Small Business Resources

Anime, cartoons, video games and more! Are you looking to be a con artist? Maybe you already are, but did you know there's a great group of others just like you? Join the club! This is a great resource for anyone interested in becoming an artist alley artist, or in other words, a con(vention) artist.

It's like Kickstarter, but different. Some people run a Backerkit campaign simultaneously with their Kickstarter.

This place is awesome, even though I haven't been yet. Don't rush me, it's on my to-do list! They've got a laser and a 3D printer, a recording studio, a commercial kitchen co-working space etc...it's basically a home for creative freaks to get their jig on and we support that. Every county in every state should have one. It's a great place to start a business without having to break the bank.

For Wisconsin-only and there are other requirements, too. You get three wishes, except it's only to answer legal questions, whether it's for business or not. I know, I know. This is too good to be true, right? It's not. I can vouch for them. Be VERY VERY careful about scam sites. Always do your due diligence when clicking on unknown links in emails and online. With that being said, use your three wishes wisely.

These guys have programs geared towards assisting Hmong people. If I recall, during tax season, they assist low-income individuals with filing their taxes.

The Hmong Chamber provides loans to economically disadvantaged businesses. They aren't only for Hmong people, so check them out! I know there are Hmong Chambers in other states, too.

Super awesome resource here. The UW Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic provides FREE legal services to startups. If you have legal questions and aren't in a rush to get them answered, this is your best resource. I'm not sure if they only service Wisconsin, but it doesn't hurt to ask. They can also help you write up contracts, explain patents, copyright, and trademarks. The L&E Clinic also partners with MCDEVCO to provide a FREE Business Law workshop every year. If you're in Central Wisconsin, it might be worth looking into.

This is a great resource based in Minnesota, but they also service Wisconsin and Michigan. They provide FREE business legal assistance with patents, copyrights, and trademarks for low-income entrepreneurs, non-profits, and inventors.

Own a business? Check. Minority? Check. Low-income? Check. Economically disadvantaged? Check. These folks are here to help you think BIG. How do you scale your business? How do you get those corporate or government jobs that pay the big bucks? Check their website and shoot them an email.

If you live in Marathon County, Wisconsin, MCDEVCO is your small business resource. They offer entrepreneurial education programs and small business lending. Need $25,000 for 3% interest? This is the place. A lot of their programs are low-cost and they frequently offer scholarships that either cover the whole program cost or most of it.

If you're an artist alley artist, you've probably heard of this platform. Get people to back your projects to get the money you need to produce them. It's like pre-orders, but you get to use Kickstarter's audience to market your products.

It's like Kickstarter, but you gotta pay them back lol This is an alternative to traditional lending if you can't get a loan. WEDC has a $5,000 grant match for eligible loans. Check that out, too.

FREE art studio with FREE supplies and FREE classes!? What's not to love? RISE UP is literally a collective of artists to create change through murals and public art installations. They support artists and we should support them!

Everyone's heard about the SBDC, right? They provide loans to businesses and they've got some resources to share, too. They have centers all over the USA. Maybe the best one is located in Stevens Point, WI; maybe not. They also have resources for veteran-owned businesses and minority-owned businesses. The website is very corporate and a little scary. Definitely recommend dropping by a center and speaking to someone instead of staring at a website.

Okay, so this resource is in the entire United States. They have just about everything you could ever ask for when starting a business...probably. I don't know, there's too much content. I don't have time to check it all out. Anyway, they've got templates, videos, tutorials, and even mentors! All for FREE! Yay! Nab yourself some of that free content and don't come back! Just kidding, please come back. Alfred has informed us that we need customers to stay in business and for our website metrics.

$5,000. 10 businesses. 1 winner. Who will rise above all? Enter this business pitch competition in Portage County, WI to tell your story and potentially win $5,000! You'll practice pitching your business and network with local entrepreneurs.

The WEDC has a ton of great resources for small and large businesses. If you're trying to scale up, like, on an international level, then these are probably the guys you wanna talk to. They also sometimes have grants and loans available, too. But that's not even why I'm listing them as a resource. They. Have. A tool...called Size Up and it lets you compare yourself to competitors, checkout your local competition, see your customers etc...it's the whole SHEBANG! THIS IS THE TOOL YOU NEED FOR MARKET RESEARCH. USE IT. You can thank me by becoming a successful business, okay? If you're *really* thankful, consider XioPrints LLC as a business partner for your next keychain order. ;)