Thinking Of Starting A Business In Minneapolis? Here Are The Online Resources You'll Need

 
Sure, the common fly-over patron may have a certain image of the Star of the North, conjuring up images of blizzards, frozen lakes and sub-zero wind chills. However, you're already in the land of 10,000 lakes, and as you very well know, Minnesota, and namely Minneapolis, is seeping with opportunity. In fact, 17 of the fortune 500 are headquartered in Minneapolis, and new businesses are springing up left-and-right.

However, you still may be tentative about starting your own business. The city of Minneapolis feels your pain, and there are many online resources available to new business owners. Here are some of those resources to put your mind at ease, and make your business startup dreams a reality.

 
Minneapolismn.gov

Quite literally, the city of Minneapolis's official website offers a step-by-step manual to foster your business. Minneapolismn.gov can find help with everything from applying for business grants to establishing business partners to finding the perfect plot of real estate from which to run your operations. Minneapolis offers new businesses consultation services through the city's own portal, the local universities (University of Minnesota, St. Thomas University) and MedaPTAC and SBA, which offers multi-media tutorials.

 
Small Business Administration of Minnesota

The Small Business Administration of Minnesota's mission states, "The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation." This local district office of the federal U.S. Small Business Administration gives new business owners local assistance programs, loan and grant applications, contractors and contracting information, and even online coursework to gain or hone your skills in business administration.

 
Small Business Assistance Office

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Small Business Assistance Office offers advice and guidance through the jungle of legal matters, finding employees and export/trade laws. They offer a comprehensive series of guidebooks to everything from loan documentation, intellectual property and employment laws to data security, social media in the workplace and more. The wealth of knowledge resources is unmatched, and they'll unearth issues that you didn't even know you had. This website is an absolute must-have in any business owner's arsenal. Plug in and study up.

 
Smallbusinessmn.org

Last, but far from least, Smallbusinessmn.org is your non-profit authority on all things public policy related. This site is focused on creating a support community for businesses in Minnesota, often employing legislators and public policy works to educate its members, free of charge. This is a much-needed community business resource to answer any of your policy related questions. After all, community is what Minnesota is all about.

 
Hopefully, you've now had your worries alleviated. Minneapolis has your back, so that you can worry about more important things, like making your business goals and dreams come true!

This article was written by Christopher Millard for CBS Small Business Pulse.