Resources for Small Business Owners
04/12/2023
Resources for Small Business Owners
No matter which step you are on in starting your own business, it always helps to know the many resources available to you. Whether you are just getting started or already maintain a successful small business, it always helps to have information at your fingertips. To assist your journey, we have compiled some of the best online resources for any step of the process.
- General Help
- https://www.ohiosos.gov/businesses/business-resources/
- If you live in Ohio, the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office hosts the Ohio Business Resource connection. It has many pages dedicated to starting, financing, and growing your business.
- https://learn.sba.gov/dashboard
- The Small Business Administration offers excellent training for small business owners on many different topics.
- https://www.chamberofcommerce.org/small-business-resources/
- The United States Chamber of Commerce offers many amazing resources! They offer educational resources, network and trade associations, and community connections. You should also consider visiting and joining your state’s Chamber of Commerce for more localized resources. Keep in mind that there may be membership costs.
- https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/small-business-programs/small-and-disadvantaged-business-utilization/small-business-resources
- While the United States Treasury offers many small business resources worthy of being explored, we recommend spending the most time on their market research links. This can provide pivotal information for the success of your business, and they are free to access!
- https://www.score.org/
- SCORE, which stands for the Service Corps of Retired Executives, is made up of volunteer mentors dedicated to helping you grow your small business. They offer webinars, interactive courses, free business templates, and local workshops. Many of these resources are free.
- https://www.ohiosos.gov/businesses/business-resources/
- Connecting to Others
- https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/find
- The Small Business Administration offers an interactive map where you can search for connections with other business owners based on your zip code. This can help you avoid common mistakes and get advice from experienced business owners who want to help.
- https://www.linkedin.com/
- While many people associate LinkedIn with business professionals, businesses themselves can use it to build relationships with customers and speak with potential future employees. They also have a small business resources center that has a lot of free content like virtual events, online courses, and livestreams.
- https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/find
- Tax and Banking Resources
- https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-resources-to-help-small-business-owners
- The IRS is of course the best place to visit for help with tax resources. They offer links on this page to the specific page that will fit your needs. However, it is usually recommended to hire an accountant. *
- https://www.thesavingsbankohio.bank/business/smartbusiness-suite
- The Savings Bank offers many online banking resources to help you run your business smoothly. Check out our full suite of business products.
- https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-resources-to-help-small-business-owners
*If you live in Ohio, you can visit https://elicense.ohio.gov/oh_verifylicense?board=Accountancy+Board to search for certified CPAs in your area.
There are a lot of websites out there offering information about owning a small business, and it is not always easy to discern which are worth your time and energy. We want to help with that. While this list is by no means comprehensive, these are vetted (and often free!) resources from the government and established organizations dedicated to helping you.
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