Business

Business Planning

The Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission (EDC) can help direct you to many resources and mentoring programs that are available to see if you are ready to start a business.  To help you determine if you are ready to become a small business owner, answer these 20 Questions.

A valuable resource for entrepreneurs is the Starting a Business in Minnesota section of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s (DEED) website. We also encourage you to seek the advice of an attorney and/or accountant.

Business Plan resources include:

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) are available to area businesses and residents seeking assistance in starting a new business, expanding an existing business, developing a Business Plan, obtaining economic and demographic information and statistics. The southwest regional SBDC office is located at Southwest Minnesota State University, Science and Technology (ST) Building, Room 201, 1501 State Street, Marshall, MN 56258. Call Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 1-800-642-0684 ext. 7386 or 507-537-7386 or email [email protected] for more counseling information.

Southwest Initiative Foundation (SWIF) is a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs to find resources and tools to succeed, including its Starting a Small Business webcast.

The EDC partners with Startup, a local program designed to help entrepreneurs get the training, support and marketing insight they need to be successful. Startup Reinvention sessions are done almost completely online and are facilitated by a life-long entrepreneur with over 30 years of marketing experience. If interested, the EDC may have a scholarship available to cover part of the fee to attend a Startup program.

The EDC can assist you with creating a business plan or check out SCORE’s free, online business workshop on Developing a Business Plan.

Download the SBA’s Minnesota Small Business Resource Guide for helpful information on starting, growing and succeeding in small business.

SCORE is America’s premier source of free and confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs. SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business,” is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow and succeed nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Check out SCORE’s free online workshops for more information.

SCORE has 250 chapters throughout the United States and its territories with a network of 10,000+ volunteers, who share their expertise across 62 industries. SCORE also provides virtual mentoring services. Mentors are available.

In 2020, SCORE mentors helped start 45,027 new businesses and create 119,562 jobs.

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