Free Business Counseling -

Florida Gulf Coast University/Small Business Development Center - to  schedule an appointment with the local counselor at our Port Charlotte office please phone 941-627-2222.

Service Corp of Retired Executives - SCORE - to schedule an appointment with a SCORE counselor please phone 941-743-6179.

Business Start-up Guide - PDF file
...and check out the Business Counseling category in the membership directory for a list of businesses that can help your strategic plan, marketing campaign and related services.

Human Resources 101 - General Guidelines for Conducting an Interview, Managing Conflict, and Recording both positive and negative Employee Performance.  This information was provided by the Charlotte County Society for Human Resource Management www.ccshrm.org 

Business Partners Disaster Preparedness and Continuity Guide - This Resource Guide contains step-by-step disaster recovery information essential for every business owner in Charlotte County.  Critical phone numbers and websites and emergency preparation and disaster procedures have been compiled to ensure that your business has a strategy and plan for business continuity should a disaster occur.

New online Small Business Safety and Health Resource Guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It will help them find free or inexpensive information about protecting their workers. The guide includes:  More than 30 websites with resources from training guides and courses to workplace regulations, hazard checklists and emergency guidance.  Contact information for safety organizations and government safety agencies PLUS resources for specific industries such as convenience stores, construction sites, restaurants, and health care settings.

Here is a collection of helpful websites:

www.Sunbiz.org  access to business entities, image databases, forms

www.Myflorida.com  government services, access to all Florida county websites, hot topics

www.irs.gov/smallbiz Internal Revenue Service (IRS) forms and information 

www.Nolo.com  law for all, terms, planning, retirement, trademarks

www.Entrepreneur.com  steps for starting a business, money solutions, tools

www.Venturea.com  business plans, going public, financing, venture capital

www.FSBDC.com  services for emerging and established businesses, assistance on all levels

www.Bplans.com  sample plans, articles, tools, software, advice on plans

http://sbdcnet.utsa.educ/  all the information a small business needs to get started or stay in business

www.Entreworld.org  Lessons learned by the entrepreneur-reports and guidelines

www.Census.gov  census bureau data – surveys, tools for business

http://www.ada.gov/business.htm Americans with Disabilities Advisory Board of Charlotte County Guidelines

www.uschamber.com U.S. Chamber of Commerce

www.smallbusiness3.com   U. S. Small Business Administration - The following is a link to SBA’s Business Resource Guide: select “view on line” and select “Florida-South”.  This gives a comprehensive view of our programs and services.