Business Resource Center

Business Assistance Through Information

 

 The purpose of this page is to assist business owners and those planning to go into business to find local, state and federal agency resources. A significant component of the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce 1998 Focused Future campaign was the establishment of a resource center for start up businesses and expansion of small business. In addition the site provides summary information and quick links a small business owner would need to contact prior to starting a business. Many links on this site will provide some information FREE but there might be a charge for additional information. 

 

The actual physical resource center is located at the Chamber's facility "The Gateway" at 204 East Innes Street which houses not only the Chamber but Rowan County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Commission. 

 

 

  Business Internet Fundamentals Free Training

                                   GRow your business 46% faster than other businesses                   

A lot of businesses are reinventing their business with Internet expansion due to the explosion of Internet visitors. Find out what business costs you can reduce, how to increase revenues, monitor product success, and improve customer service and more. You can Learn at your pace for FREE. Each tutorial is are focused on helping you understand the internet, telling you why the internet is important to your business and showing you strategic tools and resources for enhancing your business. Geared to help you boost your bottom line business, this site offers 20 minute tutorials, broken down into five focused presentations.

How to Start or Grow Your Small Business in rowan county Booklet

An Informative Printable Booklet & Links . . . Prepared by: Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Small Business Center

 

NEED SOME BUSINESS ASSISTANCE?

 

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Small Business Center (RCCC)

 

Have an idea for starting a small business and just don’t know how to get started?  Are you in the process of writing a business plan and need someone to review your progress?  Confused as to the proper entity you should be or just want to kick some ideas around and get feedback?

 

On the second Tuesday of each month a representative of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College offers a free one hour business counseling session at the Chamber.  The times available run from 9:30-12:30 p.m.  Appointments can be made through the Chamber of Commerce (704-633-4221) or through the Small Business Center at RCCC by calling 704-216-7213 (for appointments in Concord).

 

University of North Carolina Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC)

 

SBTDC provides in-depth management counseling and education services designed to help business owners make better decisions in achieving their business goals.   Counselors are experienced and knowledgeable advisors that work with businesses, providing information, guidance and feedback to entrepreneurs.  Counseling includes assistance in financial planning, human resources, operations, business and strategic planning, feasibility assessment, advertising and marketing. 

 

Basic counseling services are provided without charge, as the SBTDC is funded in part with federal and state tax dollars.  Additional services, including management education and in-depth marketing research, are provided at cost recovery fees.

 

The SBTDC Procurement Technical Assistance Center can help you with a free counseling session on How to do business with state & local government  Counselors are available to meet with clients at the Charlotte Regional Center or at your business.  Meetings are scheduled by appointment by calling 704-548-1090 or 919-807-4533, 704-548-1090 x 3346.

 

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

 

We provide counseling primarily focusing on gaining an understanding of a client’s particular needs and directing the client to resources that can assist in addressing those needs.  This may include where to take a workshop on starting a small business, where to get assistance in business plan preparation, where to go for help solving problems that a business is facing and how to go about requesting an SBA guaranteed loan from a lender.

 

On the fourth Wednesday of each month a representative from the U.S. Small Business Administration offers a free 30-minute counseling session at the Chamber.  The times available run from 9:30 a.m.-12:00 noon.  Appointments can be made through the Chamber of Commerce (704-633-4221) or by calling the SBA at 704-344-6577.

 

The Rowan County Health Dept. encourages local businesses & organizations to voluntarily adopt an indoor smoke-free policy with their Rowan County "Smoke Free Rowan" 

               Program- www.smokefreerowan.com

    

Regional Resources

Funding your Business' Needs

 

NCRC Venture Fund- The venture capital arm of the North Carolina Research Campus, the NCRC Venture Fund, will invest in emerging biotech and life sciences companies, and will bring additional capital to the Kannapolis region. The purpose of the Fund is to be strategic in supporting four corporate goals: Increase occupancy of the NCRC lab and office space holding by locating portfolio companies to NCRC. Invest in companies that will be strategic (food preservation and handling, nutriceuticals and functional foods) to the growth of Dole Foods. Facilitate technology transfer from NCRC-affiliated universities. Maximize a significant financial return on investment. The Fund focuses on these technology areas within life sciences: Health and wellness, Agricultural biotechnology, Medical devices (e.g., ortho, cardio)

State Level Resources

 

The North Carolina Department of Commerce is the state’s main agency for economic development. Recruitment is supported by the Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC), a program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill which provides counseling and technical assistance to businesses. 

   

The North Carolina Department of Revenue  provides information for both the general public and tax practitioners on individual, corporate, property and sale/use taxes.  Tax Forms and Publications  can be browsed and downloaded.  The North Carolina Department of Insurance provides information on employer and patient obligations and rights.

 

NC Investment Tax Credit Program

NC Dept. Secretary of State

Securities Division
300 N. Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27603

919-733-3924
(Provides a credit against state taxes for investments in qualified business ventures, grantee businesses and NC Enterprise Corporations.)
 

NC State Demographics/State Data Center

State Planning, State Demographer/State Data Center/Center for Geographic Information Analysis

116 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603-8003
919-733-4131

919-715-3562 (fax)

 

North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development

www.ncimed.com

114 West Parrish Street, 4th Floor; P.O. Box 1331

Durham, NC 27701

Telephone: 9199568889

Fax: 9196884358

 

Business Link North Carolina! BLNC, or "blink," is your starting point to access an extensive network of experts who can help your business succeed, whether your company is on the Fortune 500 list - or in its start-up phase. Most services, provided by statewide, state-supported agencies, are available free of charge; others such as workshops and courses may require a small fee. To access services in North Carolina, you can: Call BLNC toll-free, 1-800-228-8443, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, to talk with one of our business consultants or go to www.blnc.gov

 

Federal Level Resources

 

Need facts about your industry or community?  Want data on your target market?   Go to the Census Bureau for all kinds of factual data.  Census data can be used as a basis for analyzing business risks, identifying areas where your products and services are needed and making sure you are reaching the right communities in the right way.

 

The U.S. Department of Commerce  promotes the economic health of the nation by gathering information, facilitating the use of technology, and supporting U.S. competitiveness in the world marketplace. It is the parent agency for the Bureau of the Census, the Patent and Trademark Office, the Bureau of Export Administration, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The department’s Minority Business Development Agency  provides business and management support to minority and disadvantaged Americans. Links enable you to choose the geographical area where you wish to do business and then locate local MBDA Centers and other minority business resources.

 

The Bureau of the Census offers several guides to its site: search by A to Z subject headings, use a word search, select a state and county for quick facts, or use the "America Fact Finder" to create data tables and maps from the bureau's largest data sets. Please click on these links for business opportunities.

 

The U.S. Department of Labor  has a "Laws & Regs" link to "Small Business Regulatory Compliance Assistance" and to a "Summary of Laws, Regulations and Technical Assistance" designed for use by small businesses but containing information useful to all employers and employees. The department's "Statistics & Data" link provides easy access to the "Bureau of Labor Statistics Data" site: click on "News Releases" to view the latest Consumer Price Index summary.

 

The Internal Revenue Service provides tax information to businesses of all sizes on what taxes to pay and how to pay them: Click on the "Small Business Corner" and then the link "Operating Your Business."

 

The North Carolina Small Business Administration district office is located in Charlotte.

 

SCORE is a free counseling/mentoring service: www.score.org/index.  SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" also has a website for women at www.score.org/women/site.The websites provide interactive tools, mentoring, workshops and articles that can help entrepreneurs achieve their business dreams. Visitors are encouraged to complete a simple registration form to take advantage of the full range of options.

 

The U.S. Business Advisor is a one-stop electronic link to all the information and services which government provides to the business community in the areas of business development, financial assistance, taxes, laws and regulations and workplace issues.
 

The NC Department of Commerce Business ServiCenter is a statewide centralized clearinghouse for NC entrepreneurs and business owners to information on services, programs, resources, technical assistance, state business license and regulatory information and potential sources of capital.  The ServiCenter staff provides individualized one-on-one consultations to answer questions, resolve issues, identify and make referrals to appropriate local, regional and statewide service providers.   They assist potential business owners navigate through the start-up process and provide all forms, applications and guidelines for state requirements to do business in NC.  They work with existing businesses to provide information and referrals to relevant programs and service providers to help them through challenging problems & issues as well as growth and expansion. “ CONTACT for a FREE telephone consultation or for more information:  www.nccommerce.comBusinessServices/StartYourBusiness

919-715-2850

Business Resource Links  

Business Plans

Small Business Administration Business Startup Guide

North Carolina Rural Center Business Resource Alliance

Call the Chamber for free Financial and Business Planning Counseling at 704-633-4221 

Hop On The Bus Business Plan Competition

Palo Alto Software, free business plan samples and links:  www.bplans.com

Quicken free business tools- www.quicken.intuit.com

Small Business Guide-www.toolkit.com

 

Buying & Selling a Business

Businesses For Sale-www.usbx.com/

American Association of Franchisees and Dealers

LoopNet.com!

 

Construction Resources

 

Credit

Equifax- www.equifax.com

Free credit report

1-800-685-1111
 

Data & Statistics

Business Statistics- www.BIZSTATS.COM

Bureau of Labor Statistics Data
FedStats

U.S. Census Bureau-www.CENSUS.GOV 

Directories-  a page of Directory and Media resources

 

Discussion Groups

Let’s Talk Business Network- www.ltbn.com

 

Employee Management

Employee Benefits Research Institute:  www.ebri.org

Employment Laws- interactive advice & info on the latest regulatory laws: www.dol.gov/elaws

Equal Employment Opportunity, Office of:  www.gsa.gov/eeo

Hiring Toolkit- HR Internet Guide

National Employee Benefits www.benefitslink.com

Free new business packet- NC Labor Department

Occupational Information Network (O*Net) www.onetcenter.org

Occupational Information Network (Spanish Translation)-www.onetcenter.org/db_spanish.html

 

Family Business

Families & Work Institute (NYC):  www.familiesandwork.org

The Family Firm Institute:  www.ffi.org

 

Federal Agencies

Census Department:  www.census.gov

Environmental Protection Agency:  www.epa.gov

Federal Trade Commission:  www.ftc.gov

National Climatic Data Center: www.ncdc.noaa.gov

North Carolina Secretary of State's Office

Small Business Administration:  www.sba.gov/

US Dept. of Commerce: www.commerce.gov/

US Government Online Gateway:  www.fedworld.gov

US Securities & Exchange Commission:  www.sec.gov

 

Financial/Stock Market

Bloomberg Business News- www.bloomberg.com

Corporate Financials Online- financials on mostly smaller companies: www.cfonews.com

Daily Market Reports- www.stockgroup.com

New York Stock Exchange:  www.nyse.com

Personal Finance: Money 101: Glossary

StockMaster- www.stockmaster.com

 

Funding Opportunities

Federal Grants -The Department of Labor oversees grant programs focusing on the workforce needs of employers. To keep apprised of federal grant opportunities, go to www.grants.gov/. You can sign up for an e-mail alert announcing grant opportunities. You can also search by using such keywords as "workforce" or "training," or you can search by specific federal agency, such as the Department of Commerce. Training and development grants may also be available through the National Science Foundation and the Small Business Administration, among other groups.

Grants and Loans-  The best federal consumer publications available- Catalog

Access to Capital Electronic Network (Ace-Net) - search secure database for venture cap.: www.ace-net.org

Call the Chamber for free Financial Planning Counseling at 704-633-4221 

North Carolina Biotechnology Center

N.C. Rural Economic Development Center

SBIR/STTR Small Business Technology Funding

 

Government Bidding

How do to business with the Government Booklet

Acquisition Reform Network- gov't procurement regulations & requirements: www.arnet.gov

 

Grants

Community Development Block Grants 

Microsoft Unlimited Potential Grant

Teen Education Grant Information: Rowan County Chamber of Commerce Geared Up 4 Success Website: www.gearedup4success.com

 

It's all about Marketing/Advertising & Sales (website resources too!)

 

Media

 

NC Agencies

Charlotte Regional Partnership

IBM Patent Server:  www.ibm.com/ibm/licensing

Institute of Government- summary of legislative bills by topic and NC leg. activity: www.sog.unc.edu

NC General Assembly:  www.ncga.state.nc.us

Patent Search System:  www.ibiblio.org/patents

Product Testing:  www.product-testing.com

Questions forum: www.asktheinventors.com

US Patent & Trademark Office:  www.uspto.gov

 

Resources

Your online free counselor- www.AskJim.biz

www.cipe.org/vba

www.BIZBOOKS.com

Small Business Survival Committee- www.sbsc.org/

 

Scam Reporting

National Fraud Information Center- www.fraud.org

Scams- Better Business Bureau

www.spotabusiness.com

www.internic.net

 

Tax Information 

Training/Courses/Seminars

Education Links in the Regional Area: www.Geared Up For Success.com

FREE 60-Second Guides, Reading Room, Business Columns, Top 5 Tips, Disaster Preparedness

Internet Learning Tutor, Small Biz Tech Talk, Microsoft Tools, FREE Online Computer Classes- www.gcflearnfree.org

NxLevel –www.nxlevel.org

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College- www.rccc.cc.nc.us (click on Corporate & Continuing Education)

 

Trade Shows/ Conferences

Chamber's Business Show is in the spring each year, call for details- 704-633-4221

Expoweb-www.expoweb.com

Trade Show Central- www.tscentral.com

Trade Show Week- www.tradeshoweek.com

 

Women & Minority

National Association of Women Business Owners- www.nawbo.org

National Foundation for Women Business Owners- www.nfwbo.org/

North Carolina Center for Women Business Owners- www.wcof.org

SBA support programs for women in business- www.sba.gov/services/specialaudiences/women/index.html

Springboard

Women's Social Network- www.SavorTheSuccess.com

Women’s Work site for business women- www.wwork.com

National Minority Suppliers Development Council- www.nmsdcus.org
Women's Business Enterprise National Council- www.wbenc.org