• SCORE
  •  Are You Ready to Start a Business? Online Course
  • The Dos and Don’ts of Turning Your Hobby Into a Business
• Forbes
  • Ready To Be An Entrepreneur? Here Are 7 Signs
• Harvard Business Review
  •  Is Entrepreneurship Right for Me? Podcast Episode
• The Business Model Canvas
  • Business Model Canvas from Strategyzer – free PDF download

• Writing Courses
  • SCORE: The Startup Roadmap and live “Plan + Start” Courses 
  • Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Upcoming Workshops and Course Catalog
  • Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC): Racine and Kenosha Area Training Sessions Courses
• Personalized Business Writing Plans
  • SCORE: Business Plan Template 
  • Biz Starts 
• Creation of Financial Projections
  • Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Beginner’s Guide to Financial Projections
• City of Kenosha
  • Starting a New  Business? Document

• Assessment Studies
  • Small Business Administration (SBA): Market Research and Competitive Analysis
• Research Tools
  • Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC): SizeUpWI, a free strategic market research tool
• Labor Market Information
  • Job Center: Labor Market Information
• Databases/Sources
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • U.S. Census Bureau
  • DOR Business Tax Publications 
  • DOR Reports and Interactive Data
  • The Wisconsin Economic Outlook
  • WisConomy: Wisconsin LMI Data Access
  • Business Dynamics Research Consortium
• Utilizing AI
  • SCORE: Generative AI- Resources for Your Small Business
  • Wisconsin School of Business: AI @ WSB
  • Forbes: AI Tools for Your Small Business Toolbox 
  • HubSpot: The 14 Best AI Tools for Small Businesses and How to Use Them
  • Medium: 28 Top AI Tools for Startups & Small Businesses (Free & Paid)

Discussing legal requirements with legal professionals (ex. accountants and lawyers) is important when determining the best course of action for your business

• Secure/Register a Business Name
  • Check Name Availability: Search Corporate Records Name Availability
  • Claim Original Name: Name Reservation Application
  • Trademarks: Trademark File Online and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
• Obtain Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • IRS: Federal Employer Identification Number
• Register a Business
  • Register with the Department of Revenue
  • Business Registration Portal
• Permits and Licensing
  • Obtaining a Seller’s Permit
    • Wisconsin Seller’s Permit
  • Municipal Specific Permits
    • Each municipality has local permits. Contact the local municipal clerk for more information
      • City of Kenosha, Somers, Pleasant Prairie, Salem Lakes, Bristol, Twin Lakes, Paddock Lake, Paris, Wheatland, Randall, Brighton 
  • Industry-Specific Licenses/Permits
    • Food Establishments
    • Certification, Licenses, and Permits for Health Services
• Tax Preparation/Information
  • IRS
    • Business Tax Credits
    • Filing Resources
  • SCORE:
    • Tax Preparation for Small Businesses
  • Department of Revenue
    • Tax, Fee, and Other Programs
    • Qualified Opportunity Zones
    • Interactive Incentive Finder
    • Tax Incentives for Businesses 
  • Wolter Kluwer
    • Managing Your Taxes
• Insurance
  • Service Providers to Consult
    • It is important to consult experts in the area regarding obtaining insurance. These experts include but are not limited to lawyers, accountants, and CPAs. 
  • Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance: Business Insurance
  • Federal Trade Commission: Fraud Protection
  • Department of Workforce Development: Fidelity Bonding Program    
• Complete Beneficial Ownership Identification (BOI) Reporting 
  • A type of federally required reporting that informs the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) about the owners of the business
• Environmental Regulations
  • Department of Natural Resources: Small Business Environmental Assistance Program 
• File an Annual Report
  • WI Department of Financial Institutions
• Law & Entrepreneurship Clinics
  • UW-Madison Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic
  • Marquette Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic

• SCORE: Local Mentors
• Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC): Small Business Consulting  
• Biz Starts (sign-up required)
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Business AnswerLine 
• The Packers Mentor-Protégé Program: (pairs emerging Wisconsin businesses (protégés) with established, knowledgeable, and committed companies (mentors).)
• Small Business Administration (SBA): SBA Mentor-Protégé Program Tutorial

• Relocating to Kenosha County
• Searching for New Business Sites
  • Kenosha County: Interactive Mapping (GIS Mapping Sites & Properties)
  • KABA: Sites + Properties 
  • WEDC (Statewide Resources)
    • Location and Infrastructure
    • Certified Sites
    • Available Sites
• Update Legal Requirements for the Moving Business
  • IRS: Notify About Address Change
  • WI DOR: Update LLC Address
    • Relocating from a different state? Click HERE to apply for a WI LLC
  • Cancel Old Local Business Licenses/Permits
  • Apply for New Local Business Licenses/Permits
    • contact the local municipal clerk for more information
• Revisit Your Business Insurance Policy (if needed)

• On-Demand/Recorded Content
  • SCORE: Recorded Webinars
  • Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Video Archive 
  • Biz Starts (sign-up required)
  • Small Business Administration (SBA): Learning Center
• In-Person Programs
  • WWBIC: Training Sessions 
  • Kenosha Public Library: The Insider Event Calendar 
  • Kenosha Creative Space: Programming @ The Space
  • Wisconsin School of Business: Business and Entrepreneurship Clinic  
• College Courses
  • Carthage College: Aspire Center and Entrepreneurial Studies 
  • Herzing University: Entrepreneurship Online Bachelor’s Degree Program 
  • UW-Parkside: Business Department and Small Business Development Center
  • Wisconsin Technical College System: Overview of Entrepreneurship / Small Business Entrepreneurship Programs
• Gateway Technical College: Small Business Entrepreneurship

• gener8tor: gBETA Kenosha
• Kenosha Creative Space: Path by Plywood at the Space
• WPI: Wisconsin APEX Accelerator 
• Startup Accelerators, Incubators, and Pitch Contests in WI

• Local
  • Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce
    • Networking Groups – Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce
      • Business After 5 / Business Before 9
      • Connect for Success
      • Southeast WI Networking Breakfast
      • Nonprofit Networking Group
      • Health & Wellness Networking Group
  • Business Improvement District: Kenosha BID Info
  • Twin Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
• Service Groups
  • Rotary Club of Kenosha
    • Home Page | Rotary Club of Kenosha (kenosharotary.org)
  • Kiwanis Club of Western Kenosha
  • Kenosha Kiwanis Breakfast Club
    • Kenosha WI | Facebook
  • Kiwanis Club of Westosha-Salem
    • Facebook
  • Lake Geneva Jaycees (this is Walworth County)
    • Lake Geneva Jaycees – Lake Geneva Jaycees
    • Members are between the ages of 21 – 41.
  • Networking For Women | Tempo Kenosha
    • Professional Women’s Networking Group
  • Kenosha Women’s Network
• Statewide
  • Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Directory
    • African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin
    • Ethnic & Coalition for Diverse Business
    • Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin
    • Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce
    • Wisconsin Chinese Chamber of Commerce
    • Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce

*needs will vary across municipalities and industries 

• Sellers Permits (needed to sell brick-and-mortar and digitally)
  • Selling in WI
    • DOR: Wisconsin Seller’s Permit
  • Selling Nationally
    • Wolters Kluwer: Doing Business in Another State (Foreign Qualification)
  • Selling Internationally
    • SBA: State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)
• Digital Business Tools
  • Build a User-Friendly Website 
    • Design & UX: Ensure your website is easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and visually appealing
    • SEO: Optimize your site for search engines to increase visibility and attract organic traffic.
    • Resources to get you started:
      • SCORE: Best Practices for Building a Winning Website Webinar
      • Selling on e-commerce Platforms: Forbes: Best eCommerce Platforms of 2024
  • Setup a Google Business Profile
    • A Google Business profile can have a major impact on a business’s local SEO ranking and is often one of the first things that customers see when they search for your business in Google.
  • Selling on e-commerce Platforms
    • Payment Gateways: Integrate reliable and secure payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, or Square.
    • Security: Use SSL certificates and ensure compliance with PCI DSS to protect customer data.
    • Resources
      • Forbes: Best eCommerce Platforms of 2024
  • Shipping & Fulfillment
    • Logistics: Plan for inventory management, shipping methods and rates, and delivery times.
    • Returns Policy: Have a clear and fair returns policy that is easy for customers to understand.
  • Utilizing AI
    • SCORE: Generative AI- Resources for Your Small Business
    • Wisconsin School of Business: AI @ WSB
    • Forbes: AI Tools for Your Small Business Toolbox 
    • HubSpot: The 14 Best AI Tools for Small Businesses and How to Use Them
    • Medium: 28 Top AI Tools for Startups & Small Businesses (Free & Paid)
• Selling in a Brick-and-Mortar
  • Occupancy/Residential permits
    • Kenosha County: Residential Permits (contact your local municipal clerk to see what permits you may need)
  • Choose Point-of-Sale (POS) System
    • Forbes: Best POS Systems for Small Business of 2024
  • Securing Selling Locations
    • Sites + Properties
      • Kenosha County: Interactive Mapping (GIS Mapping Sites & Properties)
      • KABA: Sites + Properties 
      • WEDC (Statewide Resources)
        • Location and Infrastructure
        • Certified Sites
        • Available Sites
    • Kenosha Harbor Market: Vendor Application 
• Franchising
  • International Franchise Association

• Content Marketing
  • Create valuable content (blogs, videos, etc.) to engage your audience.
• Social Media Marketing
  • Utilize platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for targeted ads.
• Email Marketing
  • Build an email list to send promotions, updates, and newsletters.
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
  • Use Google Ads to drive traffic to your site through paid search.
• Creating a Business Card
  • Blinq: Free Digital Business Card
• Marketing Services
  • Visitors Bureau
    • Visit Kenosha
      • Doing Business in Downtown Kenosha PDF
    • Visit Pleasant Prairie
    • Life Balanced Kenosha County
  • Chambers of Commerce
    • Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce
    • Twin Lakes Area Chamber & Business Association, Inc.
  • Government Procurement
    • Wisconsin Procurement Institute 
    • Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (WISC)
  • Local Marketing Services
    • Local services can be utilized to create marketing strategies and promotional items for your business. 

• Local Banks
  • Start here as banks can give credit and loans to businesses
• Grant/Loan Opportunities
  • Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA)
    • Revolving Loan Fund
  • Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC)
    • Crowd Funding through Kiva Loans
    • Low-interest Loans for Start-Ups and Existing Businesses 
  • Wisconsin Economic Development (WEDC)
    • Grant, Loan, and Tax Credit Programs
  • Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)
    • Business Lending Financing Products 
  • Small Business Association (SBA)
    • Loans, Investment Capital, Disaster Assistance, Surety Bonads, and Grant Programs
  • Business Lending Partners
    • SBA Loan Programs
  • Grants.gov 
  • National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)
    • Growth Grants and Scholarships
  • USDA
    • Rural Business Development Grants
  • Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
    • Financial Resources

• Department of Workforce Development
• EQUUS Transitional Jobs
  • Apply to be an employer  
• Life Balanced Kenosha County: Job Board
• Carthage College: The Aspire Program
• Handshake
• Wisconsin Department of Children and Families: Business-Child Care Partnership Tool Kit
• Payroll – learn how to pay yourself and your employees
  • Set Up Wisconsin My Account
  • Wisconsin Withholding Permit (if you have employees) 
  • Set up Wisconsin Unemployment
• Payroll – learn how to pay yourself and your employees
• Cooperative Business Support
  • Co-op Law Resource Library
• Center for Cooperatives
  •  Supporting Cooperatives Through Research, Education, and Outreach 
  • The Story of Cooperative Veterinary Care

• WICEO: Business Succession Planning
• AM&AA: Alliance of Merger and Acquisition Advisors 
• SCORE
  • The Small Business Owner’s Guide to Succession Planning: Website and PDF
  • When, Why and How to Sell Your Small Business
  • How to Maximize Profit When Selling Your Business
  • How to Sell a Franchise Business
  • Covering Your Back: The Buy-Sell Agreement
• US Chamber of Commerce: How to Prepare Your Business for Sale

• Co-op Law Resource Library 
• Center for Cooperatives:
  • Supporting Cooperatives Through Research, Education, and Outreach
  • The Story of Cooperative Veterinary Care

• Relocating to Kenosha County
  • Life Balanced Kenosha County
    • Shares elements of living, working, playing, and learning in Kenosha County 
• Searching for New Business Sites
  • Kenosha County: Interactive Mapping (GIS Mapping Sites & Properties)
  • KABA: Sites + Properties 
  • WEDC (Statewide Resources)
    • Location and Infrastructure
    • Certified Sites
    • Available Sites
• Update Legal Requirements for the Moving Business
  • IRS: Notify About Address Change
  • WI DOR: Update LLC Address
    • Relocating from a different state? Click HERE to apply for a WI LLC
  • Cancel Old Local Business Licenses/Permits
  • Apply for New Local Business Licenses/Permits
    • contact the local municipal clerk for more information
• Revisit Your Business Insurance Policy (if needed)

* Discussing legal requirements with legal professionals (ex. accountants and lawyers) is important when determining the best course of action for your business