Startup Help From the SBA
   By Alex R. Merriman

If you need a helping hand when starting your own business, turn to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

The SBA is big brother at his best. The government agency is a business mentor, trainer, coach and advisor all rolled into one.

SBA resources are available to you online and offline. Many of the resources are free. Those that charge fees are well worth the nominal expense.

The online resources are comprehensive and detailed, spanning every conceivable business topic. If you have a question about how to perform some function for your small company, you can probably find the answer with a few clicks of your mouse.

Offline, the SBA is present in every state. There are SBA district offices, Small Business Development Centers and Women’s Business Centers scattered in cities across the nation.

Here’s a sampling of some of the best SBA startup resources:


Business.gov
The newest addition to online SBA resources is Business.gov. The site is billed as the gateway for U.S. businesses to connect with federal agencies. It’s a one-stop resource for finding specific tools and information.

Business.gov provides information and links to:

• Business development: information on starting, managing and marketing a business

• Financial assistance: resources for capital and credit

• Taxes: federal and state tax resources, forms and assistance

• Laws and regulations: Laws, regulations and other resources that affect businesses

• International trade: information on export promotion, trade finance and trade leads

• Workplace issues: information on employee wellness, workplace safety, benefits and the family-friendly workplace

• Buying and selling: links for doing business with the government

• Federal forms: finding government forms businesses need to conduct business, expand and grow

Business.gov is slated to add more resources later this year. The site will also add special “wizards” to help business owners find answers to their questions and fill out forms.

Small Business Startup Kit
The SBA Small Business Start Kit serves as a roadmap for starting your business. The site is comprehensive, yet easy to use.

You can answer a questionnaire that helps determine whether entrepreneurship is right for you. A self-paced tutorial shows you how to craft a business plan. You’ll find a thorough discussion to help you compare business structures, such as sole proprietorships and corporations. The site offers plenty of supporting resources and links for additional information.

Small Business Training Network
The SBA Small Business Training Network offers free training on a range of topics—from starting and financing a business to disaster recovery and managing your business.

Online courses are self-paced. You’ll find courses that help you estimate startup costs, figure out cash flow, understand your federal tax obligations and much more.

The training library houses hundreds of SBA publications and links to thousands of outside small-business resources.

Click “National Training Events” and you’ll go to a state-by-state list of local events. Click your city, and a calendar appears listing all of the events by month. Choose an event to find the location and the description of the topic. You’ll also find registration and cost information.

Online Women’s Business Center
The SBA’s Online Women’s Business Center (OWBO) helps women navigate the entrepreneurial world. OWBO offers programs that address business training and technical assistance as well as provide access to credit and capital.

Need a marketing plan? Want some inexpensive promotional ideas? Click “Marketing” under the “Business Basics” tab for practical tips. Also under “Business Basics” you’ll find information about technology, financing and growing your business.

Through the OWBO, you can also access a national network of Women’s Business Centers (WBC). Local WBCs provide long-term training, counseling and assistance in finance, management, marketing, procurement and the Internet.

These WBCs also address specialized topics such as home-based businesses, corporate executive downsizing and welfare-to-work. Each WBC tailors its programs to the needs of its individual community. Many offer programs and counseling in two or more languages.

Small Business Development Centers
For offline, face-to-face training, check out a Small Business Development Center (SBDC). There are close to 1,000 locations nationwide, so there’s probably one near you.

SBDCs offer a huge array of seminars, workshops, courses and conferences. And each SBDC tailors its services to the unique needs of local economies, such as rural or urban, home based, marine and others.

Since 1980, more than 9 million entrepreneurs have received services from SBDCs. Find an SBDC near you by visiting www.sba.gov/sbdc.


(Posted July 2004)

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