From
one of the best business books: Small business owner's guidebook
Help is readily available for women starting a business. Unfortunately,
many women do not know how to find or tap into the resources that
are out there. By getting educated about available resources, you
can get the funds you need to start your business. Plus you may find
more help along the way to ensure your continued business success.
Having extra financial backing is wise, especially when you are starting
up. Here are a few organizations you will want to follow up with
in your search for money.
Getting Government Help for Women Starting a Business
To get more women into the business world, the government offers
plenty of help for women starting a business. The Small Business
Administration (SBA), for example, can be an excellent resource.
While the Small Business Administration provides services to any
person looking to start up a business, it often gives extra help
for women starting a small business. The support they provide may
vary from one area to another. So, look into the Small Business Administration
office where you live to see what it can do for you.
Grants that Offer Help for Women Starting a Business
Besides getting help from government funded agencies, women business
owners can apply for grants. How do you find these grants? You need
to know who provides their financial backing. Most of these grants
come from one of three sources. Other successful women business owners
are the first of these. They find personal satisfaction in business
ownership and want to help other women achieve success. The second
group of sponsors involves companies that cater mostly to women.
For them, sponsorship not only offers a community service but also
good publicity. The third source of grant money is institutions that
work for women’s rights. Getting help from one of these organizations
requires a lengthy application process and the competition for available
funds is stiff. Therefore, take your time filling out the applications
and to put your best effort into answering all questions no matter
how unimportant they may seem.
Banks that Offer Help for Women Starting a Business
Banks offer help for women starting a business. In fact, you are
more likely to get financial backing from the bank if you are a woman
than if you are man. This is because many banks have quotas to fill,
which means they need to provide a certain number of loans to women.
Since women still apply for these loans less often than men, the
competition for these quota slots often is not fierce. If you get
turned down by one bank, shop around until you find one that still
hasn’t filled its quota. It will be worth the time when you
get that loan and finally start that business you have always dreamed
about.
Our
recommended business start-up training manual
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