How to Tap Your Government for Free Resources: 6 Ways to Build a Small Business

Whether you run a small business or plan to start one, you might think of the government for the most part as a surly creature that has to be appeased from time to time. For instance, you need to deal with the bureaucracy in order to register a business, get a permit, or pay a tax.

The dour image of the government could be valid in many cases. On the other hand, a growing number of public agencies are genuinely interested in working closely with local citizens in order to pursue their respective goals. The desire to be of service is especially notable when it comes to promoting innovation and enterprise throughout the community.

Looking back on your experience as an employee, your main interaction was to give up a good chunk of your earnings in the form of taxes to the government. However, things are different when you strike out on your own. As an entrepreneur, you have lots of opportunities to get your money back and then some.

In recent decades, small and midsize firms have accounted for a growing share of product innovation as well as job growth in the economy. Against this backdrop, any government that is not totally incompetent is eager to support the creation and buildup of bantam businesses.

In this article, we’ll look at a number of ways for dealing with public agencies in order to get free help for your business. The final goal of any interaction is a win-win payoff for yourself as well as the government whose role is to serve the community at large.

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How to Get Free Sponsorship from Your Customers: 5 Ways to Grow a Small Business

A common affliction of a small business is a shortage of funds. As a rule, the handicap is cumbersome or even crippling in the case of a newborn venture or a fast-growing concern.

If you own a business or plan to start one, then the scarcity of financing is likely to be a constant companion. In that case, juggling the budget and scaring up cash will be issues that never stray far from your thoughts.

Many sources of funding require you to jump through hoops before you even get to talk to a decision maker in a serious way about your financial situation. It doesn’t matter whether the funder is a lender like a commercial bank or an investor like a venture capitalist. If you happen to pass the initial screening process, then you get to put in oodles of time – which may be as scarce to you as the money that’s in short supply – in one meeting after another before you get an answer.

If and when a funder agrees to cough up some dough, though, you can be sure that the deal is going to cost you a pretty penny. In the case of a loan, you’ll have to pay back the moolah with a weighty toll known as an interest payment. In the case of an investment, you’ll need to give up part of the equity in your company and maybe even a hefty share of control over the business.

In some cases, there may be no way for you to bypass these sources of funding if you want to keep your business alive. On the other hand, there are other sources of support that can be a lot more appealing. These resources ought to be your first port of call.

Entrepreneurs often find that the heroes who rush to their aid include their own customers. The best part about working with the patrons is that they don’t expect you to give up an arm and a leg in return for their help. Another wonderful trait is that most of them won’t drag you through an interminable series of meetings, or force you to sign your life away in a mound of documents, before they release the resources.

This article talks about the best ways to obtain free help from stalwart customers. The benefactors of this stripe could take the form of existing clients or prospective patrons.

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