Business resources for companies of all sizes.
STARTING A BUSINESS
Business Plans/Tools
- SBA – 10 steps to start your business Is Entrepreneurship For You? What characteristics do you need to be an entrepreneur? This guide can help you determine if you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur.
- Market Research Explore how to use market research to find out if there is a market for your idea.
- Free Market Data & Statistics Free access to information to help you build a picture of market conditions and demographics.
- Free Training & Counseling As you get started, take advantage of free training and counseling from experienced business owners who have already walked in your shoe.
- How To Write a Business Plan A business plan is an essential roadmap for business success. This living, breathing document generally projects 3-5 years ahead and outlines the route a company intends to take to reach, maintain and grow revenues.
- SCORE Kansas City Free mentoring and workshops.
- U.S. Small Business Administration – Kansas City Office
- KCSourceLink
- How to Start a Business in Missouri This guide provides step-by-step paperwork, filing fees, and processing times to start your business. It will help you file formation documents, obtain tax IDs, and set up company records.
Licensing
- Doing Business As (DBA’s)
- Employee Eligibility Verification
- Employer Requirements
- General Business Licenses
- Incorporation Filing
- Insurance Requirements
- KC BizCare Kansas City’s Business Customer Service Center provides free information and assistance in understanding and complying with City, State, and Federal requirements for operating a business.
- Local Permits
- Missouri Business Portal Point of entry for business registration, filings, licenses, and permits for doing business in the State of Missouri.
- New Hire Reporting
- Search For Business Licenses & Permits
- Tax Registration
- Withholding Taxes
- Workplace Poster Requirements
Funding
- Determining Your Financial Needs
- SBA Loan Programs
- Business Loan Application Checklist
- Find Small Business Loans
- Where To Get Money To Start A Business
- EDC Loan Corporation a non-profit corporation that specializes in origination and underwriting 504 loans in partnership commercial banks, credit unions, non-bank lenders and other private lenders.
Business Templates
GROWING A BUSINESS
Resource Guideline
- Small Business & Technology Development Center
- SBA Small Business Training Network
- KCSourceLink – Growth
- Getting Exposure For Your Small Business
- Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City
Applications/Tools
- We Pay Collect payments online.
- Viewbix Empower your video by adding applications to any video including YouTube, Vimeo and Facebook.
DIVESTING A BUSINESS
You may wish to leave your business for a variety of reasons. No matter what the reason, be smart about how you make your exit.
- Planning Your Exit Do you know how you are going to exit your business? You may have a dream of going public, selling to the highest bidder or retiring and handing over your business legacy to your family.
- Steps to Closing a Business If you are considering leaving your business here are some suggested steps to follow in closing your business.
- Selling Your Business If you decide that selling your business is the right exit strategy for you, be sure that you cover all your bases.
- Transfer Ownership As they say, all good things must come to an end. Maybe you’d like to retire, or maybe it’s time to pass the family business to the next generation.
- Legal Resources for Exiting a Business There are many resources available to help you comply with the basic laws of conducting and exiting a business. Here is just a brief listing of articles that offer general assistance in this area.
- Liquidating Assets If you have decided to get your of business and are not able to pass your business on, merge it with another business or sell it as a going concern, liquidating the assets could b e the most appropriate exit strategy.
- Filing for Bankruptcy Protection Deciding to file for bankruptcy can be a painful decision, but you may find yourself in a position with no other options. To protect yourself and your business, educate yourself about this course of action.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Small Business Administration (SBA) Kansas City District Office
- UMKC Small Business Technology & Development Center
- Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE) Kansas City
- Using LinkedIn for your small business
- Finding and Working With a Web Developer
- Tips for Branding Your Business
- HealthCare.Gov Information about finding and comparing insurance options in your area.
- Copyrighting Information on how to file a copyright.
- Patents and Trademarks Information on how to file for a patent or trademark.
- KCSourceLink Linking Kansas City businesses to the resources they need.
- KCBizCare Kansas City’s Business Customer Service Center provides free information and assistance in understanding and complying with City, State, and Federal requirements for operating a business.