dana, founder of Nova Consulting AI, leads strategy sessions and hands-on workshops that show how tools like ChatGPT and Claude can drive smarter decision-making and tangible results in business.
COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION: Join WBA for a free subscription to Business Pulse magazine, and stay informed.
12/16/2025
FEATURE STORY! 48North manages private aircraft for local businesses. In Business Pulse magazine, read about how the company’s president and chief pilot, CJ Costanti, turned his love for aviation into a company that business owners count on: businesspulse.com/nov-dec-2025, page 62. Writer: Elisa Claassen.
COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION: Join WBA for a free subscription to Business Pulse magazine, and stay informed.
Pictured: 1) King Air 300, Paine Field, Everett. 2) Lear 45 over Mount St. Helens. 3) CJ Costanti, owner of 48North. All photos courtesy of CJ Costanti.
12/15/2025
Business Pulse magazine contributor Mark Harmsworth describes the effects of Washington State’s new sales tax for small businesses. Read about how the legislation will influence temporary staffing, website development and small firms: businesspulse.com/nov-dec-2025, page 55.
In 2014, Mark was elected to the Washington State House of Representatives, where he served two terms. After completing tenures with Microsoft and Amazon, Mark opened a small business in the tech industry. Head shot courtesy of Mark.
COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION: Join WBA for a free subscription to Business Pulse magazine, and stay informed.
12/12/2025
Vote for the WBA tree at the Hotel Bellwether (hotelbellwether.com/blog/holiday-trees-celebration) and make a difference for Skookum Kids!
Every Christmas season, the Hotel Bellwether graciously opens its lobby to the public for the Annual Holiday Tree fundraiser, an event benefiting Skookum Kids. Vote for your favorite tree by monetarily donating to Skookum Kids ($10.00 minimum donation requested) at the hotel’s front desk or online.
This year’s WBA tree — again generously sponsored by WRS — portrays peace for the holiday season and prosperity for the coming year. Underneath the tree, look for miniature representations of cherished Whatcom businesses in our Christmas village: your favorite theater, book shop and café are there, reminders to shop locally at the businesses that make a thriving Whatcom County.
Those who donate to vote on their favorite tree will be entered to win an overnight stay in the Hotel Bellwether’s iconic three-story Lighthouse Suite valued at $1,000. Voting ends December 31 with the winning tree (and lucky Lighthouse Suite guest) announced in the new year. All donations go to Skookum Kids, a volunteer-staffed, safe space that provides care and support for children entering foster care.
12/10/2025
FEATURE STORY: Swell Media Solutions!
Jennifer Irwin turned her creative passion into Bellingham’s thriving boutique marketing agency. In Business Pulse magazine, read about Swell Media Solutions’ founder and manager: businesspulse.com/nov-dec-2025, page 39. Writer: Tamara Loucks.
COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION: Join WBA for a free subscription to Business Pulse magazine, and stay informed.
Pictured: 1) Jennifer Irwin. 2) Swell Media’s team. Photos courtesy of Swell Media Solutions.
12/08/2025
FEATURE STORY: City Dogs Grooming provides expert care that is pawsitively awesome for canines! In Business Pulse magazine, read about the nose-to-tail spa experiences, delivered by a compassionate and professional staff: businesspulse.com/nov-dec-2025, page 35. Writer: Mary Louise Van D**e.
COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION: Join WBA for a free subscription to Business Pulse magazine, and stay informed.
Pictured: 1) Lee Ann Kelly and Maia Early. 2) Bailey Lee gives her client a smile. 3) Kecha Whyte greets clients. 4) Sophia Roberts gives an expert trim. Photo credit: Sattva Photo.
12/04/2025
The Way Café supports community ministry through local partnership and volunteer efforts. In Business Pulse magazine, read about this Birch Bay coffeehouse: businesspulse.com/nov-dec-2025, page 45. Writer: Tamara Loucks.
COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION: Join WBA for a free subscription to Business Pulse magazine, and stay informed.
Pictured: 1) Left to right: Doug Lang, Rick Faber, Eric Nathan, Becca Schemstad, David Connors, Andrea Skorka, Rosemary Connors and Steve Schemstad. 2) Pastor Lee Connors, founder and executive director of The Way Café. Photos courtesy of The Way Cafe.
12/02/2025
On Wednesday, December 3, the Whatcom Business Alliance is excited to present the Economic Forecast Breakfast, with national and local forecasts delivered along with implications for your business. We are grateful to these generous sponsors who make Whatcom a better place to do business.
12/01/2025
BUSINESS MENTORS!
Bellingham business leaders launch a program awarding grants to support young entrepreneurs. In Business Pulse magazine, read about the mentors and the youthpreneurs: businesspulse.com/local-youthpreneurs-awarded-9000-to-support-their-small-businesses. Writer: Matt Benoit. Photo courtesy of Highline Construction.
Pictured (left to right): Brandon Nelson, Gunnar Williamson, Ella Jones, Isaac Burrous, Malachi Larsen and Trevor Swezey.
COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION: Join WBA for a free subscription to Business Pulse magazine, and stay informed.
Address
1225 Roeder Avenue, Suite 108 Bellingham, WA 98226
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Business Pulse Magazine posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Are You
Optimistic
About 2018?
Join the Club.
Optimism Skyrockets
in Business Community
TONY LARSON, President, Whatcom Business Alliance
At the end of 2017, we reached out to our readers via an online business survey to determine how local businesses are performing and how business leaders are feeling about 2018. The results, along with comments from key industry leaders, are published in this issue and reflect a level of optimism I haven’t seen in at least the last 10 years.
A majority of local businesses experienced growth in 2017 vs. 2016 and expect further growth in sales and profits in 2018. They also expect an increase in capital expenditures. It is worth noting that our polling was conducted prior to the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The passage prompted immediate responses from companies like Boeing, AT&T, Washington Federal, Comcast, and Wells Fargo, just to name a few, who announced measures ranging from handing out bonuses, raising wages, and increasing spending.
That optimism is shared at Business Pulse and the Whatcom Business Alliance. In 2018, we’re improving and expanding Business Pulse in a series of moves designed to bring more value to our advertisers, to expand our readership, and to bring current readers and members more information about the people, news, issues, businesses, and trends that shape our local economy and bring success to business and prosperity to our community.
Leading the charge with the new-look Business Pulse are Associate Publisher Melissa Vail Coffman and Art Director Scott Book. The husband and wife team is a prime example of the trend cited by Dan Washburn of Windermere Real Estate in his article on Page 41. They sold their home in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood in late 2015 and used the equity to buy a home here in the Geneva neighborhood.
Melissa brings the experience of nearly 30 years in publishing, including more than a de-cade with Tiger Oak Publications, where she was group publisher of myriad titles, including the flagship Seattle magazine and Seattle Bride, and helped launch Seattle Business.
Scott is an accomplished graphic designer who has designed print publications, advertising, and business collateral for more than 25 years.
One of the most important changes in the new year is moving from four to six issues annually to provide more timely and com-prehensive coverage of the vibrant Whatcom County business community. This is coupled with a tie-in between the magazine and redesiged businesspulse.com, with the introduction of Pulse+—denoted with a “P+” at the end of articles with additional content we moved to the website.
We also are introducing lifestyle content with “After Hours” to suggest ways that busy executives might enjoy life beyond the workday.
These shifts are all driven by the growing support of our readers and advertisers who share our understanding that when busi-nesses are successful and strong, our com-munity is stronger. If you’d like to learn ways to grow your business in 2018 by promoting your company through Business Pulse, our events, or WBA membership, please call me at 360.746.0411.
We all have reason to be excited about 2018. Enjoy the issue.
