Small Business Development Center, provides a wide range of consulting, educational, applied research services for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in Georgia including minority businesses.
SCORE, http://www.score.org, offers a host of resources for people starting, growing, financing or managing their business. One of the most valuable services offered is “Ask SCORE,” a database of retired business people who will provide free business advice. You can specify an area of expertise, for example, manufacturing, advanced technology, disaster recovery, or financial services, and also qualify your search by state.
Entrepreneur.com, http://www.entrepreneur.com/, from Entrepreneur magazine, has a vast array of resources on starting a business, buying a franchise, growing a home-based business, business opportunities, money and finance, sales and marketing, management, e-business, technology, and other topics.
Center for Business Planning, http://www.businessplans.org/, is a resource to assist in writing a business plan. Also, includes a searchable consultant directory.
Chambers of Commerce websites
- May contain demographic and economic statistical data for your area
- May include a list of local chamber members. Members usually know their community's business climate quite well.
- Search Google or other search engine for the pertinent chamber of commerce. For example: “chamber of commerce” athens georgia
YourEconomy.org, http://www.youreconomy.org/, is an interactive research tool developed by the Edward Lowe Foundation. The website allows users to explore economic activity in their own communities — and across the country. YourEconomy provides detailed information about the performance of businesses from a national to a local level.
The Kauffman Foundation, http://www.kauffman.org/ provides resources on a variety of entrepreneurship sectors, including youth entrepreneurship; minority entrepreneurship; higher education; capital, markets and economics; knowledge, training and networks; and global entrepreneurship. The Foundation produces research reports on entrepreneurship. Most are downloadable from the website.
Main Street Program, http://www.mainstreet.org/, is a community-driven, comprehensive methodology used to revitalize older, traditional business districts throughout the United States. “The underlying premise of the Main Street approach is to encourage economic development within the context of historic preservation in ways appropriate to today’s marketplace.”
E2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, http://www.energizingentrepreneurs.org/, is a program designed to help leaders and citizens in rural communities and regions across the U.S. embrace entrepreneurship as a core rural economic development strategy. The website offers tools, success stories, research, and other resources for supporting local entrepreneurs.
