Resources for entrepreneurs

Starting a business is hard when you don't have the right tools. But how do you know which tools are the best to use? Rob Fitzpatrick, an entrepreneur and author, put together a brain dump of tools he frequently turns to for his projects. Some are more obvious, others fairly unusual, but each can be extremely useful for startups. 

Accelerate St. Louis provides information and resources to startups, and connects entrepreneurs and investors. If your start-up is located in St. Louis, you should check them out. They also provide some great networking opportunities.

The Missouri Women’s Business Center is dedicated to providing small business development assistance to aspiring women, with a focus on minority and low-to-moderate income-based entrepreneurs throughout Mid-Missouri.

If you want to start a business in the State of Florida, the first order of business is to obtain the proper licenses. You also need to register your business with the state. The Florida Secretary of State can facilitate this process for you. Most of your business filings can be done online. The fees associated with various filings are also listed.  

EIN stands for Employer Identification Number. If you are starting a business in the U.S., you will need it.  When you open a checking account for your business, you will need the EIN for your business. EIN is assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). There is usually no cost in applying for an EIN. You can apply for an EIN online. 

A crowd funding site and a great way for start-ups to raise money and also validate their ideas at the same time. A must check site for all start-ups.

In the field of entrepreneurship education the Kauffman Foundation has a global name. The Kauffman Founders School includes tools that are great for start-ups or existing businesses. The tools are presented as short videos and the presenters are practicing entrepreneurs, educators and consultants. Resources provided by the Kauffman Founders are free.  

Kickstarter is a popular crowd funding site for start-ups. Run campaigns in multiple crowd funding sites for your start-up. Along with raising funds, this is a great way to validate your idea.

Legal Zoom is an easy-to-use, online service that helps people create their own legal documents. When you start a business there are a lot of legal requirements. Think of Legal Zoom as an online 24/7 attorney. It can help you incorporate a business, trademark a name, prepare non-disclosure agreements or take care of other legal matters. Services are provided at reasonable rates.

The St. Louis Entrepreneur Group is for business owners and those who work for a small business in the St. Louis area. They regularly help entrepreneurs and small businesses that are just starting. This is a great way to meet people who can make a difference for your business.

The Missouri Innovation Center provides support for high growth business ventures that improve human life and sustainability. The non-profit organization is located in Columbia, MO. The center is motivated by good ideas, exceptional people and contributions to the growth of Mid-Missouri. If your start-up needs incubator space, the center might be able to assist.

If you want to start a business in the State of Missouri, you need to obtain the proper licenses. You also need to register your business with the state. The Missouri Secretary of State can facilitate this process for you. Most of your business filings can be done online. Fees associated with various filings are also listed.  

Prosper was created to address the entrepreneur gender gap in the St. Louis region.  They are a group of business leaders, thinkers, innovators and students who want to make sure St. Louis is well positioned. Prosper is also focused on making sure women entrepreneurs are a vital part of the future.

Prosper Women Entrepreneurs is comprised of two separate divisions. Prosper Institute, a non-profit organization, is focused on training and mentoring women in the entrepreneurial community. Prosper Capital, a for-profit organization, is focused on increasing women entrepreneurs' access to growth capital.

REDI acts as a local point of contact for any company that requests information about Columbia, Missouri and Boone County. REDI provides available site and building information, comprehensive area demographics and labor availability studies. REDI organizes community tours, facilitates community leader introductions when prospective companies visit the area. It also acts as a liaison for local utilities and city government. REDI serves as a liaison with the Missouri State Department of Economic Development to provide customized state incentive proposals. It also hosts an event, “1 Million Cups,” every Wednesday where aspiring start-ups  talk about their products or services. There is no cost to present and you can get some great feedback from the audience. REDI also has great resources for start-ups located in Columbia, MO.

SME Pals is a site dedicated to helping small business owners and entrepreneurs thrive online. Find new ideas, create a business plan and learn how to turn ideas into profitable online businesses.

Steve Blank is widely respected in the world of start-ups. He has gathered a list of resources that can be extremely valuable to all start-ups. Also, he has this innate ability to simplify concepts. If you are thinking about starting a business, learning from, this can be extremely valuable.

SBA has some great tools for both start-ups and existing small to mid-sized businesses. You can also look at business plan development templates on the site. Most SBA services are free to the public. SBA also offers various loan programs, mostly for existing small to mid-sized businesses.

If you want to start a business in the State of Utah, you need to obtain the proper licenses. You also need to register your business with the state. The Utah Secretary of State can facilitate this process for you. Most of your business filings can be done online. Fees associated with various filings are also listed.