Resources for Entrepreneurs

Part of Main Street’s Four-Point approach to revitalization comprises the businesses located downtown, the entrepreneurs who operate them, and the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Where does Heritage Ohio come into the picture? We work to connect the downtown stakeholders to the resources that will make them successful.
Our Revitalization Committee has been active in collecting resources on entrepreneurship, so we thought we’d share some of the best online resources that could help today’s (or tomorrow’s) entrepreneurs.
Braintree Business Development Center (www.braintreepartners.org) is based in Mansfield and has been active since its founding in 1986. Among its offerings: regular events (you can learn about co-op enterprises in an upcoming workshop), basic resources for entrepreneurs on their website, and its Appleseed Micro-Loan Program.
The National Business Incubation Association (www.nbia.org) based in Athens, has a handy incubator search feature on its website and features a free webinar on April 25.
The Ohio Employee Ownership Center (www.oeockent.org) a nonprofit outreach center located at Kent State University offers resources for business succession planning, for transitioning to an employee-owned business, or to assist current employee-owned businesses. They also offer an annual employee-owned business conference, coming up this year April 20 in Akron.
The Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet, www.acenetworks.org) is another Athens-based resource offering business incubation and business loan services. It’s well worth your time to contact ACEnet directly to set up a tour of their innovative kitchen incubator.
If you have an idea for a successful business, Ohio University’s SBDC (sbdc.voinovichschool.ohio.edu/boss/boss.aspx) offers its BOSS Program (Basis of a Successful Start), an online training tool to help you evaluate your plan’s potential while learning about moving from a business idea to business execution.
Finally, Lake Erie College (lec.edu/entrepreneurship/business_plan_clinic) offers its Business Plan Clinic, an online resource that covers the basics of creating a successful business plan.
Do you know of other Ohio-based entrepreneurial resources we should be aware of? Tell us about other great resources for Ohio-based entrepreneurs in the comments section below.