Other Resources

  • Open to Business
  • Chambers of Commerce
  • Small Business Development Centers
  • Professional Resources
    The Twin Cities has a huge amount of talent, including professionals who can provide expertise to support and protect your business. A few of the common types of professional assistance that are utilized by business owners include:
    • Lawyers - Lawyers can provide assistance for many of your business needs. From helping you to incorporate your business, filing a patent, reviewing leases or contracts with suppliers and vendors, or protecting you in the case of an employment or civil lawsuit, having a lawyer who you work well with and trust will likely come in handy.
    • Accountants and Bookkeepers - The difference between an accountant and a bookkeeper is subtle, but important if you're trying to find the right skill set to help your business. An accountant is specialized in providing high level financial expertise, such as analyzing your business operations and profitability, or preparing your taxes. A bookkeeper, in contrast, can support you in your day-to-day financial transactions, such as preparing invoices, completing payroll or recording financial transactions into your ledger.
    • Business Brokers - In the State of Minnesota, a business broker is a licensed professional who specializes in selling, buying, and evaluating businesses. If you're interested in buying an existing business, or selling your own business to someone else, a business broker can help you to find a buyer or seller, evaluate the value of a business, and help to structure and negotiate a deal. 
    • Insurance Brokers - An insurance broker can help you to purchase the right insurance to protect yourself and your business. Typical business insurance needs can include liability insurance, property insurance, business interruption insurance, workers' compensation insurance and home office insurance. You can also work with your existing insurance provider to assess your options, but you shouldn't assume that your business needs will be covered under your personal insurance policy.
    • Designers - Having someone with a design eye can help you to market your business, rebrand your store, or make sure that the interior and exterior of your business, as well as your business materials, are professional and attractive to customers.
    • Business Process Professionals: A business process professional is someone who specializes in evaluating business operations and recommending improvements that will help to optimize and streamline your work. For instance, they might recommend a new point-of-sale system that can help you better track your inventory, or ways to automate repetitive actions, such as billing or phone calls, that will help to increase your employee productivity and efficiency.
  • Non-Profit Assistance
    • Metropolitical Economic Development Association (MEDA) - Meda is a nonprofit organization that empowers Minnesota’s minority entrepreneurs. Meda provides the best in business consulting, access to capital, and market opportunities for minority entrepreneurs.
    • Minnesota SCORE - SCORE is a national nonprofit dedicated to the formation, growth and success of small businesses. Its volunteer counselors are working or retired business owners, executives and corporate leaders. They provide free and confidential advice to entrepreneurs and small business owners in every industry. SCORE has branch offices across Greater MSP.
    • National Association of Woman Business Owners, Minnesota Chapter - As one of 90 NAWBO chapters in the US, the Minnesota chapter gives women business owners the opportunity to network with other women entrepreneurs, educate government officials on business issues related to women, and benefit from leadership training.
    • Women Venture - WomenVenture provides the technical tools and emotional support to help Minnesotans start and grow a business, find a new job, or develop a new career path. It serves women and men of all economic and ethnic backgrounds. It provides career planning, small business development assistance and loans, training in financial literacy, and GirlVenture training to help girls become healthy adults.
  • See resources provided here: https://www.sos.state.mn.us/business-liens/start-a-business/business-resources/