Nearly a quarter of all new U.S. entrepreneurs come from the 20-34 age group, according to the Kaufman Foundationβs Index of Entrepreneurial Activity. And millennials account for 153,262 people or 29 percent of Pima Countyβs population, county statistics show.
Caron Beesley, a small business owner, works with the SBA.gov team to provide this list of resources for the next generation of entrepreneurs, small business owners and job creators:
- The SBAβs Young Entrepreneur Guide (tinyurl.com/ketxuxp) offers a great place to get started, including online business planning tools and a free course, βYoung Entrepreneurs: An Essential Guide to Starting your Own Businessβ (tinyurl.com/z5a8rop), that walks you through turning your idea into reality.
- Get advice, counseling and mentorship from someone whoβs walked in your shoes. The local Southern Arizona Chapter of SCORE hosts regular free workshops in Pima County and provides free one-on-one mentoring that helps you get your business off the ground (mentoring@scoresouthernaz.org or call 505-3636).
- The SBA and the White House partnered last year to launch My Brotherβs Keeper (whitehouse.gov/my-brothers-keeper) to help young people harness their talents and to learn entrepreneurial basics and financial literacy.
- Other local resources include the Small Business Development Center (335 N. Wilmot, Suite 410, 620-1241), Business Development Finance Corp. (335 N. Wilmot, 623-3377), and the Microbusiness Advancement Center/Womenβs Business Center (330 N. Commerce Park Loop Suite 160, 620-1241).
- If you need capital to start your business, check into the SBA loan programs (tinyurl.com/hc4lywu), business lines of credits and small, local, business-friendly banks and credit unions. A surprisingly large number of small businesses get started with money from those they know well: friends and family. Crowdfunding offers another resource for funding. The SBA offers resources into how to do it: βIntroduction to Crowdsourcingβ (tinyurl.com/ocpr3gb) and βCrowdfunding Sites: Top 3 Tips to Get Funding Once and For Allβ (tinyurl.com/jbpu8rt).
- If your federal student loan debt is holding you back, find out how the Income-Based Repayment Plan (tinyurl.com/kfquakt) can help you lower your repayments.
See tinyurl.com/hyo5xqc for more details.