Small Business Support Services

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Windhaus Associates suggests considering the following small business support services:

Corporate Creations is a legal services firm that specializes in small business incorporation, trademark search, and registration. We have worked with this company since 1993. The firm always provides our referrals with the utmost of honesty, care and quality service.

U.S. Government-sponsored small business agency sites:

IRS is an excellent web site for startups and the self-employed entrepreneurs.

Small Business & Self-Employed One-Stop Resource - an excellent starting point at the IRS website.

Small Business Resource Guide - CD-ROM provides critical tax information to small businesses including forms, instructions, and publications. The CD also provides valuable business information from a variety of government agencies, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions. The CD contains essential startup information needed by new small businesses in order to be successful. The design of the CD makes finding information easy and quick and incorporates file formats and browsers which can be run on virtually any desktop or laptop computer.

Small Business Tax Calendar - filled with useful information on general business forms, IRS and SSA customer assistance, electronic options, business forms and publications, and common tax filing dates.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the U.S. federal government's centerpiece agency for small business support, and offers an support at its web site.

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) are affiliated with the SBA, providing free counseling and workshops. Most are located on college campuses nationwide.

Woman-Owned Business (WBE) Resources:

Proprietorship, an unincorporated business with a single owner, is the most commonly used form of legal business ownership. From 1990 to 1998 84.8% of WBE's were proprietorships.

Average annual WBE proprietorship receipts from 1990 to 1998 was $31,000.

In 2000, women represented 38 percent of the self-employed.

In 1998, women-headed households with a business had an average income level 2.5 times that of those without a business; similarly, those with a business had average net worth nearly six times those without.

Economic Census data is issued every five years. 2002 data has not yet been released, but as of 1997 the highest concentrations of WBE businesses were in Services (55%), Retail Trade (17%) and Finance/Insurance/Real Estate (9%).

The female portion of non-farm, sole proprietorships grew from 27.6% in 1983 to 35.3% in 1998.

In 1999 the marital status of self-employed females was 75% married, 10% divorced, 9% never married, 4% widowed, 2% separated and married but spouse was absent from the household.

In 1999 the formal education level of WBE's included 31.69% high school degree, 5.37% associate degree, 20.41% bachelor degree5.91% master degree and 1.35% doctorate degree.

Public Sector Resources

Women's Business Center - The Small Business Administration's outreach program to women business owners. The U.S. Small Business Administration is opening 11 new Women's Business Centers in 7 states!

U.S. Dept. of Labor Women's Bureau - Though devoted to women as employees, the site gives insight as to where they are moving in the traditional and non-traditional fields of employment.

U.S. Dept. of Transportation (OSDBU) - Though titled Small & Disadvantaged, the OSDBU is one of the more assertive federal agencies to promote procurement opportunities for women-owned businesses.

National Women's Business Council - This is the, "bi-partisan Federal advisory council created to serve as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners."

State Governments - Some states are more assertive than others in creating procurement opportunities for women owned businesses.

For Canadian WBE's - Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency - A profile of Atlantic Canadian WBE's.

Private Sector Resources

American Business Women's Association

Business Women's Network

BizWomen.com

Center for Women's Business Research

MLMWoman.com

National Association of Women Business Owners

National Association of Women in Construction

U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce

Women in Franchising

Minority-Owned Business (MBE) Resources:

Public Sector Resources

Minority Business Development Centers (MBDC) are directed to minorities by race and ethnicity and women.

Native American Business Resources, like MBDC's, are supported by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, but devoted exclusively to the U.S. Native American entrepreneur. View the SBA January 26, 2004 press release on new economic development opportunities for Native Americans.

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