Micro Enterprise and Small Business Development:
Web Links to Useful Information and Resources
Prospective business owners with disabilities can find a wealth of information on the internet to guide them in planning a small business... from developing a business plan, to getting business training and applying for loans to start a small business.
The following links are well-known for their area of expertise but do not imply specific endorsement of their products. Only Georgia programs are listed in the Technical Assistance and Training section. Georgia’s Adult Technical Schools include coursework as preparation for small business development.
Links are organized into the following categories:
Information and Advice on Developing a Small Business
Business Plan Resources on the Small Business and Self-Employment Services (SBSES) Web Site of the Job Accommodation Network and Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the US Department of Labor.
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/SBSES/BUSINESSPLANRESOURCES
This site provides examples of business plans, on-line resources and templates for prospective entrepreneurs. The SBSES web page includes many links to useful self-employment information and resources and is a good page to start researching tips and tools available to VR counselors, Rehabilitation Employment Specialists and clients. The SBSES can be contacted directly at 800-526-7234 for information and referral in these areas of interest:
Starting a Business
- developing a business concept
- market research
- writing a business plan
- obtaining capital
- loan guarantees
Managing a Business
Disability Issues
- Social Security
- PASS plans
- health care
- working at home
About.com's Small Business Site http://sbinformation.about.com
This site is a reference center for news, legal information, advice, and other articles covering a wide variety of small business-related topics. The site also provides chat and a bulletin board.
American Express Small Business Web Site http://home.americanexpress.com
This site provides much more than just information about the American Express small business credit card. In addition to an extensive bulletin board featuring expert business advice, the web site also offers a variety of online business planning tools including a web site marketing workshop, information on writing a business plan and tips for managing your receivables and collections.
Bplans.com http://www.toolkit.cch
Bplans.com offers thousands of pages of free sample plans, planning tools, and expert advice to help you start and run your business. It includes start-up business plans, marketing and web development plans and financial tools.
CCH Business Owner's Toolkit http://www.toolkit.cch
The CCH Business Owner's Toolkit includes daily news updates and a guidebook with detailed practical information on topics ranging from business plans, office equipment and taxes, to developing an exit strategy for your business.
EntreWorld: Resources for Entrepreneurshttp://www.entreworld.org
EntreWorld offers articles organized by topics such as starting and running a small business, including business plans and hiring strategies. A glossary of over 700 business terms is also featured, along with well-organized links to other small business resources.
Morebusiness http://www.morebusiness.com
More Business is a reference center for information and advice on launching and running a small business, along with weekly news articles, online tools such as a financial calculator, and templates for writing a business plan and other business documents.
U.S. Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html
The official site of the U.S. Small Business Association provides information about starting a small enterprise or expanding an existing business. Government aid, financing options, disaster assistance, regulations, and outside resources are all discussed on the site.
Small Business and Self-Employment Handbook http://www.dsb.wa.gov/resourcesForParticipants/selfEmploymentHandbook
This handbook provides consumers interested in self-employment as an employment option a chance to explore everything from the reasons for self-employment to tips for financing a small business.
The GettingAhead Association http://www.gaarc.org
This Association offers many on-line financial tools to help members learn to manage their money and develop assets, an essential requirement for any individual intending to establish a part or full-time small business.
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Technical Assistance and Training Vendors
Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) http://www.sbdc.uga.edu
The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program and the Small Business Development Center Network headquartered at the University of Georgia are renewing a cooperative agreement regarding services to Georgians with disabilities seeking services from these programs. SDBCs are available to assist VR counselors and their clientele who are serious about developing a small business concept into a viable, competitive enterprise and who are self-motivated and able to conduct market research and other tasks independently.
The agreement requires that both the counselor and the SBDC representative meet to discuss the client’s business idea before the client is formally referred for the initial triage meeting. Consultants can help counselor and clients:
- Develop and update business plans
- Identify sources of capital
- Set up record-keeping systems and analyze financial records
- Identify foreign markets for products or services
- Conduct specialized research geared to specific needs of the business-owner
- Create marketing strategies and advertising campaigns
- Explore suitable ways to conform to government regulations
- Increase opportunities to sell to federal, state, and local governments
- Analyze statistical and demographic data from reports and maps developed utilizing The Georgia 2000 geographic information system
The SBDCs also provide classes on business development. Check the Cobb Micro Enterprise Center is a not-for-profit organization that offers an in-depth affordable entrepreneurial training program designed for low- to moderate-income individuals aspiring to start or expand a business. Individuals at all income levels are invited to apply. The program involves the following design components:
- Entrepreneurial training and technical assistance
- Business Technology Training (Computer Classes)
- Access to credit, including providing direct loans or enabling access to capital through relationships with banks and other community developmental financial institutions.
- Access to new markets beyond neighborhood borders.
Georgia Department of Adult Technical Education (DTAE) http://www.dtae.org/entrepreneur/menu.html
DTAE offers small business development coursework and guidance to prospective small business owners. This web link provides additional information about specialized services such as business incubators at some colleges.
DTAE can help individuals who need to develop basic business skills to do tasks like market research and development of a business plan may be considered for referral to one of the micro enterprise skills training or Georgia Adult Technical Education schools listed with web links below.
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Small Business Skills Training Courses
There are also specialized training programs in Georgia targeted to help individuals who are living on low incomes, disabled, or considered to be a member of a “high risk” population. Many of these programs are affiliated with the Georgia Micro Enterprise Network, or G-MEN, and use a core training program – Fast Trac - developed by the Kaufman Foundation. In addition to Fast Trac courses, these programs offer program graduates opportunities to apply for small business grants and/or loans to launch the proposed business. Unfortunately, these programs do not operate in all areas of Georgia.
Kauffman Foundation Fast Trac http://www.kauffman.org
FastTrac is a comprehensive entrepreneurship-educational program that provides entrepreneurs with business insights, leadership skills and professional networking connections so they are prepared to create a new business or expand an existing enterprise. The FastTrac program includes practical, hands-on business development programs and workshops for existing entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, as well as entrepreneurship curriculum for college students.
The First Step FastTrac provides the class and coursework structure for individuals who have a business concept but who do not have the knowledge and skills to move forward in developing their idea to determine its feasibility. Fast Trac classes are offered at these locations in Georgia:
Cobb Microenterprise Council
Kennesaw, Georgia
Contact Name: Patricia Harris
Contact Email: pharris@ksumail.kennesaw.edu
Coosa Vally Technical College
Rome, Georgia
Contact Name: Lucy Hale
Contact Email: lhale@coosavalleytech.edu
Georgia Small Business Development Center
Athens, Georgia
Contact Email: info@fasttrac.org
Satellite Site: Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia
Contact Name: Peter Rassel
Contact Email: sbdpjr@langate.gsu.edu
Satellite Site: Kennesaw State University Small Business Development Center
Kennesaw, Georgia
Contact Name: Drew Tonsmeire
Contact Email: dtonsmeire@sbdc.uga.edu
TCF Business Development
Atlanta, Georgia
Contact Name: Tim Fulton
Contact Email: timfulton@hotmail.com
Satellite Site: 2 or 3 Gathered Together, Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia
Womens Employment Opportunity Project, Inc.
East Point, Georgia
Contact Name: Antoinette Ball
Contact Email: weop@bellsouth.net
Goodwill Industries of North Georgia Economic Development Services http://www.ging.org/employment
Goodwill of North Georgia offers the following micro enterprise development services at four Career Center locations (East Lake, Duluth, Woodstock and Ellijay) for minorities, TANF, and low income individuals who are interested in developing micro enterprises but require basic business skills, technical assistance and access to capital to develop the micro enterprise. Specific services include:
BusinessNOW
Micro-Entrepreneur Training & Development
Employment Services
Supporting all Training Programs & Services
Career Centers
Work Connections – for the Job Seeker
Business Connections – for Owners of Micro & Small Businesses
For more information, contact JoAnn McLean, Director
Email: jmclean@ging.org
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Loans and Grants for Small Businesses
Georgia Economic Development Resources http://www.jan.wvu.edu//SBSES/econdevGA
This site offers all Georgia-based resources to help small business entrepreneurs access resources they need.
Small Business Administration (SBA) http://www.sba.gov/financing/sbaloan/snapshot
The SBA offers a range of loans for small business entrepreneurs. The SBDCs are the best place to gather this information after developing a sound business plan that the capitalization and cash flow requirements.
Abilities Fund, Inc. http://www.abilitiesfund.org/entrepreneurs/current_grant_opportunities.php
In partnership with Trickle Up, Inc., Abilities can offer small start-up funds of $200 - $500 for small business. For additional information, review program eligibility and application requirements on the web site. The web site also includes excellent tools that help individuals with disabilities consider major tasks involved in launching a small business.
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Loans for Small Business Job Accommodations
Credit-Able http://www.techable.org and http://www.gaarc.org
This loan guarantee service offers small business owners affordable loans to purchase assistive technology, vehicle modifications and adapted vehicles, ergonomic and other modifications to the business setting for specific employees with disabilities, including the business owner with a disability. Credit-Able policies require the device, vehicle modifications or adapted vehicle as well as transportable modifications (i.e., portable ramps) be owned by the person for whom the loan is secured, not the borrower. All loans are processed through participating Georgia credit unions and therefore, allow borrowers the opportunity to join the participating credit union. These credit unions do not typically make loans for business development, although this is a need that the GettingAhead Association is exploring as a value-added service to Credit-Able participants and other individuals seeking to establish small businesses.
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Volunteer Business Advice
Senior Corps of Retired Executives www.score.org or www.scoreatlanta.org
Score is a 10,500 member volunteer association sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The association matches volunteer business-management counselors, whose collective experience spans the full range of American enterprise, with clients in need of expert advice. Score is organized through local chapter offices where counselors meet with clients at the chapter or at the client’s place of business. Score also offers free and confidential e-mail counseling through their website
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Georgia Micro Enterprise Network (G-MEN) http://www.georgiamicroenterprise.org
The Georgia Micro Enterprise Network (GMEN) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to making a difference in the economic development of Georgia.
A "micro" enterprise is a business that is owner-operated with less than five employees, and start-up capital needs of less than $35,000. These businesses usually have initial gross revenues of less than $100,000.
G-Men is a good resource for the areas of Georgia that currently do not have micro enterprise development technical assistance and skills training non-profits like Goodwill Industries of North Georgia or Cobb Micro Enterprises. G-MEN offers technical assistance to organizations wishing to establish such resources in underserved areas of Georgia.
Getting Down to Business: Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities - A Status Report from the Blue Ribbon Panel on Self-Employment, Small Business, and Disability http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/business/opportunities
This report provides an excellent look into the future of what self-employment services could look like if the report recommendations are adopted.