Best Small Business Resources in the Chattanooga Area

Description

LAUNCH Chattanooga is a hyper-inclusive entrepreneurial instruction organization. They assist entrepreneurs by coaching them through their 10-week Business Entrepreneurship Academy class. The BEA Class is a 10-week program that assists budding businesspeople in the process of validating a business idea, planning a business, attracting customers, planning finances, marketing, branding, and more. At the end of the program, graduates will work with a business coach, and if they would like, can also partner with a business mentor. LAUNCH also hosts monthly roundtable sessions, which entrepreneurs may use to network and gain access to free or discounted business resources through LAUNCH's business partners.

Restrictions

Entrepreneurs must have a business idea in place.

Description

SCORE (Service Corp of Retired Executives) is a leading, nation-wide organization that has assisted millions of entrepreneurs over its 50+ years of operation. SCORE is a resource partner of the SBA that offers access to a network of experienced business leaders who donate time to mentor entrepreneurs and small business owners. They also host free or inexpensive workshops online and at 300 local chapters around the United States. Mentoring can be conducted either in person or remotely and is always free and confidential, no matter how often you take advantage of this service.

Description

The greatest strength of the SBDC is their free, confidential, 1-on-1 business mentoring for anyone who seeks it. Sometimes in order to be considered for mentoring from one of their professional business advisors, you may have to attend a class/workshop or at least present your business plan. SBDC's are located all throughout the state and you should use the SBDC closest to your location if possible, but you can often transfer to a different location if they do not fit your needs.

Description

CO.Lab offers a multitude of services for entrepreneurs, including office hours with local experts (sales and marketing experts, accounting, etc.), CO.STARTERS 9 week program for helping get aspiring entrepreneurs ready to start a business, and The Get Started Workshop, a 3 hour workshop that is essentially a condensed form of the CO.STARTERS program. Other programs include CO.LAB Accelerator, a 12-week immersive program for high growth industries, taking them from idea to launch and Pitch Competitions with monetary awards for the winners.

Restrictions

Applicants to the accelerator program need an established business. Most other applicants only need an idea in order to participate in the program.

Description

The INCubator at the Hamilton County Business Development Center assists entrepreneurs by providing shared administrative services, manufacturing and office space, training workshops, use of a state-of-the-art Technology Conference Center and access to free onsite business counseling from the Tennessee Small Business Development Center. The INCubator's Incubation Program will be most useful for technology-oriented companies, but for general businesses, the office spaces available for lease can be used effectively.