Lunchtime Lightning Talk: Tax Season Survival for Small Businesses

Join us this month for real talk with 3 local entrepreneurs, here to share their entrepreneurial journey, including all the highs and lows, the roadblocks they’ve encountered, and the support that has made a difference.
This month's line up will be sharing the things that have helped them demystify the tax process. They'll share their best (and worst!) practices, and offer insights on actionable strategies that could help reduce your tax burden, avoid common mistakes, and streamline your tax prep year after year.
Whether you're filing for the first time or looking to optimize your approach or just looking to commiserate with fellow business owners who have been in your same shoes, this session will provide the tools you need to survive—and thrive—during tax season.
Come ready to listen, learn, find new inspiration, and reflect. Leave your ego at the door, and engage in authentic conversations from peers who are in the trenches and 'doing the thing', battle scars and all.
Informal conversation and networking begins at 11:30am. Lightning Talks begin at 12pm and end promptly at 1pm. BYO lunch!

Join us on April 03, 11:30AM, Vibe Coworks in Poulsbo

11:30 am- 12pm Mix, Mingle and Network

12:00pm - 12:30pm Lighting Talks x 3

12:30pm- 1:00pm Discussion, debate, Q&A

Carolyn Olson, HR Alliance Inc
My background is a corp tax accountant for 40 years. My pleasure is to develop corporate strategies to business owners. I have created HR Alliance 25 years ago and with that you’ll get full benefits, retirement pretax dollars of all your medical insurances, life and disability, dental, eye, and many different retirement vehicles.

, Marigold Mindset & Wellness
Marit Bockelie wears many hats—mother, creative, non-profit director, mindset coach, greeting card publisher, grad student—and what she’s learned is that mindset is everything.
Marigold Mindset & Wellness was founded on the idea that the life we long for is within reach. The answers we seek are not only simple and accessible, but are more easily found when we work in collaboration and community with each other. Through one-on-one coaching, group workshops, and women’s circles, Marit uses creativity, spirituality & vulnerability to help rewrite old scripts about relationships, food, capacity, worthiness, and yes, money.
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Growing up in a military family in that was primarily stationed in the Deep South, I never imagined I’d find myself feeling the most at home on Bainbridge Island. I moved to Washington to be near my family as an adult, and I fell head over heels in love with the Pacific Northwest.
More than that, I fell in love with the people here! In my time in Kitsap, I have met some of the most inspiring, incredible entrepreneurs who have motivated me to specialize in providing bookkeeping services for those in my hometown.
I created Pier 52 bookkeeping with a burning desire to grow Bainbridge Island’s businesses to the next level and to better support my family in the process. By providing personalized bookkeeping support and advanced financial advisory services, I help businesses achieve their goals and run better, more sustainable businesses every day.
In my free time, I spend most of my time with my amazing son and doing my favorite things in the great outdoors – running, hiking, camping, and gardening.

Matchstick Lab is dedicated to making Kitsap the go-to place to launch and grow businesses that benefit the region and bring value to the world. By partnering with regional, national, and international sponsors, Matchstick Lab delivers education, investment, and storytelling resources that ignite the full potential of startup and business development in Kitsap, and celebrate our distinct heritage, resources, and talents.

Thanks to fiscal sponsorship through the Kitsap Community Foundation, Matchstick Lab operates as a 501(c)(3), ensuring accessibility and support for startups, small businesses, and social enterprises. Learn more at matchsticklab.co.

Thank you to our funders and partners:

Executed by Matchstick Lab, the 2025 Micro Business Accelerator is generously funded by the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) with funding provided by the Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA), thanks to a grant made by the Washington State Department of Commerce.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Vibe Coworks, 19225 8th Avenue Northeast, Poulsbo, United States