Free Stuff for Human-Owned Business

Here is my list of many free or low cost services available to Denver-area businesess.  I recommend the website of my law firm, Minor & Brown, for some business tools, but especially for seminar schedule, for additional free help for businesses and their owners.

State and City Resources

State of Colorado’s Small Business Development Centers . This should be one of your first stops. Centers are located around the state; the one for Denver Metro has its own site.

Colorado Business Resource Guide

City of Denver, Office of Economic Development. For new, growing and relocating businesses of all sizes.

Denver’s Business Toolbox

Denver Public Library’s Business & Company Resource Center, but you’ll need a library card.

Colorado Business Express --a  pretty cool tool from the State of Colorado official site.

Minority and Woman-Owned Business. The State office.


Federal Resources

SBA’s Colorado district office

SBA’s FAQs

SBA’s assessment tool to tell if you ready to start a small business, but it helps only if you are honest with yourself. Luckily, I don’t need to be honest with you, so I won’t tell you how I scored.

SCORE Business counseling nonprofit affiliated with SBA.


University Programs (credit and noncredit programs)


University of Colorado’s Bard Center for Entrepreneurship (including a Small Business Incubator)

Executive Education at the University of Denver’s Daniel School of Business

Center for Innovation at Metropolitan State College of Denver



Chambers of Commerce

There are many chambers, these are just a few where I am connected.

Denver Metro

South Metro

Fort Collins



Finance Help

Here are some non-profits that educate emerging companies about money matters. They also provide direct help through loans, investments, or connections to funding resources.

Accion

Colorado Enterprise Fund

Kiva

Rockies Venture Club

Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute

Rutt Bridges Venture Capital Fund at the Bard Center


Finding money is typically the biggest single challenge for emerging business.  Refer to my I Don't Want Your Money post for a longer, though still partial, listing of Denver-area for-profit businesses that provide or broker equity and/or debt capital, or will help you find it.