There Is Help Out There: Resources for SMBs
Start-ups can tap into various organizations to help get things off the ground. And do it for free.
For anyone thinking about launching a start-up or opening a retail store, business owners don't have to go at it alone.
Even larger companies with a hundred employees that are looking to grow should know that there is a lot of help out there.
From the local chamber of commerce and county economic development board to state-level business resource centers and the national-level Small Business Administration, support is there for the taking. And most of it is free.
On a local level, business resource centers can be found in nearly every state. They are state and federally funded, offer business counseling and other support services, and will help with business and marketing plans. They can also direct business owners to grants and loan programs aimed at helping small businesses and start-ups get off the ground. And many serve as advocates of small businesses.
In California, the mission of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate, or CalOSBA, is to support economic growth and innovation and ensure “that all California small businesses and innovative start-ups have the information and direct support they need to better navigate resources, programs and regulations,” the organization says. The group also serves as the voice of small businesses, “representing their views and interests across the state and advocating for equitable access to capital, markets, and networks so that all California small businesses successfully start, manage, grow and become more resilient,” the organization noted on its website.
CalOSBA offers newsletters, connections to small business centers across the state, training, webinars and information about grants, funding and various incentive programs. There are also resources for businesses to learn about government contracts as well as information about permits, licenses and regulations. Regarding local-level business resource centers, they are set up to help business owners and companies at any stage of development — from start-ups to mature businesses eyeing growth.
In New York, the New York Small
Business Development Center, or NYSBDC, in Albany helps individuals start a business via consulting and resources while also working with larger SMBs to manage growth. And like other business resource centers, the NYSBDC prioritizes working with minorities, women and veterans. Its educational services and programs include a focus on entrepreneurship, technology and innovation, as well as disaster education and COVID-19 recovery resources.
Since the organization was formed in 1984, it has worked with more than 550,000 business owners.
On a more local level, the Mid-Hudson Small Business Development Center in New York offers one-on-one and confidential business counseling for free. Also serving the Hudson Valley and Westchester
County area is the Women's Enterprise Development Center. The center holds workshops, offers financial assistance and has business advisers on hand, as well as an “entrepreneur growth lab” where ideas are turned into physical businesses.
It's important to note that all of these centers have trained staff and advisers who can also help connect business owners to resources outside of the organization itself. For example, they can help direct owners to local and regional economic development boards whose mission is to financially support businesses as they expand, make capital investments, and, especially, hire more employees.