Business owners and entrepreneurs in San Juan County are invited by the EDC to participate in Build a Shopify Store, a self-paced course that guides business owners and entrepreneurs through the steps of creating a Shopify e-commerce store. Four weekly, online advisory sessions will take place on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to noon, from Jan. 28-Feb. 18. The online course will be facilitated by Lara Braithwaite, EDC tech training coordinator.

Shopify is the number one e-commerce platform worldwide. Participants who complete the online course will create their first Shopify e-commerce store in one month. No prior knowledge of Shopify is necessary. Participants will need basic computer skills and access to a laptop or desktop computer less than five years old, and they will complete two to four hours of assignments per week on their own schedule. Participants will receive online course materials and login instructions a few days before the first online advisory session. Attending the weekly online advisory sessions with noted e-commerce expert Braithwaite is strongly recommended but not required.

The four-week course starts on Tuesday, Jan. 28, with a Zoom session from 11 a.m. to noon, and repeats every Tuesday at the same time on Feb. 4, 11 and 18. The registration fee is $75, and advance payment is required. The registration deadline is Jan. 18. Please visit https://sanjuansedc.org/tech to reserve your space. For questions, please call 360-378-2906 or email lara@sanjuansedc.org.

The EDC thanks San Juan County, the Town of Friday Harbor, the Washington state Department of Commerce, the Port of Lopez and the Port of Friday Harbor for their support of this program and other EDC initiatives.

The San Juan County Economic Development Council strives to support small rural enterprises and conduct projects to stimulate new job creation, strengthen the economic base for working families and support overall quality of life for islanders.