14 small business resources every entrepreneur should know

Big businesses make big impressions. It’s easy to forget that most businesses are small ones – 99% of them, actually.

An impressive statistic? We think so. Here’s another small business statistic to keep in mind: Small businesses account for more than 60% of new jobs and around 40% of all commercial space in the U.S. In other words, small businesses are the backbone of this country’s economy.

These companies may be small, but they are mighty. That might, however, isn’t fostered overnight. It’s not easy for the small business owners behind these operations to get them off the ground. We believe in the power of small business, so we’ve put together a list of small business resources to help entrepreneurs grow their success. Read on for 14 that you can’t afford to miss out on.

5 small business tools for accounting

Accounting and taxes are two facets of business administration that can be difficult for newbie entrepreneurs who don’t have a specialized education background. Fortunately, there are plenty of government and online resources that can help.

• U.S. Small Business Administration: This organization within the U.S. government offers financial assistance and advice to small businesses.
• SCORE: A Small Business Administration (SBA) partner, SCORE provides access to business mentorship opportunities that can help small operations launch and grow.
• IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center: This resource helps small business owners learn about and file the necessary taxes. If this is your first tax season as a small business, the Tax Center is a must-visit.
• Docracy: This site allows users to share contracts and legal documents to inspire and help others looking to draft similar files for their businesses. Don’t underestimate the power of the small business community.
• Wave Accounting: This free application supports business owners with invoices and expense-tracking accounting tools. You may have the resources to start a business, but saving on operational tools with Wave is one less expense to worry about.

3 online management resources

There are countless free and paid tools to help small businesses manage their day-to-day operations. In general, businesses typically require customer relationship management, scheduling, and organizational tools to keep teams on track. Here are a few resources you can find online.

• Hubspot: This customer relationship management (CRM) tool allows businesses to provide excellent service by tracking contacts and conversations in a way that lets clients feel a business really cares.
• Google My Business: A great review can be enough to get a new customer, and having your address listed on the web can allow them to find your business quickly. With this tool, you can control how your business appears on Google.
• Asana: This tool helps businesses organize workflow and track tasks, allowing teams to seamlessly share information and stay on top of projects.

6 resources for marketing and social media

Marketing – which is practically synonymous with social media these days – is essential to small businesses.

Social media is a powerful (and often free!) resource that allows entrepreneurs to grow a following for their products and services. Socials also help businesses continue to reach this audience with information and promotions. Paid marketing features on apps like Facebook aid small businesses with money to spend on expanding their audience, authority, and impact. Check out these marketing tools for small businesses.

• Linktree: At Linktree, we provide URLs that help businesses use their social media as springboards to other platforms and websites featuring their content. While many social media bios only allow users to post one link, a Linktree URL branches out into numerous links. This means small businesses can redirect viewers to their ecommerce site, positive press coverage, and more. Plus, Linktree offers specialized links for ecommerce sites that integrate with Shopify.
• Hootsuite: This social media dashboard allows business owners to manage their profiles and content on major platforms and schedule posts ahead of time. One of the best social media management tools for small businesses, Hootsuite will support your marketing strategy in this very important space for connecting with potential customers.
• Canva: This application makes creating marketing materials and social media posts easy with intuitive drag-and-drop design tools (and plenty of templates).
• Mailchimp: Mailchimp is an email marketing platform that allows business owners to stay in contact with their subscribers with automated email campaigns. The tool is easy to use and offers a variety of free templates whether you’re looking to push new products or update customers on order status.
• Website builders: Website builders turn small business owners into web designers with just a few clicks. Platforms like Shopify allow entrepreneurs to create an online store to sell goods or services without hassle. Full of designer-made, tailorable templates and easy drag-and-drop tools, site builders help business owners establish a web presence quickly. Many even offer low-cost hosting services, which will help to keep your overhead low.
• Video conferencing software: When you're saving up to start a business, it can be cost-effective and quick to meet with your team virtually. Get connected with webinar and video conferencing software like Zoom or Livestorm and meet without making a pricey or time-consuming commute.

The bottom line

While starting a small business isn’t easy, you can help set yourself up for success by using all the tools available. Don’t be intimidated by all the aspects of managing a business. Instead, get excited. All the resources in this article are easy to use and will set you on a course for a strong business. No matter what challenges you face, there are supports to help you every step of the way. Believe in yourself – because we believe in you!