Ignite marks one year at Chestnut Street location
Mike Jones/Observer-Reporter
Ignite Business Incubator and Co-working Space opened in Washington in May 2021.
The interior of the Greater Washington Area Business Incubator
Ignite Business Incubator celebrated its first anniversary June 1 at its 57 E. Chestnut St., Washington, location.
During that year, more than 700 hours of consultative support have been provided. Thirty-five businesses have competed in Ignite’s Ideas 2 Enterprise (I2E) Business Planning Workshop Cohorts, which offers courses for local entrepreneurs to assist in the creation of a formal business plan.
Some businesses have expanded while others that may have just had a mobile operation have been able to open up a brick-and-mortar facility.
“Seeing businesses succeed and expand their business model or open up a brick and mortar reaffirms that there is something special happening here in Washington County,” said Lauren LaGreca, Ignite manager. “Intentional actions create sustainable paths forward. We’re continuing to grow and do well, and that’s just a testament to what we have here in Washington with these entrepreneurs and these small business owners.”
Ignite evolved out of the Greater Washington Area Business Incubator. It connects, supports, educates and empowers entrepreneurs and small businesses by offering services such as consulting, advice or networking.
Ignite is supported through partnerships with Washington & Jefferson College, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the city of Washington, Washington County, and the Observer-Reporter.
“We are a community resource to these businesses to provide them business expertise, connectivity and a sense of community,” LaGreca explained. “We’re that space where they know they can come in and receive whatever type of support they’re looking for.”
Brian Coleman has seen his business, Better Performance Physical Therapy, grow from a mobile operation in Washington County to where he now also has a physical facility in Franklin Township, Greene County.
“They’ve been there to provide resources for us along the way as far as whether it be business, financial advice, general support, networking connections, finding similar businesses that maybe correlate well with mine,” he explained. “I like the idea of having support from people who have experience in having a business and having resources locally that I can go to when I had questions. Otherwise, it felt like you were on your own.”
Coleman placed second in the 2021 I2E cohort.
Theresa Mirachi, owner of Furry Friends Camp in Washington, placed second in the I2E cohort in 2018, the first year Ignite started doing programming.
She has seen her business model expand to where she has an additional business offering parking on-site for recreational vehicles (boats, campers, trailers).
“I just thought (becoming involved with Ignite) would really give me the opportunity to link into other small businesses in town and learn from each one of them,” Mirachi said. “Ever since the Ignite facility has opened up here in town the amount of interaction Lauren has given me and my Furry Friends camp has allowed me to get a shine out there in the local area.”
Christine Coyle, who owns What About STEAM with her husband, Andrew, is one of the nearly 30 Ignite members using physical space at Ignite. The space can be used to meet one-on-one for tutoring and for larger classes. Coyle said she will be working with the Lemoyne Community Center to add STEM programming to the Summer Camp Challenge.
“It’s becoming such a great networking space in and of itself,” Coyle said. “It just seems like it can really help push the business forward. Every point that I’ve been at they’ve been able to guide me to the next step. I would not be where I am today without their support.”
Jen Lucas, owner of Yang + Yin Health, was a I2E cohort winner in 2019 and has expanded her business to include a sound healing studio in Canonsburg.
“I definitely have been able to reach more people because of the events they have,” Lucas said. “It has helped in many ways, such as connecting with other business owners. I’ve been matched up with people in the same sort of industry that I’m in where it would take a lot more effort without them facilitating that.”
The future for Ignite is expected to include more I2E cohorts and more speakers, as well as additional opportunities to provide technical assistance to small businesses. Ignite also will be exploring more opportunities for community engagement.
“We want to let communities know we are here to support the entrepreneurs and the businesses in their area throughout Washington County,” LaGreca said.