How Internet Access Fuels Small Business Growth in the PNW

The year 2025 has been a confusing time to live in. Especially in the Pacific Northwest. The cost of living seems to keep on rising. Layoffs — or “strategic downsizings” — seem to be around every corner. AI is getting scarier by the day, and the economy seems to be sitting on thin ice. However, in this time of uncertainty, professionals all over the US are clinging to a dream. Since Covid, we’ve seen a substantial increase in the number of small businesses and startups. We’ve seen it skyrocket from around 3.5 million business applications in 2019 to close to 5.5 million business applications in 2023. During the Biden administration, there were a total of over 21 million new business applications. This kind of drastic change occurs when people strive to make their own opportunities doing the things they love, and we’re here for it!

The Tools of Today

In today’s digital environment, it’s never been easier to start a business. 

• AI (Chat GPT, Gemini…): AI assistants are great for ideation and creating a step by step plan for turning your dreams into a reality. 
• No-Code Website Platforms (Wix, Weblfow, Shopify, WordPress): No-Code website builders are great for anyone at any skill level looking to build their website. 
• Social Media Marketing (Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and automation platforms): We’re living in an age where anyone can log on, take a video, and go viral like that. Consistency is key when it comes to organic social content, so keep at it!

While many of these products are free/cheap and easy to use, it should not be underestimated that starting a business is hard work. Tools like these are simply enablers designed to break down barriers. But it’s still up to you, the entrepreneur, to put in the work. We’re here to enable you as well, none of this would be possible without the internet after all. 

Empowerment Possible

Digital tools aren’t just about convenience, they’re about empowerment and enablement. They give people in every industry the ability to dream, build, and connect in ways that weren’t possible a decade ago.

Take a local artist who once depended on weekend markets. With an online storefront, they can now sell year-round to customers across the country. Or imagine a family-run farm that used to rely on restaurant orders; today, they livestream harvests, take online subscriptions, and deliver produce directly to doorsteps. Even neighborhood mechanics or cleaners can manage bookings, payments, and reviews entirely online — saving time and growing their business at the same time.

Behind each of these stories is the same quiet hero: a reliable internet connection. It’s what allows transactions to process, video calls to stream, and creativity to reach an audience. These examples show that when digital tools meet dependable connectivity, local innovation takes off.

Closing the Digital Gap

At PogoZone by NeuBeam, we believe everyone should start at the same starting line. For many people in rural and remote areas, that starting line can feel out of reach. Slower connections, higher costs, and limited options make it harder to access online resources, apply for remote jobs, or start a digital business.

That’s where local internet service providers like us come in. We drive the same roads, visit the same coffee shops, and care about the same small towns. We’re not just building networks; we’re building connections that empower our neighbors to thrive in the modern economy.

From Colville to Chewelah, Arden, and beyond, PogoZone by NeuBeam is working to close the digital gap one neighborhood at a time. When a rural town gains fast, reliable internet, it’s not just about speed. It’s about access. Access to online learning, access to remote careers, access to tools that turn ideas into income.

We’re proud to serve the communities that make the Pacific Northwest what it is: Creative, resilient, and full of potential. Because when our neighbors succeed, so do we.

Innovation Starts at Home

With reliable internet access, talent stays in your community, instead of being driven away by relocations. Connectivity is about more than cables and routers, it’s about people. A strong local network helps communities stay close while thinking big. It lets small-town entrepreneurs serve customers worldwide while still sponsoring the local baseball team. It gives students access to online degrees without leaving their hometown. And it helps neighbors collaborate, learn new skills, and share what they know.

The Pacific Northwest has always been known for its creativity, resilience, and innovation. Reliable internet just gives that spirit a stronger signal! It turns “I wish I could” into “I just did.” And when one person succeeds, the whole community benefits, because innovation here doesn’t stay in isolation; it ripples outward.

Connection Is a Catalyst

Innovation isn’t reserved for tech companies or corporate boardrooms. It happens anywhere people are connected, curious, and committed. Every time a small business launches a website, a student joins an online class, or a creator uploads their latest project, they’re proving that connection and consistency fuel progress.

At the heart of it all is reliable internet — the often forgotten, invisible foundation that keeps ideas flowing, businesses growing, and communities thriving.

We’re proud to power that foundation here in the Pacific Northwest. Because when our neighbors have the tools and the connection they need, there’s no limit to what they can create.

Innovation starts local. Connection makes it possible.

Need internet for your own business? Reach out to our  sales team and see what kind of plans we provide. Or, read our blog on the types of  internet speeds to learn what is right for you.