Are you considering starting a business, but aren’t sure where to begin? Do you have questions like: Where do I get funding?, How do I write a business plan?, and Are any licenses or permits needed? If so, the SBTDC has several tools to help you start your business.

Resources

SBTDC Start-Up Business & Resource Guide
This online publication has it all. Assess yourself to see if you have what it takes to be a business owner. Learn how to write a business plan people will read cover to cover. Find the legal structure best suited for you. Check out our list of state and federal resources, including local and state licenses/permits. Click here to download the entire publication.

Trying to write a business plan?
Besides our Start-Up Business & Resource Guide there are excellent websites with information on how to write an impressive business plan.

How to fund your business?
Did you know most businesses are started primarily with owner financing? If that is not enough money to get your business going, our Capital Opportunities for Small Business guide is the most comprehensive financing resource describing all the funding options available to North Carolina companies and startups. This continuously updated 135-page guide also has contact information to learn more about each funding opportunity.

Confused about business grants?
You are not alone. Here are the answers to the grant questions you have asked us every day for the past 25 years.

How to investigate industry information?
There are many places on the internet to get demographic data, target market analysis, competitor information, industry data and more. We have found the best websites so you can get the information you need faster.

Click to see a list of all SBTDC Resources

Seminars & Workshops

Starting a Business - online workshop
Learn from the experts without leaving your home. Check out our schedule, archived workshops, how to register and more.

Starting a Business - live workshop
We hold live workshops across the state on a regular basis. Check out our schedule, how to register and more.

Click here to see all SBTDC events.

Online Resources

We have been helping people like you start businesses for 24 years. Based our experiences we put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Useful Websites to further assist you in starting your business.

Counseling Services

We strongly recommend that you prepare a rough draft of your business plan in advance of meeting with us.  Prior to our first meeting we will ask you to send us your business plan so we can review it before the meeting. This makes our time together as productive as possible.

To request your first meeting with one of our business counselors, please complete our online Request for Counseling form. Or you can call the SBTDC office closest to you.

Our counseling overview will give you a detailed description of our business counseling services.

Specialized Resources for Technology Start Ups

Besides the resources listed above, we have several resources designed specifically this type of start up.

Wondering about protecting and commercializing your invention or other new product?
The SBTDC ’s Intellectual Property Guide is for the independent inventor or small company with little knowledge of how to develop ideas into licensable patents or commercial products.  In this Guide, we answer the most common questions and provide guidance on commercializing an invention.

Interested in technology related funding?
In addition to the Capital Opportunities Report (particularly Chapter 6 on Equity Funding), the SBIR/STTR program may be able to help you start your company.

Interested in technology related business counseling?
To request your first meeting with one of our technology business counselors, please complete our online Request for  Counseling form. Our technology counseling capabilities will give you a detailed description of our technology business counseling services. Or you can call the SBTDC office closest to you.