Start Up Business Resources

Business Resources  

Business Assistance/Counseling/Advise 
Small Business Development Center @ YSU, opens a new window, 330-941-2140- YSU students give existing businesses help 
Score.org -> Find a Mentor -> Mentor Matchmaker-> In Middle –‘Search for a mentor, opens a new window’ 
Minority Business Assistance Center, opens a new window-Youngstown Business Incubator 
Valley Partners has a Business Resource Manager, opens a new window on staff to help with business plans for loans  

Business Plans 
Business Plan Templates from SCORE, opens a new window -fill in the blank 
SBDCnet.org, opens a new window -over 800 examples of different types of businesses  

Companies/Markets 
Business Source Complete, opens a new window -keyword a company, industry, or issue  
Mergent Intellect, opens a new window -Company, industry information  
Reference Solutions, opens a new window -Company and customer data 
ThomasNet.com, opens a new window -directory for finding suppliers/manufacturers for hard-to-find products ex/Extruded plastic with ISO #  
-must register with email and password only to search by details  

Legal 
LegalForms, opens a new window ex/operating agreement for an LLC tells how a business operates, people leave, people join, selling the business
Small Business Source, opens a new window -NOLO Books and all other business topics

Start Up
1st Stop Business, opens a new window
Ohio Sec of State Business, opens a new window
IRS-Small Business, opens a new window
Licenses and Permits/County, Local Township, and Zoning Board

When looking for a business to open, people often want to know what to do in a certain position like a manager, accountant, or another position. They are often looking for information that is not always available from the competition/other companies.  This is when you should use the websites below to look for associations that contain the companies.  (ex/Hershey’s chocolate statistics -> chocolate association) 

Other Resources 
Occupational Outlook, opens a new window Handbook -Trends, Description of Jobs, Demand 
O*Net Online, opens a new window -Task, Technology, Skills, Work Activities, Work Context, Knowledge, Education, Abilities, Associations 

Updated Feb 2025