Business Life Cycle Resource Page
This page has been created to serve as a roadmap for entrepreneurs at all stages of their entrepreneurial journey to connect with resources in their community.
Not sure where to start? Check out the SBA’s 10 steps to start your business and/or contact us for some great first steps.
Starting a Business/ Business Foundation Resources
The building blocks of starting or bringing a business into Kenosha County are important when creating your business and revisiting it throughout your business’s life cycle. These resources may help you plan your business, better understand your market, gain access to capital, understand legal requirements, connect with the community, hire employees, and more.
Business Foundation Resources
Exploring Entrepreneurship
- SCORE
- Forbes
- Harvard Business Review
- The Business Model Canvas
see if entrepreneurship is right for you!
Business Planning Resources
- 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
identify goals and strategies for your business’s success
Market Research
- 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
- 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)
learn more about the market your business is in and how to be competitive
Financial Planning
- Business Banking
- Look into local banks first as they offer business services including accounts, loans, and credit
- Accounting and Tax Services
- Local Accountants can help businesses with financial statement preparation, financial analysis, tax returns, etc.
- Financial Counseling
- Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC): Strengthen Your Finances
- Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Finance Your Business
- Kiva Crowd Funding
- Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC): Kiva Crowd Funding
plan on how to finance your business endeavors
Choose Your Business Structure
- Choose A Business Structure
- Sole Proprietorship
- Partnerships
- Limited Liability Company (LLC)
- Corporation (C, S, Benefit, Nonprofit)
- Filing a DBA (Doing Business As)
identify the structure that best suits your business and its goals
Legal Requirements
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)
- Register a Business
- Permits and Licensing
- Obtaining a Seller’s Permit
- Municipal Specific Permits
- Each municipality has local permits. Contact the local municipal clerk for more information
- Industry-Specific Licenses/Permits
- Tax Preparation/Information
- IRS
- SCORE:
- Department of Revenue
- Wolter Kluwer
- 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
- Service Providers to Consult
- 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
- Law & Entrepreneurship Clinics
learn more about the legal requirements that need to be fulfilled to start your business
Mentorship and Coaching
- 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
identify local opportunities to learn from other entrepreneurs in your field and your area
Relocation Services
- Relocating to Kenosha County
- Searching for New Business Sites
- Kenosha County: Interactive Mapping (GIS Mapping Sites & Properties)
- KABA: Sites + Properties
- WEDC (Statewide Resources)
- 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)
resources to better understand what goes into moving your business to a new area/community
Educational Opportunities
- 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
understand the educational resources offered for local entrepreneurs.
Business Incubators
- gener8tor: gBETA Kenosha
- Kenosha Creative Space: Path by Plywood at the Space
- WPI: Wisconsin APEX Accelerator
- Startup Accelerators, Incubators, and Pitch Contests in WI
short intense programs used to help grow your business
Networking
- 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
- Networking Groups – Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce
- Business Improvement District: Kenosha BID Info
- Twin Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
- Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce
- Service Groups
- Rotary Club of Kenosha
- Kiwanis Club of Western Kenosha
- Kenosha Kiwanis Breakfast Club
- Kiwanis Club of Westosha-Salem
- 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
connect with other local entrepreneurs, businesses in your field, and opportunities in the community
Brick-and-Mortar vs Digital
*needs will vary across municipalities and industries
- Sellers Permits (needed to sell brick-and-mortar and digitally)
- Selling in WI
- Selling Nationally
- Wolters Kluwer: Doing Business in Another State (Foreign Qualification)
- Selling Internationally
- 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)
- Build a User-Friendly Website
- 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
- Securing Selling Locations
- Sites + Properties
- Kenosha County: Interactive Mapping (GIS Mapping Sites & Properties)
- KABA: Sites + Properties
- WEDC (Statewide Resources)
- Kenosha Harbor Market: Vendor Application
- Sites + Properties
- Occupancy/Residential permits
- Franchising
learn and understand the tools available to run your business virtually and via brick-and-mortar
Marketing & Advertising
- 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
- Chambers of Commerce
- Government Procurement
- Local Marketing Services
- Local services can be utilized to create marketing strategies and promotional items for your business.
identify and execute the best ways to share your business with others
Access to Capital
- Local Banks
- Start here as banks can give credit and loans to businesses
- Grant/Loan Opportunities
- Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA)
- 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)
- Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)
- Small Business Association (SBA)
- Business Lending Partners
- Grants.gov
- National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)
- USDA
- Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
identify ways to financially support starting and growing your business
Securing Employmees
- 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
- Center for Cooperatives
recruit and retain employment for your business
Growing and Sustaining a Business
It is important to work continually at your business by strengthening or growing it. These resources focus on expanding your current business and creating stronger connections to the community you are working in.
Growing and Sustaining a Business
Business Incubators
- gener8tor: gBETA Kenosha
- Kenosha Creative Space: Path by Plywood at the Space
- WPI: Wisconsin APEX Accelerator
- Startup Accelerators, Incubators, and Pitch Contests in WI
short intense programs used to help grow your business
Mentorship and Coaching
- SCORE: Local Mentors
- Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC): Small Business Consulting
- Biz Starts
- 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
identify local opportunities to learn from other entrepreneurs in your field/your area
Marketing & Advertising
- 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
- Chambers of Commerce
- Government Procurement
- Local Marketing Services
- Local services can be utilized to create marketing strategies and promotional items for your business.
identify and execute the best ways to share your business with others
Networking
- 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
- Networking Groups – Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce
- Twin Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
- Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce
- Service Groups
- Rotary Club of Kenosha
- Kiwanis Club of Western Kenosha
- Kenosha Kiwanis Breakfast Club
- Kiwanis Club of Westosha-Salem
- 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
- Business Improvement District: Kenosha BID Info
- Statewide
connect with other local entrepreneurs, businesses in your field, and opportunities in the community
Educational Opportunities
- On-Demand/Recorded Content
- SCORE: Recorded Webinars
- Small Business Development Center (SBDC):
- Biz Starts
- 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
- Gateway Technical College: Small Business Entrepreneurship
- Herzing University: Entrepreneurship Online Bachelor’s Degree Program
- UW-Parkside: Business Department and Small Business Development Center
understand what local resources offer education for local entrepreneurs
Brick-and-Mortar vs Digital
*needs will vary across municipalities and industries
- Sellers Permits(needed to sell brick-and-mortar and digitally)
- Selling in WI
- Selling Nationally
- Wolters Kluwer: Doing Business in Another State (Foreign Qualification)
- Selling Internationally
- Selling Online
- Create a Website
- Selling on e-commerce Platforms
- Forbes: Best eCommerce Platforms of 2024
- Decide on Shipping Method/Rates
- 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
- Securing Selling Locations
- Sites + Properties
- Kenosha County: Interactive Mapping (GIS Mapping Sites & Properties)
- KABA: Sites + Properties
- WEDC (Statewide Resources)
- Kenosha Harbor Market: Vendor Application
- Sites + Properties
- Occupancy/Residential permits
- Franchising
learn and understand the tools available to run your business virtually and via brick-and-mortar
Access to Capital
- Local Banks
- Start here as banks can give credit and loans to businesses
- Grant/Loan Opportunities
- Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA)
- 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)
- Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)
- Small Business Association (SBA)
- Business Lending Partners
- Grants.gov
- National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)
- USDA
- Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
identify ways to financially support the creation and growth of your business
Securing Employment
- Department of Workforce Development
- Recruitment
- Training Solutions
- On-The-Job Training (learn more by emailing: BJSBusinessServ@dwd.wisconsin.gov)
- Wisconsin Fast Forward
- Hiring Incentives and Tax Credits
- Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
- Worker Classification
- Worker’s Compensation
- Unemployment
- 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
- Cooperative Business Support
recruit and retain employment for your business
Identity-Specific Resources
- WEDC: Resources for Diversely Owned Businesses
- Entrepreneurs of Color
- MKE Black: Black-owned Business Directory
- Blueprint365: Multicultural and multiethnic digital-first business publication.
- Entrepreneurs of Color Spotlight: The Entrepreneurs of Color (EoC) Spotlight highlights an entrepreneur’s business journey. Available on Facebook and YouTube.
- Wisconsin Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
- Female Entrepreneurs
- Veteran Entrepreneurs
- WWBIC: Veterans Business Outreach Center
- Department of Defense: Office of Small Business Programs
- US Department of Veteran Affairs: VR&E Self-Employment Track
- National Veteran-Owned Business Association
- Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
- National Association for the Self-Employed: Growth Grants
- Small Business Administration (SBA): Small Disadvantaged Business
- Accoin Opprotunity Fund: Small Business Loans
learn about resources that support minority business owners
Industry-Specific Resources
- Steps to Launching Industry-Specific Businesses
- Agriculture Resources
- Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: Farm Center
- USDA: Small and Mid-Sized Farmer Resources
- AgrAbility: Funding Assistance
- WHEDA: Agriculture Loan Guarantees
- Wisconsin Farmers Union: Current Projects and WI Local Food Directory
- REAP Food Group: Farm Fresh Atlas of Wisconsin
- Food and Beverage Resources
- Manufacturing
- Rural Business
- Transportation
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation: Economic Development Programs
- Child Care
- Wisconsin Early Childhood Association: Using Artificial Intelligence in Your Child Care Business
learn about industry-specific resources
Planning for the Unplanned
- US Chamber of Commerce Foundation: Small Business Preparedness
- SCORE: One-on-One Consulting
- SBA: Emergency Preparedness, Disaster Assitance Loans
- Planning for incidents/unexpected disaster planning/ plan for the “what ifs”
- Preparing for the Future Now: Business Succession Resources
protect your business from unforeseen events
Leaving a Business
When working in business it is important to plan what happens to your business when you are no longer the one in charge of it. These resources discuss some options and resources available when creating these plans.
Business Succession Resources
Planning Resources
- 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
prepare your business for new ownership
Cooperative Business Support
resources to understand and engage in cooperative services
Relocation Services
- Relocating to Kenosha County
- Life Balanced Kenosha County
- Shares elements of living, working, playing, and learning in Kenosha County
- Life Balanced Kenosha County
- Searching for New Business Sites
- Kenosha County: Interactive Mapping (GIS Mapping Sites & Properties)
- KABA: Sites + Properties
- WEDC (Statewide Resources)
- 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)
resources to better understand what goes into moving your business to a new area/community
For-Profit Legal Firm Assistance
* Discussing legal requirements with legal professionals (ex. accountants and lawyers) is important when determining the best course of action for your business
seek legal assistance
Language Access
Language access is a right. Persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) are protected from national, origin-based discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As recipients of federal financial support, University of Wisconsin-Madison Divison of Extension, Extension’s programs, services, and activities are accountable to the federal laws and policies that protect the rights of LEP persons.”
For materials interpreted in languages other than English, please contact oaic@extension.wisc.edu.
Educator Contact Information
Savannah Meyers, MPH
Community Development Extension Educator
Phone: 262-653-1935
Email: savannah.meyers@wisc.edu
