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Small Business Resources
Going into business can be complicated. Do we need a license? How much money do we need? Who will lend to us? Should we incorporate? How do we compute taxes and payroll? What do we do first-rent and equip an office, hire people, get training?
Fortunately, government-funded agencies provide free help in all these areas. Economic developers know that the way to create jobs is to help small businesses thrive. Everyone wants to create more jobs, so everyone wants to help you!
First, talk to the people at your Chamber of Commerce. To find the one closest to you, go to www.chamberofcommerce.com and enter the name of your city. This will give you a way to contact someone in your community who's knowledgeable and wants to help. This site turned up three places to go for help in Niles, Michigan. There's even one in tiny little Edwardsburg, Michigan!
Chambers of Commerce are member-supported organizations of businesses in a community. They know about resources in the local area.
Resources to ask about include:
- Biz Resource Center - 13 locations around the state provide a place where potential small business owners can get the information they need to launch a small business successfully. They have the latest computer technology and an extensive reference library. Since their funding comes from the U. S. Small Business Administration, they can tell you about new services offered by the SBA. To check it out, go to www.sbaonline.sba.gov/mi/mibic.html.
- Small Business & Technology Development Center - 12 offices around the state provide counseling, training, research, and advocacy for new business ventures. For more information, go to www.misbtdc.org and click on "Regional Centers." This site even offers on-line counseling!
- SCORE - The Senior Corps of Retired Executives are volunteers who enjoy serving as mentors to people who want to go into business. Each SCORE works differently, but generally, you can go in to share your dream with them in a simple conversation. They'll tell you about practical steps you can take to make your dream come true.
- A Loan Administration Board in your community that serves as a lender of last resort, if you've been turned down by other lenders.
The people at Tourism and Convention Bureaus can also be helpful. For example, when I asked, they sent me to a Downtown Development Authority, where they told me about a microenterprise fund here!
A wide array of on-line business training is available free at www.sba.gov/training/coursestake.html. Also check the www.sba.gov website for information about initiatives to help women (www.onlinewbc.gov) and teens (www.sba.gov/teens) go into business.
Don't have a computer? Don't use the Internet? Can't get to your local Chamber of Commerce? Call the SBA directly: 1.800.827.5722 (1.800.U ASK SBA).
These resources have been set up for everyone who wants to start a business. We can't guarantee that they will have any experience working with people with disabilities. Here's a chance for you to give them some!
