Category: News and Events

Oregon tops other US states as the best for growing businesses in 2024.

Oregon Is the Top State for Growing Businesses in 2024

Digital agency directory DesignRush recently released a report revealing that Oregon has overtaken other US states as a top breeding ground for businesses in 2024.

The report covers September 2022 and 2023 and uses data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to this report, Oregon showed a 9.9% rise in new business, meaning 18,273 new entrepreneurs opened shop within that time.

What makes Oregon great for business?

It’s not at all hard to see why Oregon is a great state for growing businesses. Oregon offers a unique blend of factors that make it an attractive destination for entrepreneurs.

Here are some key elements that contribute to the state’s business-friendly environment.

A robust technology sector

Oregon boasts of a strong pool of tech talent that includes engineers, software developers, and data scientists. The state supports research and development initiatives that foster innovation and technological advancements. Portland, in particular, is emerging as a thriving tech hub, attracting startups and established companies alike – which has earned it the nickname “Silicon Forest.”

Outdoor industry and manufacturing

The state has abundant natural resources that provide opportunities for industries like timber, outdoor gear, agriculture, and food processing. This is complemented by Oregon’s solid manufacturing base, which focuses on sectors like aerospace, clean technology, and consumer goods.

Access to infrastructure

The growth of any business is highly dependent on the available infrastructure that allows it to move its products. Oregon has a developed transportation infrastructure for facilitating the efficient movement of goods, from highways and railways to ports and airports. Moreover, the state’s location on the West Coast provides easy access to Asian markets, making it an attractive destination for international trade.

Oregon has plenty of organizations that support entrepreneurs.

Perhaps the biggest thing that Oregon has that makes it an excellent breeding ground for businesses is the support it provides – both from the government and from nonprofits.

On the government side, Oregon offers various tax incentives and programs, including research and development credits and exemptions, through Business Oregon. In addition to these incentives, the state provides resources and assistance to help enterprises start, grow, and succeed.

There’s also the education sector. Oregon has a strong education system and various workforce development programs to ensure a skilled local labor force.

And then, we have nonprofit organizations designed to help small businesses succeed. Here are some of them:

The Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments

The Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments (MWVCOG) is a voluntary association of local governments in the counties of Polk, Marion, and Yamhill. It assists these LGUs with community planning and development projects to cultivate economic development in the region.

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) is dedicated to developing a strong and collaborative business community in Oregon and SW Washington. It focuses on entrepreneurs in the early stages of their journey through funding, education, networking, and mentoring.

SEDCOR

Strategic Economic Development Corporation (SEDCOR) is committed to building up Willamette Valley as a thriving business hub. SEDCOR gives entrepreneurs opportunities to expand and create more jobs for the community by connecting them to funding, education, networks, and resources. Access to these opportunities is as simple as filling out an intake form.

Oregon is a fertile ground for growing businesses, whether they’re new or established. In this state, anyone who aspires to entrepreneurship has the means to turn that dream into reality.

Sacred Fire Creative helps startups and small businesses launch to greatness by building authentic branding and strong connections with audiences. Contact us today, and let’s see how we can collaborate.

SFC Congratulates Pallavi Pande of Dtocs LLC for Placing in SEED SPOT’s Retail Brand Accelerator

Green, sustainable, environment-friendly – these are just some buzzwords that brands often use to market their products to eco-conscious consumers.

Unfortunately, the reality is that not all brands that spout these words actually walk their talk.

Not Pallavi Pande, though – she’s an entrepreneur who really walks her talk. As the founder of Dtocs LLC, she produces disposable tableware that is 100% safe for the environment. The production process itself is sustainable and supports communities in the US and India, Pallavi’s home country.

So, it’s not surprising that Pallavi has secured a place in SEED SPOT’s Retail Brand Accelerator. It’s training that will take her brand far and strengthen Dtocs LLC’s community impact even more.

Congratulations, Pallavi!

SEED SPOT empowers founders to succeed in the mass retail market.

The SEED SPOT Retail Brand Accelerator is a dynamic program designed to nurture established founders looking to scale their business in mass retail. The program focuses on founders in the consumer-packaged goods market and provides them with an intensive 10-week training.

This training helps participants refine their sales approach, expand their supply chain and inventory capacities, comply with regulations, and build a standout brand. Virtual workshops and personalized one-to-one mentorship make up the bulk of this training.

The Retail Brand Accelerator is funded by the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity, Walmart’s philanthropic endeavor to uplift BIPOC communities in education, finance, health, and criminal justice.

Dtocs LLC offers more than just sustainable tableware.

With Pallavi joining the SEED SPOT Retail Brand Accelerator, it’s clear that her Dtocs LLC brand is headed for growth. And if there’s a company that should grow as big as it can and gain as much attention as possible, it’s Dtocs LLC.

Why? It’s because the company greatly impacts the community it serves.

Dtocs LLC manufactures single-use tableware. But they’re nothing like the disposable tableware we see in supermarkets, typically made with plastics and other toxic materials.

Here’s why they’re different:

They’re made using the fallen leaves and shed sheaths of Areca palms. These are usually considered waste materials. Instead, the local farmers in India with whom Dtocs works collect them to be processed into tableware. No part of the living Areca palm is harmed or cut during the process.
They’re processed using an eco-friendly system. From drying to shaping to packaging, the process that these Areca shedding goes through to become single-use tableware poses no harm to the environment. Renewable energy sources power the machines used. The raw materials are cleaned with fresh water. The products are packed with sustainable cardboard.
They’re durable and stylish. Many factors prevent the typical consumer from using eco-friendly disposable tableware. Many consider them not as durable as plastics. People who are conscious of plating and dining table aesthetics may not like how these disposables look. Because they’re made with Areca palms, Dtocs tableware doesn’t crumble easily, even when holding liquids. They also come in stylish shapes and forms.
They’re biodegradable. After you’ve used these palm-leaf dinnerware, you can safely throw them in the bin or even add them to your compost. They will degrade in a few days. So they won’t contribute to the growing garbage problem that the world is facing today.

Their products are not the only things that set Dtocs LLC apart. The company employs women artisans in India to manufacture their products, empowering them to provide for their families and live better lives.

Additionally, Dtocs LLC uses a portion of its earnings to give back to its communities. They’ve partnered with non-profits in India to provide livelihood for women and fund the education of underprivileged children. They also contribute towards equal education opportunities for underrepresented students in Portland.

Pallavi Pande is an inspiration to women entrepreneurs.

Without a doubt, Pallavi embodies the definition of a successful business owner. Her company is thriving and scaling for further growth. Her brand is solid and gaining recognition. And she fulfills her role as a leader by giving back to her communities.

Pallavi’s achievements are more remarkable because she did all of these as a woman from a minority group. While much has been accomplished to secure women’s place in business in the last few decades, it goes without saying that women entrepreneurs still face challenges that men don’t. The stakes get even higher when she is also a woman of color.

Pallavi overcame these challenges. A self-described mompreneur, she also found a way to balance building a successful company and nurturing a family. That’s not an easy feat.

We salute and congratulate Pallavi Pande of Dtocs LLC for her current and future successes. She’s someone we can all admire and emulate, no matter what stage we are in our respective entrepreneurial journeys.

Sacred Fire Creative helps women business owners maximize their entrepreneurial potential through innovative digital marketing strategies and authentic relationship-building with their audiences. Contact us today, and let’s see how we can collaborate.

SFC congratulates the winners of the 2024 SEDCOR Annual Awards

SFC Congratulates 2024 SEDCOR Annual Awards Winners

At Sacred Fire Creative, we’re all about community over competition. So, we’re always thrilled to see other businesses in the community be recognized for their achievements.

With that, we extend our hearty congratulations to the winners of the 2024 SEDCOR Annual Awards:

Agri-business of the Year: Ruddenklau Farms
Business Partner of the Year: Elise Yarnell Hollamon
Community Leadership Award: Marin Arreola III
Community Service Award: Juli Foscoli, CDP, CBT of South Town Glass
Entrepreneur of the Year: Revino
Innovative Product/Process: Canopii Inc.
Outstanding Public/Private Partnership: The Fly Salem Initiative (City of Salem, Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, Salem Aviation Fueling & Travel Salem)
Small Business of the Year: Blue Raeven Pie Company
Manufacturer of the Year: The Ulven Companies

These businesses and individuals are more than achievers – they are an inspiration to the community. They’re a testament to what can happen when dreams are combined with intention, hard work, and passion.

Congratulations to these winners!

About the SEDCOR Annual Awards

The SEDCOR Annual Awards is an initiative by the Strategic Economic Development Corporation (SEDCOR) to recognize outstanding efforts that impact economic growth in Willamette Valley.

The initiative is part of SEDCOR’s mandate to build and strengthen partnerships with industry leaders, nonprofits, local governments, state and federal agencies, educational institutions, and other parties to create and cultivate economic opportunities within the region.

The 2024 iteration of the SEDCOR Annual Awards is sponsored by Saalfeld Griggs and Business Oregon. The awards given to the winners are a collaboration between Maganda Glassworks and Zena Forest Products.

At Sacred Fire Creative, we help entrepreneurs step up to their greatness through authentic branding, creative storytelling, and building solid relationships with their audience. Contact us today and let’s see how we can collaborate.

Little Nestlings Early Learning Center to Be Featured on KOIN

What do you do when a good friend tells you they will be on TV? You get excited for them and save the date of their appearance on your calendar, of course.

Well, that’s what the Sacred Fire Creative team feels right now. We’re so thrilled to announce that our client, Little Nestlings Early Learning Center, will be featured on the KOIN network soon.

The details are still being worked out, but we can’t wait to see Colleen Cleary and the Little Nestlings team on TV. Stay tuned!

At Little Nestlings, the environment plays an essential role in learning.

Little Nestlings Early Learning Center is a new preschool that opened in Fall 2024 in West Linn, Oregon. Headed by veteran educator Colleen Cleary, the school offers a curriculum inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy.

In the Reggio Emilia philosophy, children are seen as capable of directing their learning, and the environment acts as a teacher. The little ones are encouraged to be curious, explore their surroundings, observe their senses, and ask questions. Much of the study time takes place outdoors.

Through this model, children get to develop a sense of discovery and a deep love for learning. They get to build a solid foundation that will serve them throughout their school years and later in life.

Little Nestlings’ TV appearance is part of an ongoing branding campaign.

We’re happy to say that Little Nestlings’ upcoming TV appearance results from Sacred Fire Creative’s ongoing campaign to bring awareness to the school’s brand.

Since early 2024, we’ve been on a multi-tier marketing campaign for the school. This campaign included designing and search-optimizing their website and populating their social media channels. We’ve also been conducting mainstream media and community outreach.

We believe in the impact that Little Nestlings Early Learning Center will bring to early education and the community as a whole in West Linn. It’s an honor for us to be part of their journey.

Your brand is your legacy. At Sacred Fire Creative, we can help you build a legacy that will leave a lasting and positive impact on your community. Contact us today and discover how we can collaborate.

Sacred Fire Creative’s Statement on the Overturning of Roe v. Wade

In Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, a fundamentalist country called Gilead rose out of the ashes of what was once the United States of America. In this autocratic country, men ruled with exclusive and absolute power.

Women, on the other hand, are relegated to being housewives and child-bearers. They are not allowed to have jobs. They are not allowed to have an opinion. They are not allowed to read. They are not even allowed to use their own names. If they cannot have children, their husbands can request for child-bearing handmaids if they are wealthy and influential enough. If not, these hapless individuals become labeled as “unwomen” and exiled for life to an island filled with nuclear waste.

The Handmaid’s Tale was first published in 1985 and adapted for television in 2017. At that time, the future that this novel described seemed unthinkable. After all, women’s rights in the US are protected by landmark rulings such as Roe v. Wade. Gilead could not become a reality, could it?

After June 24, 2022, we are no longer so sure. On that fateful day, the US Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade nearly 50 years after it was first upheld.

As an organization led by and made up mostly of women, Sacred Fire Creative decries this decision. We are heartbroken beyond words at this blow to our human rights.

Roe v. Wade goes beyond abortion.

On its surface, Roe v. Wade is a 1973 US Supreme Court ruling that federally protects a woman’s right to privacy and to terminate her pregnancy legally.

But it goes so much deeper than that.

Roe v. Wade is a statement about women’s human rights. It recognizes that a woman has the right to self-determination and can decide for herself what to do with her own body. It also acknowledges that a woman has the right to fully and equally participate in the workings of society.

Roe v. Wade is an assertion that a woman is a person and not just a walking uterus.

Roe v. Wade is overturned. Now what?

The overturning of Roe v. Wade doesn’t change a number of fundamental facts:

Banning abortion has a significant economic impact. To this day, women are still the primary caregivers in the family. Parenthood forces 43% of highly qualified women to leave the workforce. This translates to lower paychecks per household, lower spending power, and lowered demand for consumer goods that drive GDP.
No matter how passionate pro-life advocates are about saving babies from abortion, our society does not have adequate support in place for mothers. As mentioned earlier, parenthood often pushes women out of the workforce. Women who have to stay working often face reduced earning capacities simply because they don’t have access to affordable childcare. We also don’t have a national policy for paid parental leaves.
Banning abortion forces women, especially those in lower-income and minority groups, to live in poverty or stay with abusive partners. In fact, it’s already a reality today. Many studies, including the 2010 Turnaway Study by the University of California in San Francisco, found that the majority of women who sought abortions did so to protect and provide for their already existing children.
Removing safe and legal access to abortion denies women with unwanted pregnancies, particularly teenage women and rape survivors, the ability to move on with their lives. It can prohibit them from seeking higher education and better work opportunities. It can also have a significant effect on their physical and mental health.

Our society does not have ample support for mothers. Nor do we have policies that protect against unwanted pregnancies. Even with abortion bans, women will continue to seek abortions. The difference now is that they may resort to illegal and unsafe means to terminate pregnancies. The consequences can become much more dangerous.

A woman is a person too.

Don’t get us wrong. We believe that motherhood is a beautiful thing. We support women who choose to become mothers. But the keyword here is “choice” – women have the right to choose when and how to become mothers, and this right needs to be protected at all costs.

A woman is a person too. There is more to her than her uterus and her ability to bring forth children. That, we believe, is the essential message of Roe v. Wade. By overturning this landmark ruling, the US Supreme Court signals that we are less. We might as well wear a Gilead handmaid’s red dress.

Value in the Valley: Empowering Women to Reach Their Highest Potential

On September 27, 2021, the Oregon Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO Oregon) will hold a virtual event entitled “Value in the Valley.” It is a message to encourage every professional woman to climb their highest mountain and become who they are capable of becoming. The guest speaker for this event is Tammy Butler Robinson.

We invite you to join us at this event. You can register here:

About the event

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, and how you can still come out of it.” – Maya Angelou

Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once wrote that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. You may know which destination you’re headed to, you may know how to get there, and you may even have that strong desire to arrive there. But you will never reach that destination if you don’t make that first, small, single step.

Our journey to greatness begins this way. We may have the passion, the drive, and the plan to make our dreams a reality. But without taking that first step, our dreams will be just that—dreams. And there’s no assurance that the journey itself will be easy. More likely than not, we’ll be called upon to make sacrifices, as well as to face setbacks and heartaches. Nonetheless, if you truly believe that your dreams are worth pursuing, that you’re willing to persevere against all challenges, that you stay true to your values, and that you exercise self-care no matter how hard it gets, you will see the value in the valley and finally reach your destination.

About NAWBO

The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is the unified voice of over 10 million women-owned businesses in the United States representing the fastest-growing segment of the economy.

Founded in 1975, NAWBO propels women entrepreneurs into economic, social, and political spheres of power worldwide by:

Strengthening the wealth-creating capacity of our members and promoting economic development within the entrepreneurial community
Creating innovative and effective change in the business culture
Building strategic alliances, coalitions, and affiliations
Transforming public policy and influencing opinion-makers

About Tammy Butler Robinson

Tammy Butler is a proven leader with a strong background in housing and community development, expertise in public finance and management, and a deep commitment to improving communities and the lives of women in Indiana. As a Managing Principal with Engaging Solutions, she has successfully led and managed the company’s call center business and co-managed the firm’s planning and community outreach sector. Prior to that, Tammy spent over a decade in State government as a fiscal analyst for the Indiana House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee; Assistant Director of the Indiana State Budget Agency; Director of Claims Management for the Family and Social Services Agency; and Data Director for the Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning.

Tammy’s passion for improving the lives of women and families in Indiana extends beyond her corporate life. She is pastor of The House of God Church in Indianapolis, leading a congregation whose members are among the most underserved and underrepresented populations in the state. Her problem-solving skills, knowledge, and experience engaging stakeholders in the community planning process have led to the creation of multiple programs that have changed lives.

Tammy lives in McCordsville, Indiana with her two children, Myles and Brian Jr.

NAWBO Oregon Past President Chosen for Exclusive Accelerated Growth Training

NAWBO Oregon past president and Sacred Fire Creative founder Malee Ojua joins a select group of 25 women business owners undergoing the NAWBO Accelerated Growth Program, a 10-month business leadership training created by NAWBO and sponsored by Wells-Fargo.

Portland, OR, March 2021—Sacred Fire Creative (SFC) announced the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) selected SFC CEO Malee Ojua as part of its new learning program. Open to only 25 participants, the NAWBO Accelerated Growth Program helps women business owners scale up their enterprises.

The NAWBO Accelerated Growth Program aims to increase its participants’ market competitiveness.

The NAWBO Accelerated Growth Program is an offering of the organization’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Development. The program, launched in 2021, is a top-tier educational plan designed to help women business owners increase their competitiveness in their respective markets. It’s also meant to set them up for higher levels of growth and expansion. Wells-Fargo sponsors the program.

Participants are to attend eight one-hour online learning sessions for four months. Topics covered in these sessions include developing a leadership mindset, building successful teams, strategic planning, and brand messaging. After completing the program, they will take part in mentorship/mastermind groups for six months. They will also receive other benefits that will help them grow their business.

According to NAWBO, women own 40% of all privately held companies in the country today. Still, the size of their revenues remains significantly below other types of businesses. Educating women business owners enables them to progress to the same or greater levels.

NAWBO is a network of women business owners in the US formed in 1975. Its purpose is to share resources and to provide mutual support among its members. It also lobbies economic and public policies benefiting women entrepreneurs.

Sacred Fire Creative is named one of the top digital marketing agencies in Portland.

SFC is a Portland-based digital marketing agency specializing in helping its clients build a legacy through solid branding. With a unique and robust brand, SFC clients can forge deep connections with its customers, thus creating a loyal community. Among the companies that SFC has worked with are ArisGlobal Software, RiverWest Acupuncture, Johnson & Johnson, and NYU Langone Medical Center. Expertise.com named SFC one of the top digital marketing agencies in the city.

Aside from her role as SFC head, Malee Ojua is also involved with NAWBO’s Oregon chapter. She is the chapter’s current program director and served as its president in 2020. Additionally, she hosts bimonthly virtual forums on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). Ojua participated in the Goldman Sachs 10KSB program in 2019. A former aeronautics engineer, she founded SFC in 2014.

McMinnville, OR Business Owner Recognized by Prestigious Goldman Sachs 10KSB Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

McMinnville, OR Business Owner Recognized by Prestigious Goldman Sachs 10KSB Program

Sacred Fire Creative, a McMinnville-based digital marketing agency founded in 2014 by Malee Ojua, has been named one of the most promising small businesses in the nation by the top investment bank.

McMinnville, OR (June 20, 2019)—When former aerospace engineer Malee Ojua first studied graphic design, she did it just for fun. She never thought it would lead her to build a successful digital marketing agency or that Goldman Sachs would eventually select her for an exclusive business development program.

“I left my career as an aerospace engineer with Top Secret government security clearance in 1998 to be with my mother after her Stage IV breast cancer diagnosis,” recalled Ojua. “Everything was moment to moment. I decided then that life is too short not to do what you are passionate about and what makes you happy.”

Her passion drove Ojua to pursue a different path from her established engineering career, in which she successfully marketed multi-billion-dollar defense satellite systems to hundreds of military generals at a time. “People have always asked me to design, to make everything look better. It’s what I do without thinking.” With her natural knack for design, Ojua went back to school and earned a degree in web development and design. In 2014, she established Sacred Fire Creative, LLC, a business she started from nothing and on her own.

“I mentioned at a women’s networking event that I was starting a side business in web design. Next thing I know, four business owners came up to me, handed me checks and told me that I needed to register my business right away. That’s how it all started,” Ojua shared.

By 2015, Ojua was working full-time at her company. Corporate accounts started coming in by 2016, first the New York University Langone Medical Center, followed by Johnson & Johnson and ArisGlobal Health. By 2017, Sacred Fire Creative posted six-figure revenues. And, in 2018, the company experienced 117% business growth.

“For me, this is the American Dream—that you can achieve success with persistent hard work and determination no matter what obstacles are in your way,” said Ojua.

“My parents are immigrants who came to the US separately, bringing with them only the clothes on their backs. Together, they built a grocery business and worked hard so that my brother, my sister, and I could live a good life,” Ojua said. “They taught us the value of hard work and the importance of giving back to the country and community that took us in.”

“I have always wanted to contribute to my community, and I do that through my business,” said Ojua. “I started this business from scratch and figured it out through the help of other women business owners and mentors. I want to show that people like me—a woman, a daughter of immigrants, and a member of ethnic minority groups—can build a successful enterprise. I am excited to give back and inspire other women and minorities like me to do the same.”

In 2017, Ojua applied for the prestigious Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, also known as 10,000 Small Businesses or 10KSB. This education and mentorship program for entrepreneurs was developed by finance industry leader Goldman Sachs in partnership with Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

She was one of under 150 business owners invited to participate in the program from over 800 applicants.

“Being chosen to participate in 10KSB is an amazing opportunity,” said Ojua. “It opened my eyes to new avenues of growth I’d never even considered before.”

Goldman Sachs created 10KSB in 2009 with the belief that giving small business owners access to education, capital, and support is the optimum way to overcome barriers to their growth. The program’s scholars take part in a condensed and intensive MBA-like training lasting 12 weeks. The training includes guidance in building a customized growth plan, one-on-one counseling, membership to a peer support network, and support from leaders in the business world.

“These business owners represent the best of the US economy. This program helps them grow their business, create new jobs, and strengthen our communities. Nearly 70% of participants increase revenues and 50% create new jobs just six months after graduating,” said Babson College’s Richard T. Bliss, the National Academic Director of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses.

With her 10KSB diploma firmly in hand, Ojua is back in McMinnville, OR and has set her sights on certifications for her business that would allow her to offer graphic design services to government agencies on the federal level.

“I’m applying for federal SBA 8(a) Business Development Program as well as acquiring SBA Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program certifications. Also, I’m renewing our Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID), Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), and Emerging Small Business (ESB) certifications.”

“We’re aiming to get listed on the US General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule for Advertising and Integrated Marketing Solutions (AIMS). This will allow government buyers to purchase directly from us with pre-established pricing, terms, and conditions.”

According to Ojua, there are no other currently certified graphic design agencies in Oregon on the GSA Schedule. Sacred Fire Creative is additionally qualified for the HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone) Program certification, which even fewer agencies hold. Having these certifications, said Ojua, would further separate her company from its competitors.

“As someone with past experience working with government agencies, I truly believe we have the qualities that government buyers on the federal, state, and local level are looking for in their contractors. It’s an opportunity we are excited to explore,” Ojua said.

Sacred Fire Creative is a digital marketing agency that provides a wide range of business development services, including graphic design, web design and development, social media management, and content marketing. For more information about Sacred Fire Creative and Malee Ojua, please visit www.sacredfirecreative.com.

CONTACT:

Malee Ojua

malee@sacredfirecreative.com

503-816-3890

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