Resources can help solve problems
Finding good small business advice can be difficult -- which is why this week's column is a sharing list of advisers I have found who understand smaller businesses.
There are no guarantees that you'll mesh with the people and organizations listed here; you'll have to do your own due diligence. And there are others in each category who may be equally qualified. These, however, are some people I know.
PCs and stuff: ITS (www.teamits.com) has been helping small businesses -- including, so you know, mine -- solve IT problems since 1990. Mother Network Guardians (www.motherg.com) decided to focus on smaller business 18 months ago but seems to understand. Steve Yates at ITS; Dave Davenport at Mother G.
Web sites: You'll find hundreds of Web templates at www.templatemonster.com. If you'd rather have a pro do the work, talk to Brian Basilico, (630) 692-1431. ITS can host your site; so can Basilico.
Advice: It's free and often right on at Illinois Small Business Development Centers. Most community colleges have SBDC programs. Among the best are the SBDCs at Elgin Community College (Kriss Knowles); College of DuPage, whose SBDC has relocated to Lisle (Dave Gay); and Waubonsee Community College (Harriet Parker). Harper College has a new SBDC (Bonita Richter), that has potential.
The Fox Valley SCORE chapter provides free counseling at eight locations in the West and Northwest suburbs -- and has a Business Plan Workbook that is free and useful. www.scorefoxvalley.org.
Not free but not very costly and open to everyone is the University of Chicago's GSB Entrepreneurial Roundtable, the third Monday at IIT's Wheaton campus. www.gsbroundtable.com.
Networking: The Women's Initiative sponsored by Itasca Bank & Trust is a top drawer source of contacts and resources. Diane Middlebrooks, (630) 773-0350. Steve Schmit, same phone, is the contact for the (both genders) Business Initiative. LinkedIn, an online social network for business, seems to work for many people. Start with the free, unofficial how-to guide at www.rollyson.net.
Niche markets: No one knows the Latino market better than Jerry Campagna, (224) 217-8741. For 20-somethings, try Jackie Camacho-Ruiz, (630) 441-6057. (Disclosure: She occasionally hires my firm for PR help, and Campagna has worked for Paddock Publications, which publishes the Daily Herald.)
Global markets: The best place for straight up information is the Illinois International Trade Center, part of the SBDC at College of DuPage. Cassandra Keener, (630) 942-3052. Also talk to Donna Zoellnick, Global Sourcing Specialists Inc., (847) 844-4808. To understand cultural differences, Claudia Jaccarino or Penny (no relation) Kendall, at CultureConnect. E-mail info@cultureconnectglobal.com.
Money: Nearly every bank claims to serve small businesses, but American Chartered Bank (www.amchartered.com) and Leaders Bank (www.leadersbank.com) actually do. Also talk to the bank where you bank. The Fox Valley Micro Loan Fund will lend to qualifying businesses too risky for banks. Steve Bob, (847) 608-9320. (FYI, I'm a director, but not a member of the loan committee.)
Marketing: That's what I do in real life. E-mail me at the address below. Also e-mail me if you want information about advisers in other categories.
© 2008, 121 Marketing Resources Inc.