Small business resources guide.

• Position: Small business PLANNING GUIDE - Directory

Whether you're an entrepreneur looking to get your business off the ground or the owner of a small business working to survive today's tough economy, Utah has numerous resources to guide your small business to success.

Small Business Administration

According to the SBA, Utah has more than 236,000 small businesses. The SBA's Utah District Office offers a wealth of information and resources to strengthen those businesses and help more entrepreneurs get their businesses up and running. The local office supplies a library of comprehensive business materials and instruction on successful financial management and marketing, as well as information about the technical aspects of starting a business such as securing trademarks and properly adhering to government regulations.

During 2008 Utah's SBA office approved more than 3,000 loans, a record number for the office and a great win for the Beehive State, especially considering today's economy. In fact, the only SBA offices in the U.S. that approved more loans than Utah were Los Angeles, New York and Chicago--pretty impressive. The SBA's total impact on Utah's economy during 2008 was $908.7 million, according to the Utah District office's annual report.

Small Business Development Centers

Another resource for entrepreneurs is the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Created through a partnership between the SBA, the state of Utah and local educational institutions, the SBDC are regional offices that offer no-cost, individual business management counseling, low-cost training and information about business to business owners and managers.

Utah's SBDCs serve individuals who want, to learn what it takes to start a small business, those who are already in business and need help with a specific problem, and business owners looking to expand their companies through specialized training in fields such as accounting, marketing and human relations. Entrepreneurs can find low-cost help writing a business plan, planning an operations budget or other startup functions. For those still in the brainstorming phase, the SBDC can help determine the feasibility of an idea and assist in finding funding resources. The goal is to provide the business guidance and education entrepreneurs need to continue to be the backbone of Utah's economy.

Service Corps of Retired Executives

The SBA also sponsors the Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE), an association that provides free business counseling from the valuable...