Get your business online

Purchase a domain name Get business logo & web colors Special needs, including online store Find a host and create a site Start a business Facebook page Start a LinkedIn page Make sure you are found online

Purchase a domain name You can purchase a domain name from any domain registrar (godaddy, bluehost, wix, etc.). You do NOT have to host your website with the registrar, and you do not need an email address from them (your web host should set that up for you). You will have to return to this company to renew your domain registration (usually every 1 to 3 years) and to "point the domain" to the IP address of the company who hosts your webpages. Most domains cost under $20 per year. The "best" names can be purchased at a premium, but you can often get the name with a different extension (i.e. .us). Get business logo & web colors Most website hosts have pre-designed websites that make setting up a website really easy. The major downside is that their design and colors need to MATCH all your other business promotions. Your logo is the most important thing, so it is best to create your logo and decide on your colors BEFORE choosing a web host. Your logo needs to be simple. Produce it as a high-resolution graphic, so that it can be printed. You can hire someone or design it yourself, just make sure the dpi (dots per inch) are 300 or more. To get a color scheme, look on the Internet for color wheels, and creating color palettes. Also check for current popular colors. You will also need to choose the font for your logo, website header, and the remaining website. These fonts should be used in the remainder of your business promotions. Special needs, including online store Before getting a web host, you will need to know your special needs. Do you need an online store? Will you have subscriptions? Do you need database capabilities, so you can get information back (purchasers name, email, etc.) Do you expect very high traffic? Are there plug-ins (giving your website special functionality) that you want to use? Do you want to create a website using templates? Be aware that if you use their templates, you may not be able to move your files to a different provider! If you have an online store, it will need to connect to your bank account, Paypal, Square, etc. In the next step, find a host who has made that integration easy. If your webname and your legal business name (i.e. your bank account name) aren't the same, you can file a fictitious (or assumed) business name statement with your webname so that you can set up your bank info with your webname. This isn't required, but will make it easier for your customers to identify their purchases. You will need secure https service because some browsers refuse to connect to websites that aren't secure. Sometimes https service is included in host provider costs; sometimes not. Web tracking is usually included in your hosting service. Bots are hits by browsers and illegitimate "fishers". They often distort your web traffic information, so you will need to ask your host how they count bot traffic. Bots will submit forms with garbage information, distorting your information, so you need to consider installing captcha protection. Find a host and create a site Your web files will be hosted on your host's server, which is directly connected to the Internet. You will need to go back to your name registrar (step 1) and point their DNS setting to the IP address provided by your host. Your host should set up an email address for you and give you access to a dashboard where you can add more email addresses and view your internet "hits". If you use a template, their dashboard will be more extensive, so you won't have separate files that need to be uploaded. If you don't use a template, you will develop html files on your computer and upload them to your host's server using FTP software (such as FileZilla). Your files should contain meta tags that help browsers identify what's on your site. These should use your "key words". Browsers can't interpret pictures, so you need to have tags on each picture with your key words. Start a business Facebook page If you are selling to the general public, consider setting up a Business page on Facebook or another social media platform. The messaging and colors should all match with your logo and website. Get your Business on Facebook Start a LinkedIn page If you want to reach professionals, set up a Business page on your LinkedIn page. 7 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Small Business Make sure you are found online If you have a physical location, make sure you are registered on GPS. You should also register with as many search engines as possible. Go to Marketing/Selling and then scroll down to Other Resources, Get Found Online.

Form your Entity in Georgia	Select one Sole Proprietor Limited Liability Co. (LLC) Corporation Partnership

The answers to a few questions usually determines the best business entity for you.

Will you have more than one owner? (husband and wife count as 2 owners)	2+ owners 1 owner
Will you have employees?	Employees No employees
Will you have outside investors?	Investors No investors
Does your business have risk of lawsuits or require major investment?	Business risk Little business risk
Will your spouse be actively working in the business?	YesNo

Most businesses with a single owner, no employees and no outside investors form sole proprietorships. As the sole operator of the business, if there is ever a lawsuit, you will be personally sued, so setting up a corporation or limited liability company won't protect your personal assets. For sole business operators with business risk, the best way to protect yourself is through liability insurance.

If you have financial risk (loans), you will be asked to personally guarantee them, so setting up a corporation or LLC won't protect you from that debt. However, if you will have a lot of little vendors and your business fails, forming an corporation or LLC will shield you from those debts (at the expense of small businesses).

If you expect large profits (over $100,000), a downside of forming a sole proprietorship is that the owner does not take a salary, but all profits flow through to your personal income tax, where you have to pay social security self-employment tax (as well as income tax). If you form a corporation, some of this income could be shielded from social security tax. You can declare a reasonable salary and pay social security on that amount,. All other profits will only be taxed for income tax, not for social security. Before incorporating for this reason, you should talk with a tax advisor because you will have to convince the IRS that the extra profits did not come from your personal work, but were generated from your business' assets.

Can you change your mind? Yes, you can change your entity structure at any time. However, you must "close" the old company and file new paperwork with all the government agencies. You will probably have to get a new DUNS number and will have to start building your business credit from the beginning.

If you have multiple owners involved in the business and no additional employees, forming a partnership is possible, if you all understand that whatever action one person takes will affect everyone else - even if they were not aware of it. So if one person orders a million popsicles, lets them melt, and then moves to the Bahamas, the remaining partners are liable for the popsicle bill (and the bill to clean it all up). If this is not acceptable to any of the owners, you should form a corporation or LLC. An LLC has less paperwork than corporations do. Corporations should be used if you want to offer incentive stock options to your employees.

If you expect large profits (over $100,000 per partner), another downside of forming a partnership is that owners do not have salaries. Instead, all profits flow through to the partners' personal income tax form and the partners have to pay social security self-employment tax (as well as income tax) on all of it. If you form a corporation, the owners can declare reasonable salaries and pay social security on that amount. Additional profits will only be taxed for income tax. Before you incorporate for this reason, talk with a tax advisor because you will have to convince the IRS that the extra profits did not come from your personal work, but were generated from your business' assets.

Can you change your mind? Yes, you can change your entity structure at any time. However, you must "close" the old company and file new paperwork with all the government agencies. You will probably have to get a new DUNS number and will have to start building your business credit from the beginning.

If you have employees but no outside investors, a limited liability company is a good choice, because there is little ongoing paperwork and your assets will be protected from actions that your employees may do. You will still be personally liable for the actions that you take and for taxes. If you have large profits (over $100,000 per owner), there is a downside to forming an LLC. LLC owners do not take a salary. Instead, all the profits pass through to the owners' personal income tax and they have to pay social security self-employment tax on the entire amount.

You can also form a corporation. The benefits are that it is easier to get outside funding (sell shares of stock) than with an LLC. Also, owners take "reasonable" salaries and pay the same taxes as an LLC. But there is a possibility that the corporation will earn additional profit. This profit will not be taxable for social security purposes(it will be taxable for income tax). Forming a corporation is also a good choice if you want to offer your employees stock options. The downside is that you will have to have annual meetings with written minutes.

BizFilings offers a free Formation Assistant to help you choose between a corporation and an LLC. Click here to use this assistant to confirm your decision.

Can you change your mind? Yes, you can change your entity structure at any time. However, you must "close" the old company and file new paperwork with all the government agencies. You will probably have to get a new DUNS number and will have to start building your business credit from the beginning.

Your situation with employees and outside investors is ideal for a corporation. You can easily add more investors by selling more stock and your personal assets are protected from actions by your employees. You can also offer stock incentives to your employees. You are still personally liable for the actions that you take and for taxes.

BizFilings offers a free Formation Assistant to help you choose between a corporation and an LLC. Click here to use this assistant to confirm your decision.

 

Can you change your mind? Yes, you can change your entity structure at any time. However, you must "close" the old company and file new paperwork with all the government agencies. You will probably have to get a new DUNS number and will have to start building your business credit from the beginning.

There is a misclassification here. If you have outside investors (meaning they own a part of the company), then there is more than one owner - is you and your outside investors. So go back in this tool and choose multiple owners. If your investor is really just loaning you money, they are not an investor, they are a lender. Go back in this tool and select no for investors.

Limited liability companies are ideal for this situation. You are protected from the actions of your employees but are not burdened with the annual meeting and minutes required for corporations.

However, if you expect to have more than $100,000 in net earnings per owner, you may want to consider forming a corporation instead. With LLCs, owners do not take salaries. Instead, the LLC's net revenues are passed through on the owners' personal income tax. Owners must pay social security self-employment tax plus income tax on their share. With a (S) corporation, the active owners take "reasonable" salaries and any remaining revenues are passed through to the owners, where they pay income tax, but not social security self-employment tax. Please talk with a tax advisor before incorporating for this reason, because you will have to convince the IRS that the extra profits did not come from your personal work, but were generated from your business' assets.

Can you change your mind? Yes, you can change your entity structure at any time. However, you must "close" the old company and file new paperwork with all the government agencies. You will probably have to get a new DUNS number and will have to start building your business credit from the beginning.

Generally, a corporation is best when you have investors. It is easy for corporations to sell more stock to raise capital.

Limited liability companies can also be used, but changing or adding investors involves having all the owners agree to a new operating agreement.

Should you treat your spouse as an owner or an employee?
If your spouse is an owner, officially you should form a partnership. However, many businesses with husband/wife owners stay a sole proprietorship. The IRS doesn't care unless your business' profits are greater than $108,200. If that is the case, you need to form a partnership so that enough social security self-employment tax is paid.

If you are purchasing health insurance, there is a tax benefit if you treat your spouse as an employee, because your business can deduct health insurance premiums for employees and their families (IRS section 105 deduction). However, this tax deduction requires that you also provide coverage to your other employees. Also, if your spouse is an employee, you will have to do payroll paperwork for your spouse's earnings.

else (spouse is no)

Should you treat your spouse as an owner or an employee?
If your spouse is an owner, officially you should form a partnership. However, many businesses with husband/wife owners stay a sole proprietorship. The IRS doesn't care unless your business' profits are greater than $108,200. If that is the case, you need to form a partnership so that enough social security self-employment tax is paid.

If you are purchasing health insurance, there is a tax benefit if you treat your spouse as an employee, because your business can deduct health insurance premiums for employees and their families (IRS section 105 deduction). However, this tax deduction requires that you also provide coverage to your other employees.

Should you treat your spouse as an owner or an employee?
If your spouse is an owner, officially you should form a partnership. However, many businesses with husband/wife owners stay a sole proprietorship. The IRS doesn't care unless your business' profits are greater than $108,200. If that is the case, you need to form a partnership so that enough social security self-employment tax is paid.

Also, if your spouse is an employee, you will have to do payroll paperwork for your spouse's earnings.

Should you treat your spouse as an owner or an employee?
If your spouse is actively participating in the business, (s)he can be an owner or an employee. If you are purchasing health insurance, there is a tax benefit if you treat your spouse as an employee, because your business can deduct health insurance premiums for employees and their families (IRS section 105 deduction). However, this tax deduction requires that you also provide coverage to your other employees.

Also, if your spouse is an employee, you will have to do payroll paperwork for your spouse's earnings.

Should you treat your spouse as an owner or an employee?
If your spouse is an owner, officially you should form a partnership. However, many businesses with husband/wife owners stay a sole proprietorship. The IRS doesn't care unless your business' profits are greater than $108,200. If that is the case, you need to form a partnership so that enough social security self-employment tax is paid.

Should you treat your spouse as an owner or an employee?
If your spouse is actively participating in the business, (s)he can be an owner or an employee. If you are purchasing health insurance, there is a tax benefit if you treat your spouse as an employee, because your business can deduct health insurance premiums for employees and their families (IRS section 105 deduction). However, this tax deduction requires that you also provide coverage to your other employees.

Paying Others Paying your employees (and Uncle Sam) Your first obligation is to pay your employees, and with them, Uncle Sam. You can use this tool to calculate payroll taxes and net pay. Calculating Payroll Taxes Remember, that when you pay the withheld taxes to the government, employers must MATCH social security and Medicare. The calculators above do not calculate tax on tips. If your employees are paid tips, please review: Employee Tip Income Use the following forms to pay taxes to the government (usually a monthly requirement for new businesses): Online Deposit for Federal Payroll Taxes Payment Coupon for State Payroll Taxes Paying Yourself (and Uncle Sam) Please close this modal, then go to Government Requirements and select "Paying Yourself " and your business entity. Paying Independent Contractors Pay independent contractors using the same systems as you do for other vendors. Do not ask for time-sheets or pay them with your regular employees.

Quarterly Employer Requirements Some businesses will have an accountant or bookkeeper by this stage who will handle these responsibilities. Many businesses won't. Either way, it is helpful to understand the requirements so you can make sure stay in compliance. Employees Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return IRS 941 Quarterly State Unemployment and Withholding Forms. FUTA Payments using online EFTPS system

Annual Employer Requirements W-2 Wage and Tax Statement transmitted with IRS W-3 IRS 940: Federal Return of Unemployment Tax Independent Contractors 1099 Filings for Independent Contractors

FIND THE RIGHT PERSON

HireVets Medallion Recognition Program

Hiring college grads? GeorgiaHIRE

Find employees at Employ Georgia

Illegal Interview Questions

Job Description Tools

Resources to hire veterans

Effects of hiring out-of-state employees

Sample employee application

Employment application template

How to do a criminal background check in Georgia

Things to know before doing an employment background check

Average pay rates

Work Opportunity Tax Credit

Hire from a targeted group to receive Work Opportunity Tax Credit

Small Business Health Care Tax Credit

AskEarn.org: Resources to help employers hire people with disabilities

Free federal employee bonding

Office of Disability: Searchable Online Accommodation Tool

Guest worker visas

MORE COMPLIANCE HELP

Labor Law Publications from Georgia Chamber of Commerce

Employers Model Return to Work program

Types of Workers

Dangerous Independent Contractor Myths

Misclassified your workers? Here's what to do

E-Verify

Stay out of trouble: Avoid FLSA most common pitfalls

Are you working with unions? Employer rights and obligations

SHOP - Small Business Health Options Program

Wrongful termination laws

PAYROLL

Payroll tax calculator

IRS Withholding Charts - Biweekly - Single

IRS Withholding Charts - Biweekly - Married

IRS Withholding Charts - Irregular

IRS Withholding Charts - Irregular

Weekly and Biweekly Time Sheets

HUMAN RESOURCE TOOLS

11 Remarkable Statistics about Employee Feedback

Performance Preview: A Better Approach

Handling Distressed Employees: Training for Managers

NFIB Guide to the Employee Handbook

Creating an inclusive, safe space

Stop Workplace Bullying

Sexual Harassment resources

Talking Politics at Work

Avoid Lawsuits when giving references

Handling marijuana in the workplace

Prohibit Hands-free Cell Phone Use

Telephone Reference Check Form

Drug-Free Workplace

Employee management forms from the NFIB

Webinars and resources from SCORE for employers

Opioid Epidemic: What Employers should Do

Implement a Total Worker Health Program: Videos and Toolkit

Healthy Worksites Toolkit for Small Businesses

Help Employees Manage Financial Stress

Stress Management Toolkit

Workflex for Small Businesses: Big ideas for any size

HR Flexibility: Telework

Powerful Words for Motivation

Sample performance evaluation form

Need HR help? Join an Employer Association

Calculator to determine your cost of employee turnover

Employee termination checklist

SAFETY TOOLS

Outside employees? No energy drinks or caffeine in summer

Encourage your Employees to Stay Alert & Fit

Ergonomics Center

OSHA Help

OSHA training requirements for non-English speaking employees

OSHA Fines waiting to happen

OSHA bilingual safety information

OSHA Compliance Assistance QuickStart

Free OSHA Safety and Health Management Training for Small Business

OSHA e-Tool for computer workstations

Safety resources

Do your employees work outside? Help Workers Cope with Heat Stress

MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISORY TRAINING

Georgia WebMBA

Google Digital Garage

Workplace Violence Prevention online course

Workplace Strategies for Mental Health - online training for managers

EMPLOYEE TRAINING

SafeServe Food Safety and Alcohol Training Programs

Georgia Tech videos for small manufacturers

Georgia Retraining Tax Credits

OSHA training at Georgia Tech

Keep your skills up-to-date: Training Assessment

Training through the Georgia Employers Association

Georgia Quick Start Program

Working it Through - mental health training

Improving Skills: the Clock is Ticking

Security Awareness & Training

Industry-focused safety training

Soft learning skills training

ONLINE BUSINESS CLASSES

Online classes from Georgia Tech

Online courses through Georgia Virtual Technical College

5000 online classes! Georgia Employers' Association Online Learning Center

Online Workshops from SCORE

OSHA Help

VIDEOS

BUSINESS NETWORKING

TIE Atlanta: Global Network of Entrepreneurs

Shortcodes: Text Pizza to 45137

Network using Meetup.com

GET FOUND ONLINE

Encourage customers to use Google Review and Yelp

Connect with your Community

Calling out-bound? Register to prevent "spam" caller label

Get your Business on Google

Get found by Google Search

Create an .xml sitemap for free

Get found by Apple maps

Get found on GPS devices by getting a DUNS number

Add your business to Apple Maps

Get Captcha website security

Add your business listing to Google Places

Set up your business listing on BING

Make sure your business is on GPS systems

Make sure your business can be liked

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social Media made Easy with Sketch.io

Web Social Networking

Social Media when You're Pressed for Time

Social media webinars and resources from SCORE

Twitter Business Tips: Building Your Brand Online

Get your business on Facebook

How to use Hashtags to help your business

How to use YouTube

Use Pinterest for market research

7 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Small Business

Setting up a blog

Add a Share button

Monitor your business and industry

IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY

Unconscious Bias e-Lesson

COVID-19 Economic Impact Tracker

Work-Life Balance

Motivate Today's Workers

Participation..Engagement..Loyalty through Gamification

Warning to Inventors!

How to Plan for Change

Uncertainty: Over the Top!

No PO Zone

150 Laughter Yoga Exercises

Workplace Events Calendar

9 Brilliant (and Hilarious) Customer Service Examples

LOL to improve your Business!

11 Shocking Employee Happiness Statistics

Resisting Change

Your Business and your Local Community

Time management resources

Building your Team: Know Thy Self

Team Effectiveness Survey

Burned Out!

Lower your Distractions and Stress at Work

MANAGE INVENTORY

Dig Deeper: Supply Chain Management

Keeping Track of your Stuff

USE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready training

Is your website accessible?

Business Technology Training from SCORE

Share calendars using Microsoft Outlook

VCards: Collecting business card info electronically

Computer backup options

Create your own app

USE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE SELLING

Professional selling online tools: CRM

Secrets to selling online

USE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE CASH FLOW

Online invoicing

Get paid online or with a smartphone

USE TECHNOLOGY TO COMMUNICATE WITH CUSTOMERS

Collaborate with Microsoft Teams

Using features in Microsoft Outlook

Vanity telephone number lookup tool

Share Computer Screens

Post and edit videos on YouTube or your website

Online chat

Create PDF Documents

Take pictures and videos with your SmartPhone and upload to Facebook and your website

Powerpoint and other presentation tools

EVALUATE WHERE YOU STAND

Time to Change your Tax/Legal Entity?

Are you a second stage business?

SizeUp - check out your customers and competitors

Audit Checklist from the SBA for a Growing Business

Financial Scorecard

B Corporations

IMPROVE QUALITY

Georgia Oglethorpe Award - training and peer evaluation for quality

Moving toward excellence: Videos

Lean Manufacturing from Georgia Tech

Georgia MEP Manufacturing Quality and International Standards training

Improve your business operations: Six Sigma for Small Business

ISO9000 Quality management system

Key Performance Indicators

Baldrige National Quality Program

KPI Examples by Department and Industry

Creating memorable experiences

Best practices assessment in lean manufacturing

Best practices assessment in human resources

LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Teampedia - Tools for Teams

The Challenge of Being Excellent: Completing the Puzzle

Team Dynamics Assessment

Leadership training activities

Leadership online training module

Leadership vs. Management

Competent Leaders - what effective leaders do well

VIDEOS

GET READY TO FUND YOUR BUSINESS

Managing your Cash Flow - a guide to financial control

Financial management for small businesses

Your funding toolkit

Financial webinars and resources from SCORE

Curated Coaching for Entrepreneurs from Chase

Find the Right Accounting Software

Learn Quickbooks - Free Tutorials

Online invoicing and credit card processing tools

Estimating Breakeven Sales for your Small Business

Understanding Financial Statements

Steps to Take in Getting through a Financial Crisis

Participate in trade reporting

How you can use BitCoin in your business

Negogiate credit card interest

1 loan; 3 cards; 5 vendors

SOURCES OF BUSINESS CAPITAL

Access to Capital - how businesses are funded

COLLECTIONS

Debt collection rules

FUNDING PROGRAMS

Small business loans from ACE

Native American? BIA 80% Loan Guaranty Program

Native American? Business loans from Native American Bank

Venturize - find funding resources

Loan Documentation - an Introduction for Small Businesses

SBA Lender List

Small Business Loans from ACE

One Georgia

Small business loans from Accion Opportunity Fund

Mastering Business Loan Proposals, a publication from the Georgia SBD

Government grant scams

USDA Value-Added Loans

California micro-loan issuers

Buying a franchise?

Opportunity Finance Lenders

SBA cap program: short-term working capital

USDA Rural Development Loans

Farm Storage Facility Loan Program

SBA's 504 loan program for industrial or commercial buildings

SBA Small Business Innovation Research

Current or former military? SBA Patriot Express Loans

REQUIRED COLLATERAL

Before you use your home equity or savings

Personal guarantees

Don't have a home?

CROWDFUNDING

Crowdfunding

KickStarter Handbook

EQUITY INVESTORS

Angel Investors

1 Million Cups

The Entrepreneur's Path: Handbook for High-Growth Companies

Getting ready to raise capital

VIDEOS

CREATE A GREEN BUSINESS

Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman

Environmental Best Practices for Small Business

Small Business Environmental Assistance Program

Georgia Green Solutions Loan Program

Environmental Professionals Guide to Lean and Six Sigma

Make a difference: Partner with the National Forest Foundation

10 Biggest Cost Savings from green business practices

Smart Steps to Sustainability

Making environmental claims? Follow these Guides

Voluntary Environmental Management System ISO 14001

Sustainable business standards for industries and services developed by Green Seal

15 Things you Should Never Buy Again

PROTECT THE AIR

SAVE WATER

Georgia Small Business Environmental Assistance Program

WaterSmart Guidebook for Businesses

Water Efficiency Manual for Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Facilities

Lean and Water Toolkit from the EPA

10 step approach for water conservation for businesses

REDUCE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

Managing Your Hazardous Waste: A Guide for Small Businesses

Lean and Chemicals Toolkit from the EPA

P2 Pollution Prevention

Pollution Prevention Plan Online Tool

REDUCE WASTE

PROTECT PEOPLES HEALTH

Material Safety Data Sheet

CONSERVE ENERGY

Keep Newnan Beautiful

Energy and sustainability services from Georgia Tech

Energy tips for businesses from Georgia Power

Lighting

Food industry

30% Down the Drain

Energy Star Products and Programs

Lean, Energy and Climate Toolkit from the EPA

Industrial best practices for energy

USDA REAP Guarantee Loan for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects

Want specific energy recommendations for your industry? Commercial Energy Systems Library

Government forms due in the next 90 days

Your legal structure:
Sole Proprietor Limited Liability Co. Corporation Partnership

Do you have employees?

Yes No

Do You sell items?

Do not sell items Sell items

Upcoming due dates

Federal Income Tax Payments: 1040ES	Thu 6/15/2023
FICA and Federal Income Tax Payment Coupon	Thu 6/15/2023
GA-V Withholding Coupon	Thu 6/15/2023
FICA and Federal Income Tax Payment Coupon	Mon 7/17/2023
GA-V Withholding Coupon	Mon 7/17/2023
8109: FUTA Tax Payments	Mon 7/31/2023
Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return	Mon 7/31/2023
Quarterly Employer Returns DOL 4N	Mon 7/31/2023
FICA and Federal Income Tax Payment Coupon	Tue 8/15/2023
GA-V Withholding Coupon	Tue 8/15/2023

Biz Essentials

• Plan on paying 40% of your net revenue in taxes! 15.3% social security/medicare; 20% fed and 5% state.
• If your business closes, file closing documents or else government agencies will fine you. Usually, they will not accept closing documents until all prior taxes and paperwork has been filed. We've seen fines over $100,000!

Resources

PRIVACY

Small Business Cybersecurity Workbook

Protect your Workplace - 5 cybersecurity posters

Cyberwhere for Small Business

Top 5 Cybersecurity Tips for Small Businesses

Top 5 ways to Prevent a Cyber Attack

Cyber Security Planning Guide

What to do AFTER a data breach

Protect yourself from business identity theft

Do not call registry

Protecting your Networks from Ransomware

Protect your Workplace from Cyber-Attack Campaign

CyberPlanner from the FCC

Protecting Personal Information: A guide for business

PROTECT PEOPLE

Workplace Violence: Awareness and Prevention for Employers and Employees

Developing a Violence Prevention Program

What to do if there is an Active Shooter: 1 hour Training from FEMA

Active shooter Guide for Businesses from the FBI

Workplace Violence - what to look for; what to do

PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY

Fire in the Workplace

Set up a Business Watch

Homeland Security: Tools for Small Business

Crime prevention ideas

Preventing Fraud

Small Business Scam research results from the BBB

Find scams in your area: BBB Scam Tracker

Report a Scam

5 Most Common Scams against Small Business

Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks

Protecting your intellectual property rights outside the US

Intellectual Property Awareness Assessment

RETIRING, SELLING OR CLOSING YOUR BUSINESS

Retirement options

Buying & Selling a Small Business

Business Succession? Consider your Employees

An Owner's Guide to Business Succession

DISASTER PLANNING

Georgia SBDC Business Disaster Planning

Outsmart Disaster: Resilient Business Challenge

Charge higher prices during or after a disaster?

Prepare your Business for a Severe Weather Emergency

Emergency Financial First Aid Kit from FEMA

Fire Safety at the Workplace

Does My Business Need Flood Insurance?

CommercialReady - helping you protect your commercial property

Plan for no electricity

Protecting Building Environments from Bioterrorism

Plan to Stay in Business: Four steps

Red Cross Ready Rating Assessment for businesses

Using a Fire Extinguisher - Video

Business Interruption Insurance

Business Continuity Template

Prevent Business Disruption with a Business Continuity Plan

What to include in a Workplace Disaster Supplies Kit

Open for Business: a Business Continuity Plan

Pocket First Aid & CPR

Hands-only CPR

ReUnite App for iphones

First Aid by American Red Cross

National Weather Service

National Hurricane Center

American Red Cross: Shelter View for iphones

Earthquake and Hurricane apps from the American Red Cross

FEMA Disaster Kit App

OSHA Evacuation Plans and Procedures e-Tool

Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry from FEMA

DISASTER RECOVERY

Tips for Survivors: What to Expect

OSHA Guidelines for preparing workplaces for COVID-19

COVID-19 Employer Tax Credits

PrepareMyBusiness.org

Selling to Disaster-stricken areas

Red Cross Procurement

Settling claims after a disaster

Filing a business disaster claim

Sample Worksheet to Calculate Loss for Business Interruption Insurance

Safety and Health Disaster: Who to Contact

SBA Declared Disasters and links to assistance

OSHA Worker Safety for Recovery of Tornadoes, Floods, and Hurricanes

Get copies of your tax returns

Disaster Unemployment Insurance for employees or self-employed

Recovering from a Disaster: Employee Pay Issues

How to avoid and report scam artists

Watch out for these disaster scams

IRS Disaster and Emergency Relief - Online Videos

Getting Back to Business, a Pamphlet from the Institute of Business and Home Safety

Tips for supervisors to help staff involved in disasters

SBA Disaster Loans

Lose pay after a disaster?

After the Flood: Safety Tips for Business Owners

IRS Business, Casualty, Disaster and Theft Loss Workbook

VIDEOS

TRAINING RESOURCES

Think global: the good news and the bad news

Export Business Planner from the SBA

Top Markets for Exporting

Are you export-ready? A short self-assessment

Export-U.com

TradePort; Free Import and Export Trade Tutorial

Basic Guide to Exporting

Successfully doing business around the world

Global business webinars from the National Export Initiative

International trade logistics - an online course

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Georgia International Business Portal

Directory of International Businesses

Want to export to China? China Business Information Center

Gold Key Matching Service from the US Commercial Service

Want to import? Global Sourcing Essentials

Global assistance

Export-Import Bank: Assistance for minority and women-owned businesses

Export Centers of Excellence for industry

Want to market to China? Access America Directory

Consulting, contracting & exporting opportunities with UN Development Business

Exporting Help: US Commercial Service

Leads, Events, Research & More! www.Export.gov

Industry newsletters and reports from the US Commercial Service

Custom market research services from Export.Gov

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

SBA International Trade Loan Program 7a to improve competitiveness

Georgia Go Global Export Grants

Payment methods when doing International Trade

Handling money overseas

Export-Import Bank Environmental Exports Program

Loans and Export Credit Insurance

Trade Finance Guide: A Quick Reference for Exporters

REGULATORY INFORMATION

Certificate of Origin form

How to complete a NAFTA Certificate of Origin form

Want to sell to Europe? CE mark

INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

Foreign trade zones

VIDEOS

BUSINESS RESOURCES

Help from federal laboratories: Test and research labs for renewable energy

Commercialization Assistance Program from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Industry Growth Forum sponsored by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Models and tools used by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

FUNDING AND TAX CREDITS

Environmental Export Financing from Export-Import Bank

Angel investor funding for clean-tech companies

MANAGING ENERGY COSTS

Free Data Center Profiler Software Tool Suite from US Department of Energy

Calculate your power usage effectiveness with this tool

Data Center Efficiency Savings Calculator from 42U.com

NFPA 70E: Electrical Safety in the Workplace 3-day Seminar

SAFETY TRAINING

Georgia Tech Information Security Center

Arc flash safety information

Electrical Safety

Electrical safety hazards from overloaded cable trays

DISASTER RECOVERY

Contingency planning document for federal data centers

IT Disaster recovery template from SearchDisasterRecovery.com

QUALITY CONTROL AND BUSINESS PRACTICES

Forms and checklists for medical practices

Lean Six Sigma in HealthCare

Managing energy costs in health care and hospitals

SAFETY

OSHA COVID-19 guidance for the health care industry

Quick Start: OSHA information for the Health Care Industry

Workplace Violence Prevention Training for Nurses

Workplace Violence Prevention Program for Healthcare and Social Service

Model Plan: OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens

Ergonomic Injury Prevention in Healthcare Service

OSHA resources for health care workers

Nursing Home OSHA e-tool

Patient safety toolkit

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS

EPA Regulatory Information for Health Care

Healthcare Environmental Resource Center

GOVERNMENT MEDICAL PROGRAMS

Information for Medicare providers (go to bottom to browse by provider type)

TriCare: If you are providing services to current military, veterans or their families

PATIENT PRIVACY

HIPAA privacy requirements

Medical Identity Theft - information from the FTC

HIPAA Security Risk Assessment Tool

TRAINING AND BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

How to approach Life Science funding

Georgia BioBusiness Center

Georgia BIO

European Best Practices for the BioTech Industry

Lab Safety Online Training

Entrepreneur's Guide to a Biotech Startup

Laboratory Quality Management System (LQMS) training toolkit

Starting a Biotech Company: Stanford Entrepreneurship Lecture

National Center for Biotechnology Information

Guide to Biotechnology Finance

International patenting: Patent tutorials from Cambria (Australia)

Biotech Project Management Specialized Online Certificate Program

Interactive e-learning tools for biotechnology

BioDesign - the process of developing medical technologies - book and online information

Biostatistics online training

SAFETY RESOURCES

General biosafety online training from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

BioSafety manual from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

VIDEOS

INDUSTRY AND SAFETY RESOURCES

Plastics manufacturing: Industries at a Glance

OSHA safety information for the plastics industry

GREEN BUSINESS PRACTICES

Tutorial on biodegradable: Green washing - sorting through facts, hypes, and misleading claims

Operation Clean Sweep - for Zero Pellet Loss

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Small Business Development Center counseling

Nominate Employer or Supervisor for supporting Vets

Vets Fast Launch Program from SCORE

Disabled? Veteran Self-Employment Tract

Need more help? SBA Veteran Business Development officers

Veteran Business Resources on Facebook

Veteran Entrepreneur Portal

National Veteran Owned Business Association

FUNDING

Loans for Veterans

Veteran Small Business Awards from StreetShares

Veteran Business Loan Program from AccionUSA

TRAINING

Veteran free Online MBA program

Training funds for service-disabled veterans interested in self-employment

Vwise - entrepreneurship training for women veterans

SELL TO GOVERNMENT

Veteran Institute for Procurement

US DOT Veteran and Service Disabled Owned Small Business Program

SBA Veterans Guide: How to Win Federal Contracts free online course

Verification Assistance Program

FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES

Veteran Franchise Opportunities

Find a vet-owned franchise

DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS

MBE, MBWE, DBE...what do they all mean?

SBA size standards for small businesses

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

SBA Ascent Learning Platform for Women Entrepreneurs

Womens Business Center Metro Atlanta at ACE

Diverse Community Capital from ACE

Native Edge Online Business Ecosystem

Gener8tor Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

DreamBuilder: the Womens Business Center

FINANCING

Kiva Business Loans from DreamxAmerica

The Mansa Fund for Black and Latinx businesses

Business loans for minority, women and disabled

Woman-owned business? Loans from Accion USA

PRIVATE BUSINESSES

Top 50 organizations for Diversity

BUSINESS PLAN AND ASSISTANCE

Farmers Legal Action Group

Georgia programs to assist small farms

AgPlan - Business Plan: free software for rural businesses

AgBiz Masters

Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses

Sample business plans and other resources for farms and ranches

Strategic Business Planning for Commercial Producers from Purdue University

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

Georgia Agricultural Technology Research Program

AgrAbility: Cultivating Accessible Agriculture for people with disabilities

Georgia AgrAbility: Helping disabled farmers with adaptive technology

FUNDING

Ag Loans from Farm Credit

Interactive financial analysis for farmers

Energy Efficiency Loans and Grants for Businesses or Agricultural Producers

The Farmer's Guide to Agricultural Credit

Strategies for dealing with agricultural lenders

Small farm funding resources

USDA Loans for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers

Interpreting financial statements - online video training to improve your farm business

MANAGEMENT

Agriculture Resource Library

Farm Legal Series - information on legal documents used in agriculture

Managing agricultural financial, production and price risks, including information on offsetting risks in the futures markets

Post-Harvest Handling Decision Tool for vegetables

Ag in Uncertain Times

Organic or conventional? Crop conversion calculator

Internet strategies to improve farm management: free e-learning course

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) voluntary audit verification program from the USDA

BioMass Crop Assistance Program

AgHelp Wanted: Guidelines for Managing Agricultural Labor

Farm first aid kit

RightRisk: Simulation software to evaluate agriculture and ranching risk

Getting on Track: Basic agricultural records

Learning Spanish: Farm vocabulary

Labor Management in Agriculture: Cultivating Personnel Productivity

FARM SAFETY

OSHA e-tool for Youth in Agriculture

Safe Return to Work from National Farm Medicine Center

SaferFarm.org: Safety toolkit for agriculture

Safety training for Farm and Packing Shed Managers

Ergonomics Training Resources for the Poultry Industry

Safety video clips for agriculture

OSHA Safety and Health Topics for Agriculture

Safer Farm

TAXES AND REGULATIONS

Small Farm Tax Guide from Rural Tax Education

Taxes for Agriculture

IRS Agricultural Tax Center

Regulatory Information for the Agriculture Sector

US Fair Labor Standards for Agricultural Workers

MARKETING

Best Management Practices in agri-tourism

Integrating safety into agri-tourism: worksheets, training & more

Organic marketing resources

Marketing 101: Introduction to basic marketing for producers

Flavor of Georgia Contest

Georgia MarketMaker: connects agricultural producers with businesses in the food chain

Marketing to Independent Retailers

Direct Farm Marketing and Tourism Handbook from University of Arizona

Agricultural marketing

EXPORTING

Affected by Retaliatory Tariffs? USDA Market Facilitation Program

Register your business: USDA Local Food Directory Registration

Getting Started with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

Agricultural Exporters: USDA Export Credit Guarantee Program

International trade shows and marketing events

Export certificates for food

GREEN PRACTICES

Agricultural Waste Management

Environmental Management System for agriculture

National Agricultural Center sponsored by the EPA

Organic Transition Course for agriculture

Agricultural Management Assistance for farms implementing conservation practices

Fieldprint Calculator: How your operation impacts environmental sustainability

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

DISASTER

FarmMapper: a disaster tool for farmers and emergency responders

Free online courses in risk management for agriculture

RiskNavigator: Strategic Risk Management for Agriculture

FarmAid: Disaster assistance

USDA Drought Programs

Managing Drought Risk on the Ranch

Resources for Agriculture in Drought

Agricultural Disaster Assistance Programs

OTHER

AgTransitions: online tool to build a plan to transition to the next generation

THE BUSINESS OF ART

Marketing for Artists

Call for Artists from the Georgia Arts Council

How to Access Health Care in Washington - a guide for artists

Tax and deduction information, checklists and worksheets for artists

SEA: Self Employment in the Arts

Artist in a shelter or homeless? ArtLifting.com

Business webinars for artists from the Arts&Business Council of Greater Boston

Creative Pathfinder - online course for artists

Fine Art Views: Marketing e-newsletter for artists

The Abundant Artist: Courses for selling art online

Creative Capital: financial and advisory support to develop a sustainable career for artists

On-demand webinars for artists from the Arts Council of New Orleans

Call for Entry - a website sponsored by Western States Art Federation

Helping Artisans Reach Global Markets: free e-learning course

Studio Protector: an artists guide to emergency

Emergency financial support and relief for artists from CERF+

ArtsReady - Create a business continuity plan

Grant opportunities with the National Endowment for the Arts

Information about the business of Art from www.gyst-ink.com

Professional Artist Magazine

ZAPP Apply online to art shows

MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING

Project Management for Construction

Construction Best Practices

Online courses for the construction industry from AGC of America

SAFETY TRAINING

OSHA COVID-19 guidance for the Construction Industry

Safety Culture & Safety Climate for Small Contractors

OSHA Compliance Assistance QuickStart for the construction industry

Construction safety training from Texas Dept of Insurance

Hazard alerts for the Construction Industry

Prevention Videos for the Construction Industry

Construction Training Materials: Preventing Head Injuries

Safety resources for the construction industry from OSHA

Vehicle safety program for the construction industry

Construction health and safety information from NIOSH

Ergonomics Training Programs

Training for Construction: Radiofrequency Radiation

Toolbox talks

Construction Job Safety evaluation for new employees

Steel erection, fall protection, and the 4 hazards free training materials

Roadway Safety Training for construction by roadsides

ELCOSH: Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND GREEN BUSINESS

Green contractor certification

EPA Regulatory Information for Construction

Construction Industry Environmental Compliance Assistance Center

FOOD PRODUCTS AND PROCESSING

Dos and Donts for Food Processors

Food processing publications

Export Essentials - Online training for the food industry

Small Scale Food Entrepreneurship: A Technical Guide for Food Ventures

Information on starting and operating specialty food business

Thinking about becoming a Food Entrepreneur? Here's help

Find a shared part-time commercial kitchen near you

How do I know if my product is regulated by FDA?

Small Business Nutritional Labeling Exemption

MARKETING

Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center

Do you produce food? Participate in Flavor of Georgia

Marketing Food Specialty Products Online

Recipe for Success: Selling Food Products

BUSINESS LOANS TO LOCAL PRODUCERS

Food producer? Whole Foods Local Producer Loan Program

ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY

Pollution prevention tool for food processors

Food Processing Environmental Assistance Center

Compliance help and training for small food manufacturers and processors

HACCP plans and tools for the meat industry

Quick Overview of the Food Safety Modernization Act

Online classes in food traceability and food safety

RESOURCES FOR THE LOGISTICS INDUSTRY

Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics

Pre-Employment Screening Program from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Summary of Hours-of-Service (HOS) Regulations

Hours of Service LogBook

Business registration requirements with the Department of Transportation

Wide-load and weight restrictions for US states

Heavy Highway Vehicle Federal Use Tax

Independent contractor or employee?

IRS red flags for the trucking industry

MeasureUp: Compensation information on the logistics

Logistics and Supply Chain Management - information from Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Small entity compliance guide for brokers

SAFETY AND EMPLOYEE TRAINING

Georgia Supply Chain and Logistics Institute

What Employees Need to Know about DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing

OSHA safety information for the trucking industry

OSHA loading and unloading requirements

Trucking Injury Reduction Emphasis: TIRES

Sleep apnea and commercial drivers

Ergonomics for Truck Drivers

Online and distance learning courses in logistics from TIA/ILM

USING FORKLIFTS

Using forklifts safely

TRANSPORTING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

Training for the Safe Transportation of Hazardous Materials

HAZMAT Transportation - Overview of Regulations

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Supplier Scouting for Difficult to Source Needs

Cybersecurity Resources for Manufacturers

Manufacturing Technical Assistance - MATTR

Reshoring Initiative - bringing manufacturing back home

Industrial Assessment Center at Georgia Tech

Enterprise Innovation Institute

Help improving your competitiveness: Manufacturing Extension Partnership

LEAN MANUFACTURING AND BEST PRACTICES

Introduction to Lean Six Sigma video series

Summary of certifications and business improvement methods

Best practices assessment in manufacturing systems

Manufacturing and Production Best Practices

Self-assessment workbook for small manufacturers: Best practices

GREEN BUSINESS PRACTICES

Advanced Manufacturing Energy Resource Center

US EPA Lean and Environment Toolkit for Manufacturers

Identifying Energy Savings in Manufacturing Plants

Industrial energy savings software from the US Department of Energy

SAFETY

Safety Begins with ME! Free industrial safety program (4 hour of videos)

Preventing employee exposure to unguarded or inadequately guarded machines

REGULATIONS

Regulatory information for manufacturers

Manufacturing a consumer product? Find out about Regulations Here

GLOBAL BUSINESS

Export information for manufacturers

TRAINING AND ONLINE CLASSES

Online training in inventory and supply chain management from APICS

ToolingU Online job-specific training for industry

GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS

IRS Restaurant Tax Center

How to Comply with the Americans with Disability Act: A Guide for Restaurants

Federal menu labeling requirements for chain restaurants (20+ locations)

FOCUS ON RESTAURANTS

For your employees: Tested Techniques to Increase Tips

Restaurant start-up profile

Eight-Step Approach to Controlling Food Cost: a training program for managers and employees

How-to Series from the American Restaurant Association

Restaurant Loss Prevention Program from Farmers Insurance

Reducing Waste and Discharges

Best practices for cleaning and disinfecting stainless steel commercial food equipment

Employee handbook template and standard operating procedure for restaurants

Restaurant Table-Mix Optimizer: a tool from Cornell University

Restaurant loss control toolkit from Farmers Insurance

How to Start a Restaurant guide from allfoodbusiness.com

Sample employee evaluation form for food service employees

Managing your wine cellar: a tool from Cornell University

Sample emergency action plan for retail food operations

FOCUS ON HOTELS

Online courses from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute

Setting hotel room pricing for Priceline: a tool from Cornell University

How much is your business worth? Hospitality Valuation Software from Cornell University

Forecast your hotel revenue: a tool from Cornell University

Staff turnover cost evaluator: a tool from Cornell University

Workforce staffing optimizer tool from Cornell University

HR Products from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute

PROMOTION AND MARKETING

Calculate the Financial Benefits of Green Lodging

Green Lodging resources

Clean the World: Recycle hotel soap

National Restaurant Assoc. Serving up Sustainability

Best Practices Toolkit from Food Waste Reduction Alliance

Promote your tourism business through Explore Georgia

What Georgia Tourism can do for You

Tourism Business Development Toolbox

Attracting Tourists to Local Businesses

Business assistance to attract foreign customers from US ITA Office of Travel & Tourism Industries

SAFETY

COVID-19 CDC Considerations for Restaurants/Bars

A Menu for Protecting the Health & Safety of Restaurant Workers

Free restaurant safety training program

Choking poster for restaurants

Retail Food Protection: Employee Health & Personal Hygiene Handbook

Teen Worker Safety in Restaurants

Ergonomics for restaurants, hotel room attendants, landscapers

Ergonomics poster for small restaurants

Develop a HACCP program for your food service operation

EMPLOYEE TRAINING

Hospitality Workplace Safety Training

Spa and Hospitality Operations - online course

Training for the Hospitality Industry to Recognize Human Trafficking

Online tourism courses from eLearning U

GREENING YOUR BUSINESS

Conserve Sustainability Education Program

H2Otel Water Challenge

Top 10 Green practices for hotels

Seafood Watch: Encouraging restaurants and retailers to sell sustainable fish

Restaurants: Top 10 Green Practices

Energy Star for the Hospitality Industry

FREE AND LOW-COST HELP WITH GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING

Team Georgia Marketplace

Selling to the government requires special credit card processing

Avoiding the bidding process

SBA All Small Mentor-Protege Program

Free and low-cost assistance for selling to the government

Native American? American Indian Procurement Assistance Center

Agencies reaching out to small businesses

SELLING TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

How to Market to the Government - videos from the GSA

Selling to the federal government

SAM (System for Award Management)- to sell the federal government

Federal opportunities for $25,000 and more

Find businesses that sell to the federal government

Certified payroll

Is your product environmentally friendly? Federal government's Bio-Preferred Program

SMALL AND MINORITY CERTIFICATION

Department of Transportation certifies disadvantaged businesses

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Bonding Assistance Program

Indian Incentive Program when selling to the Department of Defense

Women-owned Small Business Contracting

Certified payroll

SBA 8(a) Protege Program

SELL TO THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Georgia Procurement Registry

Sell to the state of Georgia

Sub-contracting opportunities for DOT projects

FUNDING AND FINANCES

Typical commercial lease terms

Retail Lease Primer for Gift Shop Owners

Store benchmark ratios from members of the Retail Owners Institute

Accurate demand planning and forecasting

40 Ways To Improve Retail Profit Margins from POWER Retailing, Inc

Formulas to calculate key retail ratios

Key financial benchmarks for retail segments

MARKETING

15 strategies for dealing with showrooming

Electronic Retailing

Showrooming: Its What they Do

OmniChannel Selling - using multiple channels to sell

Attracting customers with effective merchandising

Attracting Tourists to Local Businesses

8 Ways to Improve Customer Loyalty

RETAIL MANAGEMENT

Post COVID-19 Strategies for Retailers

OSHA COVID-19 guidance for the Retail Industry

Reducing Shoplifting Losses

Do you have a Clear Zone?

A Practical Guide to Retailing

Safety Training for General Merchandise Stores

Ergonomic Solutions for Retailers

Retail Essentials: How to Open and Run a Successful Retail Store

Key Performance Indicators for Retail Businesses

23 Customer Care Best Practices from Retail Leaders

No Tobacco under 18: WeCard training

Top 6 Most Effective but Least Used Retail Best Practices

Retail Insight Center

Retail Security Awareness: Understanding the Hidden Hazards

Shoplifting Manual developed by Eugene Police Dept.

Shoplifting information for retailers

Workplace Violence Prevention for Late-Night Retailers

FREE AND LOW-COST CLASSES

Retail Fundamentals online class

Low cost retail training