Starting Your Own Business in Denver

The U.S. Small Business Administration

http://www.sba.gov
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. We recognize that small business is critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America's future, and to helping the United States compete in today's global marketplace. Although SBA has grown and evolved in the years since it was established in 1953, the bottom line mission remains the same. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam.

SBA’s District Offices are responsible for the delivery of SBA's many programs and services throughout the country. Services available include:

• Free counseling, advice and information on starting a business through the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE).
• Financial assistance for new or existing businesses through guaranteed loans made by area bank and non-bank lenders.
• Free consulting services through the network of Small Business Development Centers. SBDCs also conduct training events throughout the district - some require a nominal registration fee.
• Assistance to businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals through the Minority Enterprise Development Program.
• Women's Business Ownership Representatives are available to advise women business owners.
• Special loan programs are available for businesses involved in international trade.
• Guaranteed loans are available for credit-worthy veterans.

Colorado District Office
721 19th Street, Suite 426
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 844-2607

Staff/Directors
• Greg Lopez - District Director

Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/OEDIT/OEDIT/1162927366334
There are a variety of resources available for new and existing business owners through the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

• The Colorado Business Resource Guide is a comprehensive on-line guide to starting and operating a business in Colorado.
• The on-line Industry Licensing Database contains information regarding federal, state, and local licensing requirements.
• Ten most frequently asked questions about starting a business.
If you still have questions, contact the Small Business Hotline: 303.592.5920
• Once you have a basic idea about your business from these resources, you may want to make use of the Colorado Small Business Development Center Network. The SBDC's provide free counseling, classes on a variety of business topics, and other resources at the Small Business Development Centers around the state.
The state of Colorado does not issue or require a general business license.
• Colorado business registration, including sales tax licenses and wage withholding accounts, is done at the Colorado Department of Revenue. Required forms are available on-line, and some may be completed on the Web.
• The Secretary of State's office handles organizational paperwork for corporations, limited partnerships and limited liability companies. Beginning May 30, 2006, registration of trade names for sole proprietors and partnerships will also move to the Secretary of State, from the Department of Revenue. All forms must be completed on-line.

Colorado Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs)

http://www.coloradosbdc.org
The Small Business Assistance Programs
The Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network is dedicated to helping small businesses throughout Colorado achieve their goals by providing Free confidential counseling and various training programs. The SBDC combines information and resources from federal, state and local governments with those of the educational system and the private sector to meet the specialized and complex needs of the small business community. Regulatory, management, financial and marketing experts work in partnership to provide entrepreneurs with crucial information that can mean the difference between success and failure.

This partnership includes the State of Colorado , the US Small Business Administration , Colorado's institutions of higher education , the Colorado International Trade Office , local economic development organizations , and local chambers of commerce.

The Small Business Development Center in Denver, CO is the: Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
1445 Market Street
Denver, CO 80202
303-534-8500
303-534-3200 - Fax
info@denverchamber.org
http://www.denverchamber.org

Colorado’s economy is built on small business. Small businesses represent 97% of all employing businesses in Colorado, being a dominant source of new job creation in the State. Moreover, small businesses represent 90% of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s membership. The Chamber is committed to strengthening small businesses and does this through its affiliate the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The Denver Metro SBDC provides free one-on-one business consulting services and affordable business seminars.
In 2007 the Denver Metro SBDC:

• Provided consulting services to 603 clients
• Helped clients obtain $11 million in capital
• Helped clients secure more than $630 thousand in government and commercial contracts

The Denver Metro SBDC consulting services include but are not limited to:

• Government procurement and contracting
• Small, woman-owned and disadvantaged business certification
• Marketing Strategy and Research
• Exit and succession planning
• Sales and operations assistance
• Financial analysis
• Strategic and Business Planning
• Loan Packaging
• Business Acquisition
• Capital Formation Assistance
• Proposal Writing

City of Denver, Denver Office of Economic Development, Business Assistance Center

http://www.milehigh.com/business
The Denver Business Assistance Center (BAC) is dedicated to supporting Denver’s small businesses in their interactions with federal, state and local government.
The BAC, one-stop information center, is available to navigate through licensing, permitting, regulatory issues while offering research tools and community resources to help with the successful start, growth and management of a small business.

Contact Information:
Denver Business Assistance Center
Webb Municipal Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave (atrium on the first floor)
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To speak to a BAC consultant directly, please call 720.913.1715 or send an e-mail to denverbac@denvergov.org
Services Provided:

• One-on-one consulting with regulatory processes
• Referrals to private & non-profit resources for starting and growing small businesses
• Financial Assistance (Loans or Enterprise Zone Credits)
• Secretary of State Registration
• Federal Tax Identification Number
• Denver Business License
• Denver Sales Tax License
• Colorado Sales Tax License
• Denver’s Occupational Privilege Tax
• Denver Contractor’s Licenses
• Denver Inspections
• Open Bids, RFPs & RFQs
• Planning and Public Works Permits
• Zoning Information
• Real Estate Information

National Hispanic Business Information Clearinghouse (Hispanic BIC)

1225 17th Street, Suite 1500
Denver, CO 80202
877-502-6771

http://www.hispanicbic.org

Michael Barrera - President

mbarrera@hispanicbic.org

The National Hispanic Business Information Clearinghouse (Hispanic BIC) is a free, bilingual web portal that provides critical business information to support the startup and growth of Hispanic-owned businesses. The Hispanic BIC is a collection of business-related articles, videos, local resources, demographics and tools that help Hispanic entrepreneurs successfully start and run a business.

Special features of the Hispanic BIC include:

 

• Bilingual business and community information (in English and Spanish)
• Articles on the most pressing issues for small businesses: Money, Markets, Management and Technology
• Online training videos in English and Spanish for self-paced learning
• Demographics data to understand potential markets
• Tools, templates, podcasts and blogs
• Dynamic search of 300 top business web sites
• Online connection to local and national resources, organizations and associations

 

The Hispanic BIC is part of the National Business Information Clearinghouse, a family of customized business information web sites that target small and minority-owned businesses across the country and around the world.