It’s one thing to have a great business idea that will make you a multimillionaire. Making your business dream a reality, though, is a bit harder. A lot of people who want to start their own business give up before they begin when they realize everything they’ll have to do before they open their doors for business.

 Fortunately, would-be entrepreneurs aren’t completely on their own. They have several resources available to them, and one of the best resources is small business development centers (SBDCs). These are usually partnerships between the United States Small Business Administration and a local university or college, and they provide free services that will benefit almost any small business owner.

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Business Planning for New Businesses

 One of the biggest ways an SBDC can help a new entrepreneur is by offering services for business planning. While this includes helping people create an actual business plan, entrepreneurs may also get access to business planning software that can help them create a business budget and even provide help with forecasting and benchmarking.

Free Workshops and Consulting

In addition to business planning support, SBDCs also provide free training and consulting. Most development centers offer workshops and seminars on a wide range of topics from business financial management to employee relations at no cost. If you need individual help, you can get an appointment with an experienced business consultant who can give you advice on almost every aspect of running a business.

Marketing and Research Help

One aspect of running a business that commonly gives entrepreneurs trouble is figuring out how to promote their product or services. At a SBDC, you can get help with almost every aspect of marketing, including creating a company website, setting up epayments, building up your social media presence and even figuring out on what demographic you should focus your marketing efforts.

Funding Assistance

Most entrepreneurs need some outside assistance to get their business funded. While an SBDC can’t give away money, it can help small business owners figure out where to obtain funding. Consultants can help you figure out how to apply for a business loan, what to put a grant application and even create successful presentations for investors.

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Grow Your Business With First Alliance Credit Union

Small business development centers have a lot to offer entrepreneurs, from help with business planning to help with marketing and research. They even offer confidential consulting to individuals on almost every aspect of starting and running a business.

You can also get help growing your business when you become a member of First Alliance Credit Union. Our business lending advisors will work with you to figure out the best ways to finance your business, including small business loans, real estate loans and commercial lines of credit.