Launching a startup is hard work, and knowing where to find help matters. This guide collects government and third-party resources for small businesses and startup companies, covering business planning, financing, reseller’s permits, certification and free training programs. Follow the links in each section for the full guides.
The following sections highlight government and third-party websites and companies who provide services and resources for small businesses and startup companies. You will find advice on legal issues, financing, setting up your business and more. Please note: Via Trading believes this information to be useful and helpful in many cases, but we cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information provided by these external websites. Thank you for your understanding!
Starting a business involves planning, making financial decisions and completing a series of legal activities. Ten easy steps, from writing a business plan to understanding employer responsibilities, can help you plan, prepare and manage your new business, and free business assistance and training tools are available to help you along the way.
While you do not need a certification to legally operate your business in California, Small Business Certification does offer advantageous business opportunities like government contracts.
Federal and state governments offer business opportunities to sell billions of dollars worth of products and services. Certifying your business can help you successfully compete for government contracts that would represent a significant source of revenue for your business.
A huge part of starting your own business involves figuring out the financial aspect. The Small Business Administration website contains information about a number of financial programs for small businesses. The SBA can facilitate loans for you with a third-party lender or help you find financing options for your business.
When you apply for an SBA-backed loan at your local bank or credit union, you are asking the SBA to provide a guarantee that you will repay your loan as promised. To this end, the SBA provides a Guaranteed Loan Program, a Bonding Program and a Venture Capital Program.
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development offers many resources for those looking to start a business in California. The website includes basic checklists of steps to start your own business, and various sections on how and why to relocate an established business to California.
The GoED website also offers one-on-one assistance with experts ready to assist you in becoming a successful business owner. Visit their website at business.ca.gov and check out the GoED’s Guide to Starting a Business.
Starting a business involves planning, making financial decisions and completing a series of legal activities. Ten easy steps can help you plan, prepare and manage your new business, read all of the steps and more on the Small Business Administration website.
You do not need any kind of permit to purchase merchandise from Via Trading. We sell to individuals and businesses alike, the only restriction is that you must purchase wholesale (minimum order 1 case, pallet, load or truckload). However, in order to resell merchandise legally in the state of California, you must have a reseller’s permit.
A reseller’s permit also allows you to purchase merchandise tax free (at the time of purchase) within California. Residents of California who do not have a reseller’s permit are subject to sales tax at the time of purchase.
Starting a business can be a challenge, but Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) are partnerships between the government and colleges/universities, administered by the Small Business Administration, that aim to give educational services to small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.
All services are free and confidential, and additional low-cost training options are available. Assistance is available to anyone interested in beginning a small business for the first time or expanding a small business. SBDCs are located in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Territories.
All businesses need capital to launch or to expand. This capital may come from personal savings, friends or family, or business loans. The state of California offers the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program (SBLGP), administered by the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
The program works to help businesses create and retain jobs while encouraging investment into low-to-moderate income communities. It helps small businesses get loans they may otherwise not have been able to obtain and establish a credit history with a lender.