HOW TO'S

• Checklists for Starting Your Business:

  • From smallbizsurvival.com
  • From SBA
  • From smallbusinessnotes.com
• From the IRS, audio and video presentations dedicated to helping small businesses
• Online Business Plan Templates:

  • From the University of Minnesota
  • From the Small Business Administration (SBA)
• "10 Things I Look for When Reading a Business Plan"
• How to market your business on Facebook:
  • From the New York Times
  • From Entrepreneur.com
  • "The Secret to a Perfect Facebook Post"
• Obtain a DUNS number
• Free and Easy Options for Putting Your Business Online
• SBA Business Export Planner
• Tips from the IRS on operating a small business
• Tools for online success from Google (videos)
• 5 Steps to Make A Succession Plan
• Business Forms & Templates

MURRAY COUNTY

• Murray County Ordinances
• Murray County Banks and Credit Unions
• Murray County Demographic Information

  • Data From the 2010 US Census
  • 2012 Demographic and Economic Profile
• Murray County Employment and Average Weekly Wage Data (You will need to select the data sets you wish to view). If you prefer, you can download a PDF of recent standard data.
• Slayton Area Chamber of Commerce
• Housing:

  • Murray County Realtors
  • Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership

SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA

• Southwest Small Business Development Center
• Minnesota Inventors Congress - Redwood Falls
• Southwest Minnesota Careers
  • Self-Employment Resources
• Southwest Initiative Foundation
• Minnesota Center of Rural Entrepreneurship (CORE)
  • Starting a Business Class (video)
    
  • Developing a Marketing Plan (video)
  • Power of the Smart Phone (video)
  • Resource Tools
• Southwest Minnesota 2011 Demographic & Economic Profile

MINNESOTA

• Minnesota Business 101 Blog:  From the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
• STEP Export Assistance for Small Businesses
• Prairie Capital II: Angel investment group headquartered in Worthington
• LegalCORPS: Assists eligible nonprofit corporations and microbusinesses in Minnesota to obtain free legal assistance on business-related matters
• License Minnesota: Access licensing information on over 500 licenses and permits administered by over 40 state agencies in Minnesota
• Minnesota Secretary of State Business Center
• Minnesota Small Business Assistance Office
• Minnesota Tax Handbook
• MinnesotaWorks: Find quality employees - FREE
• MyMnCareers: geared toward people who are English language learners, in the process of finishing high school or GED or have completed high school/GED and want to acquire post-secondary skills.
• Publications (PDF or order by mail) from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development: Including "A Guide to Starting a Business in Minnesota", "An Employers Guide to Employment Law Issues in Minnesota", "Loan Documentation: An Introduction for Small Businesses", and more!

NATIONAL

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Primer for Small Business
• Small Business Administration
• United States Patent and Trademark and Patent Office
• Virtual Workshop for small businesses and self employed individuals from the IRS