Starting a Small Business Education & Employment Information Center Connecticut Department of Higher Education

800/842-0229 www.ctdhe.org

Starting your own business is an exciting possibility. For college and university courses in small business development, call the Education & Employment Information Center, a statewide clearinghouse for free information about learning and career opportunities operated by the Connecticut Department of Higher Education. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides free start-up kits and information on loans and other financing options. Personal counseling and professional management assistance are available at no charge through the SBA's statewide Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE). Connecticut's Business Response Center (BRC) is a free service for information about doing business in Connecticut. The BRC specialists use an extensive, regularly-updated database called CERC ProgramFinderR to address questions on government and private resources, and make referrals to contacts for further assistance, explain state and local requirements for different business types and much more. The BRC also provides information about Connecticut's most comprehensive database of commercial real estate, CERC SiteFinderR (www.CTSiteFinder.com). The Connecticut Licensing Info Center (CT-CLIC) helps businesses come into full compliance with Connecticut law quickly and easily. CT-CLIC offers both a free self-service approach via www.CT-CLIC.com and a free full-service approach through the Smart Start business registry program. The Connecticut Development Authority gives Connecticut companies access to capital. Through URBANK, banks provide funding to small businesses for startup, growth and expansion. Visit www.ctcda.com for more information. The Connecticut Small Business Development Center (CSBDC) presents workshops and educational programs for a minimal fee, and counselors offer free advice and accounting assistance. Ask about seminars for women and Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs. Another resource is the Small Business Resource Center which offers access to computers, business planning software, graphic work stations, CD-ROM-based research tools and Internet access in addition to on-site counseling in all aspects of starting and operating a small business. The Entrepreneurial Center can help you evaluate your self-employment potential during a 2-day workshop, and provide more comprehensive training through a 4-month program. Both the SBA Women’s Business Center at Hartford College for Women of the University of Hartford and the SBA Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) in Stamford offer counseling, training, technical assistance, financial resources and support to aspiring, emerging and established entrepreneurs. Small business and micro-business resources also are available from the Secretary of the State and the Department of Economic and Community Development. SBA 330 Main Street, 2nd Floor Hartford 06106 860/240-4700 800/827-5722 www.sba.gov

Secretary of the State 30 Trinity Street Hartford 06106 860/509-6000 www.sots.ct.gov/business/BusRe sources/SmallMicroBusResource s.htm

BRC 805 Brook Street Rocky Hill 06067 800/392-2122 www.YouBelongInCT.com Education & Employment Information Center

Department of Economic and Community Development Office of Business and Industry Development 505 Hudson Street Hartford 06106-7107 860/270-8205 www.ct.gov/ecd/site/default.asp

www.ctdhe.org

800/842-0229

Starting a Small Business

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CT-CLIC/Smart Start 805 Brook Street Rocky Hill 06067 800/392-2122 e-mail: [email protected] www.CT-CLIC.com

CSBDC University of Connecticut 24 Hyde Avenue Vernon 06066 860/870-6370 www.sbdc.uconn.edu

Connecticut Development Authority 999 West Street Rocky Hill 06067 860/258-7800 www.ctcda.com

SBA Small Business Information Center 330 Main Street, 2nd Floor Hartford 06106 860/240-4700 www.sba.gov/ct

Region

Entrepreneurial Center/ SBA Women’s Business Center University of Hartford 50 Elizabeth Street Hartford 06105 860/768-5681 www.entrepreneurialctr.org WBDC Government Center 888 Washington Boulevard Room 1030 Stamford 06904-2152 203/353-1750 877/999-WBDC (9232) www.ctwbdc.org

CSBDC Regional Offices

Phone

Bridgeport

Bridgeport Economic Resource Center 10 Middle Street, 6th Floor 06604

203/330-4813

Danbury

Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce 39 West Street 06810

203/743-5565

Danielson

Quinebaug Valley Community College 742 Upper Maple Street 06239-1440

860/774-1133 Ext. 457

Enfield

Asnuntuck Community College 170 Elm Street 06082

860/253-3125

Groton

University of Connecticut Avery Point Campus Administrative Building, Room 104 1084 Shennecossett Road 06340-6097

860/405-9002

Middletown

Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce 393 Main Street 06457

860/346-0159

New Haven

Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce 900 Chapel Street, 10th Floor 06510

203/782-4390

Stamford

Southwestern Area Commerce & Industry Association 1 Landmark Square 06901

203/359-3220 ext. 321

Waterbury

University of Connecticut 99 East Main Street, 1st Floor 06702

203/236-9933

West Hartford

University of Connecticut Greater Hartford Campus 1800 Asylum Avenue, 1st Floor 06117-2659

860/570-9109

Willimantic

Eastern Connecticut State University 83 Windham Street 06226-2295

860/465-5349

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www.ctdhe.org

800/842-0229