Online Business Resources For Your Small Business – Part IV
Online Business Resources For Your Small Business – Part IV
Article by T Miller
There are many online resources available to assist businesses. Some are well known while others may take some research to find. Online resources give you 24/7 access to help as you prepare to launch your business while refining your business plan.
Small Business Development Centers
Your local Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) offer free one on one confidential consultations from successful business people in your community. They also hold classes and workshops to give business owners more hands on assistance with different business concepts.
Small Business Association (SBA)
This site contains financial assistance information for businesses. It list the eligibility requirements for different types of loans, bonds, and grants that are available for new and existing businesses.
Business website
Business (government site) helps small business understand the legal requirements of their business and locate government resources to support their business.
Thomasnet
Thomasnet helps business owners find suppliers and manufacturers for the products they plan to sell. Thomas.net also list the online catalogs of products, services, and brands from these suppliers and manufacturers.
IRS website
The IRS website has a small business and self employed section that gives information on:
Forms and Publications Information on getting your EIN Taxes (of course) Small Business Events Links to state government websites
These online resources are just the start of your online journey as you create your business plan. Use Google to find local resources in your community for:
Technology Business Incubator Centers City & State Tax Receipts (when applicable) Business Name Registration Business Operating Issues
Meetup
This website contains tons of other business owners who meet to discuss what they have learned about starting a business and how they overcome challenges as they developed their business. There are business meet-ups in every state and you can search on their site to find the ones in your business industry.
Learn more about the online business resources for small businesses by simply visiting our business plan series at My Excel Templates.
Question by Gaminda J: How can I start a small software business ?
I have 6-7 years of experience in the software industry. I want to start my own software development center (small one). I like to get contract from overseas clients or IT consultants, where I can develop applications at low cost. Please kindly give your ideas on how to find potential clients, partners and tips to success . thank you.
Best answer:
Answer by jdkilp
You need to provide more information. What type of software?
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Landrieu Letter to SBA Urges Support for Gulf Coast Small Businesses
Landrieu Letter to SBA Urges Support for Gulf Coast Small Businesses
Article by Kari Larson
June 15, 2010 — United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu [D-La., pictured], chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today sent a letter to Small Business Administration [SBA] Administrator Karen Mills, highlighting several initiatives aimed at assisting small businesses being impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
“As I write to you today, Gulf Coast small businesses continue to struggle with the growing economic impact from the disaster,” Landrieu stated in the letter. “This is because, in addition to the current six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling, there is a ripple effect of the multiple fisheries closures, as well as a slowdown in tourism due to the oil spill.
“Depending on the season, up to 40 percent of the nation’s commercial seafood harvest comes from the Gulf of Mexico. The tourism and fisheries impacts of the disaster threaten the continued viability of our Gulf Coast restaurants, ice houses, processors, grocery stores, and other small businesses.”
In her letter, Sen. Landrieu requested the SBA turn attention to the following federal assistance programs:
SBA Disaster Loan Interest Relief
In total, there are over 12,000 disaster loans outstanding from the 2005/2008 hurricanes with businesses who employ about 40,000 people. Landrieu requests the Obama Administration’s support for interest relief of up to $ 15,000 on outstanding disaster loans from the 2005 and 2008 hurricanes.
This proposal, intended to inject immediate capital into these businesses, is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and numerous Gulf Coast local governments and organizations. It has also been endorsed by the New York Times and the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspapers.
Collateral on SBA Disaster Loans
To date, SBA has approved 52 Gulf Coast oil spill-related Economic Injury Disaster Loans totaling $ 2.2 million. SBA has indicated that it will accept the “best available” collateral from businesses seeking disaster loans. This collateral could include personal real estate, equipment, or business property.
Landrieu presses SBA to examine different types of collateral that could be used and to not further burden businesses that are now, in some cases, facing their second or third disaster since 2005. She also urges SBA to coordinate with BP for borrowers interested in putting up their BP claims as collateral towards these disaster loans.
Reimbursement from BP
The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, established by the Oil Pollution Act, is available to reimburse federal agencies for operations related to response and compensation provisions after an oil spill. The SBA has increased its staff by 125 employees to respond to this disaster, and set up 28 Business Recovery Centers in the Gulf Coast. Landrieu requests that SBA contact BP to receive appropriate compensation.
Similarly, as the SBA disburses Economic Injury Disaster Loans to businesses and fishermen in impacted states, the agency should also seek reimbursement from BP for these loan amounts.
Lastly, local Small Business Development Centers [SBDCs] are currently assisting businesses with both the BP claims process and SBA disaster loan process. Landrieu pushes for SBA, in coordination with the SBDCs, to seek compensation from BP for these services being provided as a result of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
On May 27, 2010, the Small Business Committee held a hearing on the impact of the Deepwater Horizon disaster on Gulf Coast small businesses. In that hearing, the Committee heard from members of the U.S. Coast Guard and federal agencies on the claims process and assistance available to small businesses.
To date, the SBA has approved 52 Economic Injury Disaster Loans. BP indicated at that hearing that they had received over 26,000 claims — of which 12,000 claims have been paid — totaling $ 36 million. To view complete coverage of the May 27th hearing, please visit: http://bit.ly/OilSpillHearingSBC.
On Thursday, June 17th, the Committee will hold a hearing highlighting the contracting process for proposals for the oil spill cleanup. Live video from the hearing can be viewed at http://sbc.senate.gov/.
To view a copy of Landrieu’s letter, please go to: http://bit.ly/LetterOilDisaster.
Resources
For information about disaster-related contracting possibilities, visit SBA’s Disaster Contracting Assistance Center: http://bit.ly/DisasterDCAC.
To glean consolidated information about federally funded government assistance to help all disaster victims — e.g., businesses, families, individuals — visit the new, one-stop DisasterAssistance.gov website: http://bit.ly/DisasterAssistance.
Anyone with damages to their business or home resulting from a declared disaster can apply for financial assistance via SBA’s Disaster Assistance Electronic Loan Application: http://bit.ly/DisasterAssistELA.
Support the Gulf Coast!
Want to help, uh, fuel economic development in the Gulf Coast? Hold your next business meeting, convention, family reunion and/or vacation in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama or Florida. Check out SouthCoast USA for ideas on planning your next trip there: http://www.southcoastusa.com/.
SOURCE: U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
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TAGS: BP oil spill, Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Deepwater Horizon, disaster loans, federal contracting, Gulf Coast, Gulf of Mexico, Karen Mills, Mary Landrieu, SBA, SBDCs, U.S. Senate, Alabama, claims process, Disaster Contracting Assistance Center, economic impact, federal assistance, fisheries, Florida, hospitality, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Orleans Times-Picayune, New York Times, NOAA, restaurants, seafood, small business, small businesses, SouthCoast USA, SouthCoastUSA.com, tourism, U.S. Coast Guard
Kari Larson, editor and publisher of GoodBiz113 [http://goodbiz113.blogspot.com], is committed to showcasing socially responsible small-business policies, partnerships and practices that serve the greatest possible win-win-win good.
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Question by 2 Happily Married Americans: Bankers out there…are you still approving loans for small businesses and mortgages?
I am at a Small Business Development Center conference right now, and we just went reviewed business plans. Our reviews from the commercial bankers were done before the past three weeks, and we were wondering if the companies that got the green light on projects a month ago would still be likely to get the funding in todays situation if nothing has changed on the borrower’s end (still have a great business plan and 25% down and good personal credit.) Has there been any official policy changes in the past few weeks?
Best answer:
Answer by Gavin
Being a small business owner, you need to pay extra attention to management of financial resources. Since growth of your business somehow depends on its financial position, you should always be cautious about cash flaw within or outside your business. It is quite true that lack of finance can become a big problem in the way of the success of your small business. Since a sapling business face different kind of financial problems, any ordinary loan cannot meet these requirements. For that reason, the borrower needs to find out such a solution that may help small business owners in meeting different requirements of their small businesses. Small business loans are one of those business loans that are specially tailored to meet requirements of a sapling business organization. These loans can meet each and every financial requirement of a going business and can help that business in growing with a faster pace.
http://www.worldbestloans.com/businessloans.htm
Since market is crowded with various business loan schemes, every small business owner can manage to get the desired amount without any problem. Therefore if you own a new and small business organization and financial shortfall is bothering you, then these loans can prove to be the best help for you. These small business loans are simple to get but for getting these loans, should have an approved business plan. This business plan must be working and should be approved from the national corporate body. For getting these loans, the borrower also need to estimate how much finance he or she will require for running his or her small business smoothly. Application for small business loans include purpose, amount and type of loan therefore, if you are looking for any such business loan, then evaluate these terms to get a suitable loan.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Categories: Small Business Development Center Tags: Businesses, Coast, Gulf, Landrieu, Letter, Small, Support, Urges
Staples Names Sen. John Kerry Small Business Champion of the Year
Staples Names Sen. John Kerry Small Business Champion of the Year
Article by Kari Larson
This week, Framingham, Mass.-based Staples Inc. honored Sen. John Kerry [D-Mass.] with their Small Business Champion of the Year award for his 23 years of service in the U.S. Senate on behalf of America’s 27 million small-business owners — including Massachusetts’ 650,000 small businesses. Kerry chairs the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
“I’m deeply honored to receive this award from Staples,” said Kerry. “I’m working everyday in Washington to do just what we ought to do: level the playing field for small businesses, and foster innovation and entrepreneurship — from Brighton to Boston, and from Salem to Springfield.”
Staples, which began as a start-up in Brighton, Mass., in 1986 with 42 employees, used the Small Business Investment Company [SBIC] program, managed by the Small Business Administration [SBA], to fund its initial expansion. That investment helped spur Staples’ growth to become one of the largest office products suppliers in the world.
“Staples is a tremendous small-business success story,” Kerry noted, “demonstrating the power of a public-private partnership that uses a federal small-business financing program to bolster the good idea and hard work of an entrepreneur.”
Sen. Kerry was recognized for his leadership efforts to get several small-business initiatives signed into law last year. Among his achievements: Winning legislation to increase funding for core small-business programs; expand energy efficiency resources; secure permanent funding for successful Women’s Business Centers; e.g., the Center for Women & Enterprise, in Boston, Worcester and Providence, R.I.; increase funding for small firms to develop military projects; and restore transparency to the Transportation Security Administration’s contracting process. Presenting the award on behalf of Staples was Mike Miles, company president and chief operating officer.
This year, Kerry will continue to work on behalf of Massachusetts small businesses and entrepreneurs around the country by fighting to reduce health-care costs, increase access to capital, foster green technologies, and boost energy efficiency. He also aims to expand access to federal contracts – especially for underserved communities, including women, minorities and veterans.
SOURCES: Staples Inc., U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
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Tags: American Express, Boston, Brighton, business, capital, Center for Women & Enterprise, contract, contracting, efficiency, energy, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, federal, financing, Framingham, funding, green, health care, initiative, innovation, innovative, John Kerry, legislation, Massachusetts, Mike Miles, military, minorities, office products, OPEN, partnership, Providence, public-private, Rhode Island, Salem, SBA, SBIC, small business, Small Business Administration, Small Business Investment Company, Springfield, Staples, start-up, startup, supplier, technologies, technology, transparency, Transportation Security Administration, TSA, underserved, U.S. Senate, veterans, women, Women’s Business Centers, Worcester
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? 2008 Kari Larson. All rights reserved.
Kari Larson, editor and publisher of GoodBiz113, is committed to showcasing small-biz policies and partnerships that serve the greatest possible win-win-win good.
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Question by : Can Small Business get ISO 9001 Certified?
The pressure comes from industries like automotive, medical and environmental for their subcontractors to become registered. The customer to such small companies adds to the dilemma by requesting certification as a token of trust and reliability. These days it just seems like a double whammy.
A small business as understood by department of commerce is one that employs less than 500 people. That means a Machine shop to Sheet metal manufacturing all come under the umbrella of Small Business. For a relatively bigger organization it becomes easily justifiable to get certification and seems a viable option since most of the companies recover their investment in 3 years (studies from McGraw Hill and Dun & Bradstreet) but for a machine shop which does the contract and specialty work for one of these bigger companies is hard since their main product/service is that machine which they have invested in. With few resources, fewer incentives and inconsistent contracts pouring in, smaller companies have tough time justifying the cost and effort for registration.
This equipped with the common knowledge that it takes about $ 10,000-$ 25,000 approximately to get certified and retain certification in subsequent years. These figures are all dependent on the size of company, number of employees they have and number of factors but largely the size of company. Since a small company has few employees and few operations, its quality process will be a lot simpler and less expensive. The result of registration is felt more in a small company due to fact that its resources are more streamlined.
As a small company it is difficult to run business with competition coming from a lot of manufacturing gone to developing countries. This along with the financial instability, limited resources & manpower, training requirement, software upgrades makes registration an unattainable dream. Although there are a lot of obstacles in path to get registration for small organizations, there is a plethora of resource to achieve the goal. Since the limited number of resource is the biggest challenge getting external help is viable option but choosing a consultant with knowledge and understanding of your requirement is a critical step.
Just like the first step to shed the extra pounds is the most critical so is this step but once an organization is committed to follow the path all the obstacles become learning curve and all the myths debunked.
Best answer:
Answer by Synchronous
The ISO 9000 standards are a set of standards, technical specifications, technical reports, manuals and web-based quality management. There are about 25 documents in the collection in conjunction with new or revised documents are being developed on an ongoing basis.
What do you think? Answer below!
