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Ryan Catabay (left) and Tuyen Than (right), co-owners of Drag & Drop Creative.
In 2021, Tuyen Than and Ryan Catabay found themselves performing a bit of a juggling act.
As co-owners of Drag & Drop Creative in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (CID), the two were busy running their creative studio while also engaging heavily with the surrounding community. And then, during a seismic retrofit of the old building they were in, a pipe burst, flooding their space.
While the flooding knocked them off track, it didn’t knock them off their feet. That’s in part because Drag & Drop landed a $10,000 grant through Comcast RISE, a program that gives small business owners access to digital tools and funding. The grant helped them navigate the damage and keep operations humming along.
“Without that grant, it would have been more difficult for us to juggle so many things,” Than said. “It really helped us refocus our efforts on retaining clients and completing projects.”
Launched in 2020, Comcast RISE is back to award 100 small businesses in King County with more than $3 million in monetary, marketing and technology grants. The packages will include a technology makeover, creative production, a media schedule, educational resources, a $5,000 monetary grant and consultation services.
“This program gives small businesses the resources they need to thrive,” said Rodrigo Lopez, regional senior vice president of Comcast’s Pacific Northwest region.
From May 1-31, eligible small businesses in King County can apply at www.ComcastRISE.com. Winners will be notified in August.
As for Drag & Drop, the studio has since moved into a newer space, but it’s still thriving in the heart of the CID. Cataby said the Comcast RISE grant filled a gap when they needed it most. It can do the same for other small businesses as well.
“Applying is trying,” he said. “Give yourself that opportunity and try for it.”