Resource Library
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General Resources
Checklist for Starting a Business in California – Tips and tricks for starting a business in California.
Business.USA.Gov – Official business tools and resources of the U.S. Government.
SBDCNet – Business information, help, and examples.
SBA Office of Advocacy – An independent voice for small business within the federal government, the watchdog for the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) and the source of small business statistics.
Zabrana klađenja reklama u Hrvatskoj: što Kladionicavodic otkriva o regulaciji
Regulacija oglašavanja u industriji klađenja jedna je od najdinamičnijih i najosjetljivijih područja zakonodavstva u Republici Hrvatskoj. Dok se tržište sportskog klađenja i online kockanja ubrzano razvija, zakonodavci su suočeni s izazovom balansiranja između ekonomskih interesa operatera, zaštite potrošača i javnog zdravlja. Hrvatska je u posljednjih nekoliko godina poduzela niz konkretnih mjera kojima ograničava ili u potpunosti zabranjuje određene oblike reklamiranja kladionica, a te promjene imaju dalekosežne posljedice za sve sudionike na tržištu — od samih operatera do krajnjih korisnika koji traže pouzdane informacije o legalnim ponudama.
Zakonodavni okvir i povijest regulacije oglašavanja kladionica u Hrvatskoj
Hrvatska regulacija igara na sreću temelji se na Zakonu o igrama na sreću, koji je prvotno donesen 2009. godine i od tada je više puta mijenjan i dopunjavan. Ministarstvo financija, kao nadležno tijelo, zajedno s Poreznom upravom, nadzire provedbu propisa koji se odnose na licenciranje operatera, plaćanje naknada i, sve više, na komunikaciju prema javnosti. Ključna izmjena zakona iz 2014. godine uvela je strožije odredbe o oglašavanju, no stvarni zaokret prema restriktivnijem pristupu dogodio se u periodu između 2019. i 2022. godine, kada su se počeli primjenjivati standardi usklađeni s europskim smjernicama.
Europska unija, čija je Hrvatska punopravna članica od 2013. godine, nije donijela jedinstvenu direktivu o oglašavanju igara na sreću, ali je kroz različite preporuke i smjernice utjecala na nacionalne zakonodavce. Europska komisija je još 2012. godine izdala Komunikaciju o igrama na sreću na internetu, a 2014. godine Preporuku o zaštiti potrošača u kojima je naglasila potrebu za odgovornim oglašavanjem. Hrvatska je te smjernice postupno ugrađivala u nacionalno zakonodavstvo, posebno u segmentu zaštite maloljetnih osoba i osoba s problemima kockanja.
Jedna od ključnih odredbi koja je stupila na snagu odnosi se na vremensko ograničavanje emitiranja reklama za kladionice na televiziji. Prema važećim propisima, reklame za igre na sreću, uključujući sportsko klađenje, ne smiju se emitirati između 6:00 i 23:00 sata na televizijskim kanalima koji su dostupni maloljetnicima bez roditeljskog nadzora. Ovo ograničenje, koje je slično onome uvedenom u Italiji 2019. godine kroz tzv. “Decreto Dignità”, značajno je smanjilo vidljivost kladioničarskih brendova u prime-time televizijskom terminu, što je izravno utjecalo na marketinške budžete operatera.
Pored televizijskog oglašavanja, regulacija se proteže i na digitalni prostor. Društvene mreže, pretraživači i affiliate marketing kanali podliježu sve strožim pravilima. Operateri koji posluju s hrvatskom licencom dužni su osigurati da njihovi oglasi ne ciljaju korisnike mlađe od 18 godina, što u praksi znači implementaciju naprednih alata za verifikaciju dobi i geolokacijsko ciljanje. Kršenje ovih odredbi može rezultirati novčanim kaznama koje sežu do nekoliko stotina tisuća kuna, a u najtežim slučajevima i oduzimanjem licence.
Konkretne zabrane i ograničenja u praksi
Praktična primjena zakonskih odredbi otkriva niz specifičnih zabrana koje su oblikovale način na koji kladionice komuniciraju s potencijalnim korisnicima. Zabrana korištenja sportaša, trenera i javnih osoba koje su popularnih među mlađom populacijom u reklamnim kampanjama jedna je od mjera koja je izazvala najveću pažnju. Operateri su bili prisiljeni preispitati ugovore o sponzorstvu i ambasadorskim ulogama, jer je korištenje prepoznatljivih sportskih lica u izravnoj reklamnoj komunikaciji postalo pravno upitno.
Jednako važna je zabrana prikazivanja klađenja kao načina zarade ili financijskog rješenja za svakodnevne probleme. Svi oglasi moraju biti popraćeni jasnim upozorenjima o rizicima kockanja, a poruke poput “Kladite se i zaradite” ili “Klađenje je siguran prihod” zakonski su nedopustive. Regulatorna tijela inzistiraju na tome da svaki oglas sadržava vidljivo upozorenje o odgovornom kockanju, pri čemu upozorenje mora zauzimati određeni udio ukupne površine oglasa ili trajanja reklamnog spota.
Sponzorstvo sportskih klubova i natjecanja ostaje jedna od sivih zona u regulaciji. Dok je izravno reklamiranje ograničeno, logotipi kladionica na dresovima ili uz sportske terene i dalje su zakonski dopušteni, iako su pod povećalom javnosti i regulatora. Hrvatska liga u futsalu i određeni nogometni klubovi nižih ranga imaju ugovore o sponzorstvu s kladionicama, što je predmet tekuće rasprave o tome gdje završava sponzorstvo a počinje prikriveno oglašavanje.
Digitalni marketing i affiliate programi posebno su kompleksno područje. Mnoge informativne stranice koje pružaju usporedbe kladionica, recenzije bonusa i analize tržišta djeluju u zakonski definiranom prostoru, ali moraju paziti na način na koji prezentiraju sadržaj. Stranice poput https://www.kladionicavodic.com, koje pružaju analitički pregled tržišta i informacije o licenciranim operaterima, moraju jasno razlikovati uredničke recenzije od plaćenog sadržaja, što je zahtjev koji proizlazi iz propisa o transparentnosti u digitalnom marketingu.
Hrvatska agencija za elektroničke medije (AEM) provodi nadzor nad elektroničkim medijima, uključujući online platforme koje su klasificirane kao medijski servisi. Kazne koje AEM može izreći za kršenje odredbi o oglašavanju igara na sreću kreću se od opomene do novčane kazne u iznosu od 10% godišnjeg prihoda medijskog servisa, što je značajan financijski rizik za manje digitalne publishere.
Usporedba s europskim modelima regulacije i trendovi
Razumijevanje hrvatske regulacije postaje jasnije kada se postavi u širi europski kontekst. Italija je, kao što je već navedeno, 2019. uvela jednu od najstrožih zabrana oglašavanja kockanja u Europi, zabranjujući gotovo sve oblike reklamiranja igara na sreću, uključujući sponzorstvo sportskih klubova. Rezultati ove politike bili su mješoviti — prihodi od legalnog klađenja inicijalno su pali, ali je istovremeno zabilježen porast korištenja nelicenciranih offshore operatera koji nisu podlijegali talijanskim propisima.
Španjolska je 2021. godine uvela vlastiti set ograničenja koji je uključivao vremensko ograničavanje televizijskog oglašavanja na period između 1:00 i 5:00 ujutro, zabranu korištenja poznatih osoba u oglasima i stroga pravila o bonusima koji se mogu promovirati. Britanska Komisija za kockanje (UK Gambling Commission) pak primjenjuje tzv. “whistle-to-whistle” ban, koji zabranjuje emitiranje reklama za kockanje tijekom sportskih prijenosa od prvog do zadnjeg zvižduka suca, što je mjera koja je stupila na snagu 2019. godine i koja se pokazala učinkovitom u smanjivanju izloženosti djece reklamama.
Njemačka je 2021. godine implementirala novi Državni ugovor o kockanju (Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021) koji je, između ostalog, uveo stroga pravila o online oglašavanju, uključujući zabranu ciljanja osoba koje su se prethodno isključile iz kockanja. Ovaj pristup, koji se oslanja na centraliziranu bazu podataka isključenih igrača, smatra se jednim od naprednijih modela u Europi i potencijalni je uzor za buduće hrvatske propise.
Kladionicavodic, kao platforma koja prati razvoj tržišta, dokumentira kako ove europske regulatorne promjene utječu na dostupnost i uvjete ponude operatera koji posluju na hrvatskom tržištu. Operateri koji imaju licencije u više europskih jurisdikcija moraju prilagođavati svoje marketinške strategije specifičnim zahtjevima svake države, što dovodi do fragmentacije komunikacijskih pristupa i povećanih troškova usklađenosti.
Trend koji se jasno ocrtava na europskoj razini jest pomak od samoregulacije industrije prema državnoj regulaciji s jasnim kaznenim odredbama. Hrvatska prati ovaj trend, ali s određenim zakašnjenjem u odnosu na zapadnoeuropske države. Analitičari predviđaju da će sljedeći val regulatornih promjena u Hrvatskoj biti usmjeren prema digitalnom prostoru, posebno prema influencer marketingu i promociji putem streaming platformi, gdje trenutačno postoje regulatorne praznine koje operateri koriste.
Utjecaj zabrana na korisnike i tržišnu dinamiku
Restriktivnija regulacija oglašavanja ima paradoksalan učinak na tržišnu dinamiku. S jedne strane, smanjuje vidljivost legalnih, licenciranih operatera koji su dužni poštovati pravila. S druge strane, offshore operateri koji ne posjeduju hrvatsku licencu i koji ne podliježu domaćim propisima nastavljaju slobodno oglašavati putem VPN-a zaštićenih kanala, društvenih mreža i affiliate mreža koje djeluju izvan dosega hrvatskih regulatora. Ovo stvara neravnopravan natjecajski položaj koji može potaknuti korisnike da se okrenu nelicenciranim platformama.
Istraživanja provedena u državama koje su uvele stroge zabrane oglašavanja, poput Italije i Belgije, pokazuju da kratkoročno dolazi do pada u prihodima licenciranih operatera, ali da dugoročni učinak na ukupnu prevalenciju kockanja nije jednoznačan. Belgija je 2023. godine objavila studiju prema kojoj je godinu dana nakon uvođenja sveobuhvatne zabrane oglašavanja udio igrača koji koriste nelicencirane platforme porastao za 15%, što regulatorna tijela tumače kao nenamjernu posljedicu prestroge regulacije.
Za korisnike u Hrvatskoj, smanjenje reklamne izloženosti znači da sve više traže informacije putem neovisnih izvora — recenzija, foruma i usporednih portala. Ova promjena u ponašanju korisnika dovela je do rasta važnosti uredničkog sadržaja koji objektivno procjenjuje ponude kladionica, uvjete bonusa, sigurnost platformi i kvalitetu korisničke podrške. Takav sadržaj, koji se temelji na analizi a ne na plaćenom oglašavanju, postaje primarni izvor informacija za korisnike koji žele donijeti informiranu odluku o tome s kojim operaterom će poslovati.
Problem odgovornog kockanja ostaje u srži regulatornih rasprava. Hrvatska je uvela obvezu operatera da implementiraju alate za samoograničavanje, uključujući mogućnost postavljanja dnevnih, tjednih i mjesečnih limita na depozite i oklade, kao i mogućnost privremenog ili trajnog isključenja iz kockanja. Ove mjere, poznate kao “responsible gambling tools”, postale su zakonska obveza za sve licencirane operatere, a njihova učinkovitost redovito se evaluira od strane Ministarstva financija.
Podaci Ministarstva financija pokazuju da je broj registriranih igrača na licenciranim platformama u Hrvatskoj kontinuirano rastao između 2018. i 2023. godine, unatoč ili možda djelomično zbog restriktivnijeg oglašavanja. Ovaj rast pripisuje se kombinaciji faktora: povećanju penetracije interneta i pametnih telefona, rastu popularnosti sportskog klađenja kao pratnje sportskih događaja i poboljšanju korisničkog iskustva na mobilnim platformama. Regulacija oglašavanja, dakle, nije sama po sebi zaustavila rast tržišta, ali je promijenila način na koji operateri dolaze do novih korisnika.
Hrvatska regulatorna tijela suočena su s izazovom koji je zajednički svim europskim državama: kako zaštititi ranjive skupine, posebno maloljetnike i osobe s problemima kockanja, a istovremeno ne ugroziti konkurentnost legalnog tržišta u odnosu na nelicencirane alternative. Odgovor na ovo pitanje oblikovat će regulatornu agendu u godinama koje dolaze, a svaka nova mjera bit će pažljivo praćena od strane industrije, civilnog društva i akademske zajednice koja proučava učinke politika kockanja na javno zdravlje.
Zabrana i ograničavanje reklamiranja kladionica u Hrvatskoj nije izolirani fenomen, već dio šireg europskog kretanja prema odgovornijem pristupu regulaciji industrije igara na sreću. Hrvatska je u ovom procesu prošla kroz nekoliko faza — od relativno liberalnog tržišta početkom 2010-ih do sve restriktivnijeg okvira koji danas postoji. Buduće izmjene zakonodavstva vjerojatno će ići u smjeru daljnjih ograničenja u digitalnom prostoru, strožeg nadzora affiliate marketinga i veće koordinacije s europskim regulatornim tijelima. Za korisnike i operatere, razumijevanje ovih propisa nije samo akademski interes, već praktična nužnost koja određuje granice legalnog i odgovornog sudjelovanja na tržištu klađenja.
SBA’s Women’s Business Center – Find the Women’s Business Center, designed to assist women in starting and growing small businesses, nearest you.
Disaster Preparedness Plan – Statistics show that if a small business cannot resume operations within 10 days of a natural disaster, it will most likely close its doors permanently. The information provided in this document will help you make sure you are well prepared for whatever comes your way.
News/Media Resources
The 100 Most Underrated Small Business Blogs – A list of 100 underrated small business blogs that compile original, unique, and invaluable content on a regular basis, despite being lesser known.
The Wall Street Journal – Start-up information and databases of businesses for sale and venture capital. Wealth in the form of money or assets, taken as a sign of the financial strength of an individual, organization, or nation, and assumed to be available for development or investment.
Inc.com – The online magazine for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Entrepreneur.com – Magazine with start-up ideas, resources, and articles.
Entrepreneurship.org – Innovative educational tools and informative resources covering the latest issues and insights affecting entrepreneurs.
About Business – A comprehensive site with articles written by experts in their field including business practices, general business, industry specific information, and small business.
North Bay Biz – Monthly magazine dedicated to exclusive coverage of business in the North Bay area of California (Marin, Napa, and Sonoma counties).
North Bay Business Journal – A weekly publication and online business news for the north San Francisco bay area counties of Napa, Sonoma, and Marin.
Press Democrat – This Sonoma County daily newspaper includes current news and archive files by subject.
Inventions and Intellectual Property, Trademarks/Copyrights Resources
Inventing 101 – Free Online Course By Stephen Paul Gnass
How to protect your invention while pitching it. – From protecting your inventions, ideas, and product names to the public domain and fair use rules, you can find everything about intellectual property in articles and information here.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office– Information, research and registration of U.S. patents.
California Secretary of State – The Secretary of State’s office maintains registration and all updates of California state trademarks and service marks.
U.S. Copyright Office – Research and register a copyright.
Import/Export Resources
Six Steps to Begin Exporting – A fact sheet from the SBA Office of International Trade that explains how to begin exporting.
SBA Exporting – SBA provides counseling, training and financing to small businesses looking to increase sales and profit by taking their businesses global.
Office of International Trade – Many exported and imported products are regulated by federal agencies. If you export or import the following types of products, you may be required to obtain specific licenses and permits or complete additional paperwork.
Export.gov – The primary federal government exporting site to better serve beginning exporters.
Centers for International Trade Development (CITDs) – CITDs are the state’s top source of trade assistance. CITDs offer a variety of free or low-cost programs & services to assist local companies in doing business abroad. These include one-on-one technical assistance and consulting, market research, training and educational programs, trade leads and special events.
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes – If you know the SIC code for your business or industry, you can research employment, productivity, import/export, etc., for that industry. SIC codes were established in the 1930s primarily to help measure and compare statistical information.
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) – A more detailed classification system that covers the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, NAICS codes allow for closer comparisons than SIC codes. Almost all business research is easier if you know your SIC and NAICS codes (some agencies and publications, including the SEC, still use SIC).
Tradeport – Comprehensive international trade information, trade leads, and company databases. Guides you through the export process.
Financing Resources
Your First Steps Towards Financing – Everything you need to know about getting business loans, courtesy of the Norcal SBDC Lead Center.
Business Loan Application Checklist – Use this checklist to make sure you have the typical items required for any small business loan application.
Grants.gov – A good site to use when searching for Federal grants funding.
SBA Loan Programs – SBA offers a variety of loan programs for very specific purposes. Take some time to study the programs described on this site to see if you qualify to participate.
8(a) Business Development Program Suitability Tool – Respond to a series of questions to determine ig the 8(a) program is for you.
SAFE-BIDCO – State-owned, non-bank financial assistance. Access to federal and state loan programs for small businesses.
BusinessFinance.com – Economic development organizations or corporations have various financing programs.This is a list of economic development organizations in CA.
National Venture Capital Association Member Directory – The NVCA serves as the definitive resource for venture capital data and unites its member firms through a full range of professional services.
California Economic Development Centers – A branch of BusinessFinance.com that allows users to enter details about the financing needed and then returns a list of potential sources.
Small Business Loans – A branch of BusinessFinance.com that allows you to find small business lending resources in the U.S.
SBIR/STTR Funding – Can be used to pay for research and development for innovative companies.
Trends in Venture Capital Funding in the 1990s – A report about who supplies venture capital, who receives it, and how is it changing the U.S. economy, written by Nicole R. Onorato, former intern in the SBA’s Office of Advocacy.
Business Planning Resources
Start and Manage Your Business – SBA’s website has resources for helping you, including templates for planning a business and advice blogs.
Bplans.com and Center for Business Planning – Sites that have sample plans and writing tips.
CalGOLD – Offers direct internet links and contact information to state, local, regional, and federal permitting authorities for more information. Assists you in finding appropriate permit information for your business.
Business Dictionary.com – It can be hard to understand the associated terms and concepts. With over 20,000 definitions, search this site for a specific term, or choose a general category and read a definition for any word.
SCORE – The Service Corp of Retired Executives offers informational sites along with online expertise in starting and owning a business.
Loans – Finding a loan can be difficult. This Excel workbook gives you options on different locations where you could get a loan that fits best with your business.
Government Resources
Business Matchmaking – The naton’s premier public-private initiative supporting procurement opportunities for small business in every industry.
Procurement Opportunities for your Small Business – If you have been considering contracting your services to the procurement marketplace, this webinar, hosted by the Northern California SBDC, tells you all you need to know about resources and leads for business matchmaking with federal, state, and local government agencies, how to prepare for a business matchmaking conference, how to get paid, ect.
Practical Guide to Doing Business with the Federal Government – Includes a directory of federal procurement offices in California.
Useful Government Contracting Websites – SBA’s list of small business issues and information via the Internet.
California Department of General Services – Central location for businesses wanting to do business with the State of California. Information about minority certification, etc.
How to Do Business With California State Government – Brochure from the California Department of General Services explaining the four-step process.
Finding Government Customers – Contracting opportunities listed by the SBA.
Minority Business Development Agency – Web portal dedicated to helping small businesses benefit from minority certifications.
Federal Business Opportunities – The single government point-of-entry (GPE) for Federal government procurement opportunities over $25,000. Government buyers are able to publicize their business opportunities by posting information directly to FedBizOpps via the Internet and commercial vendors seeking Federal markets for their products and services can search, monitor, and retrieve opportunities solicited by the entire Federal contracting community.
Legal and Taxes Resources
Forming a corporation in California – An outline of the steps you need to follow in order to form a corporation (specifically, a “C corporation”) in California.
FindLaw’s Small Business Law – legal information, guides, sample forms, and other legal resources.
What New Business Owners Need to Know About Federal Taxes – IRS links to basic federal tax information for people who are starting a business, as well as information to assist in making basic business decisions.
California Tax Service Center – Forms and services you need as a California taxpayer.
Nolo – Nolo is the nation’s leading provider of do-it-yourself legal solutions for consumers and small businesses.
Human Resources and Payroll
Hire an Employee in California Checklist – North Coast SBDC’s comprehensive list is applicable to businesses located throughout Northern California.
California Business Resources
Bay Area Council– The Bay Area Council is a business-sponsored, public-policy advocacy organization for the nine-county Bay Area. It proactively advocates for a strong economy, a vital business environment, and a better quality of life for everyone.
California Chamber of Commerce – The California Chamber of Commerce is the largest, broad-based business advocate working at the state and federal levels to influence government actions affecting all California business. This site links to local chambers of commerce.
California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program – Ten initiatives provide a variety of solutions for business development and workforce training needs to strengthen on-the-job performance and business competitiveness.
California Department of Consumer Affairs — Licensing and Permit Information – Information on types of state licenses required and how to obtain them. DCA licenses in more than 100 business and 200 professional categories, including doctors, dentists, contractors, cosmetologists and automotive repair facilities. It includes 40 regulatory entities that establish minimum qualifications and levels of competency for licensure. They also license, register, or certify practitioners, investigate complaints and discipline violators.
California Department of Finance – This web site provides economic forecasts, county profiles and economic indicators for the state’s fiscal matters.
California Electronic Job Listing Service – This California state service is an Internet system for linking employer job lists and job seeker resumes.
California Employer Advisory Council – The CEAC and local Employer Advisory Councils (EAC) are recognized and accepted by employers and government as the premier information resources for the employer perspective on employment and other workforce development issues.
California Employment Development Department – A direct link to job placement and referrals, unemployment insurance, disability insurance, employment and training, labor market information, employment taxes and more.
California Employment Training Panel – ETP is a California State agency that funds training that meets the needs of employers for skilled workers and the need of workers for good, long-term jobs.
California Healthcare Foundation – Everything small business owners and their advisors need to know about offering health insurance. An unbiased resource on cost estimates, tax savings, coverage options, legal rights, and more.
California Labor Market Information – Information by geographical area, subject or industry including occupational and career information, employment by industry, wages, and industrial classifications.
Sonoma County Economic Development Board Resources – The Sonoma County Economic Development Board (EDB) provides information and referral services to help local businesses to start up, succeed, and grow. Site includes a Business Assistance Guide, Resource Guide, International Resource Guide, Doing Business with the County, Expanding/Relocating in Sonoma County.
Documents/Forms
Financial Templates – This Excel workbook has a 12 month P&L statement, creates a breakeven analysis, a cash flow projection, and a balance sheet from the data you enter into the P&L. It is based on the handouts from our Financial Pre-Venture Workshop.
Living Wage Estimate – This is an excel spreadsheet where you can enter your personal expenses and the spreadsheet will estimate how much you need to make each month to cover your financial oblibations. It can also calculate how much cash flow per hour you need to cover your draw and taxes.
State Small Business Guide – This publication identifies the key sites for small businesses interested in doing business with the state and finding financial resources offered by the state government.
Contracting with the California State University System – Information needed to contract with California State University system.
Business Plan Template – This word document is to help you structure how you want your business to take its correct path to success and organize important key ideas.
Marketing Outline Plan – Outline will help you understand your customers, create strategies, and anticipate changes.
SBDC Financial Template – This Excel workbook is a template to help organize thoughts, assumptions, cash flow, and balance sheets.
Lean Canvas Instructions – Perfect tool to assist brainstorming future business models, prioritizing actions, and outlining business concepts.
Lean Canvas – Document different types of fields your business will face and get an understanding of the different types of challenges or advantages.
Other Business Resources
Knowthis.com – A meta-site with links to marketing-related topics.
FaxZero – Send faxes for free to anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.
FreeConference – Free conference calls and free online meetings with HD audio, video, and screen share.
iReuse – Recycling service for businesses to be notified about local, used furniture and supplies for their offices. Great for new or expanding small business, and sometimes free for non-profits.
Costs of Merchant Processing – An overview of the cost drivers for merchant processing; describes how merchant processors categorize merchants and defines the most common types of fees assessed by merchant processors.
Moving Your Business Online – The Internet can seem like a daunting place when considering moving your business online. This checklist will help you enter the online business world and give you access to customers you may have never been able to target.
EMV Chip Informational Webinar – Learn all about EMV chip technology: what chip technology is, how it works, what the impacts are to merchants who accept payment cards at their businesses, and what these businesses need to do to be prepared.
Strategies for an Economic Downturn – Be proactive in any cash crisis with our no-nonsense checklist to maximize profit and market share anytime, especially when times are tough.
Shopify’s Free Business Resources – Shopify offers free business tools to help you run your business. Currently there are 21 tools to assist small business with creating templates for bills of lading, shipping labels, purchase orders to calculators for business loans, profit margins and advertising campaigns.
U.S. Census Information – Very useful census data available for market research.
U.S. Department of Labor – The Department of Labor provides compliance assistance to small business through “elaws”, an interactive exchange that allows small business owners to ask questions about labor laws.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – The EPA offers small business advice on how to keep the environment clean and how to comply with environmental regulations.
U.S. Federal Trade Commission – The U.S. Federal Trade Commission enforces federal consumer protection laws that prevent fraud, deception and unfair business practices. The FTC offers creative, practical, plain-language business education publications that are a cost-effective and business-friendly way to obtain compliance with the law.
U.S. Small Business Administration – Valuable information on federal programs for small businesses as well as loan program details. A complete listing of SBDC’s throughout the country.
