St. Joseph Public Library is committed to helping small businesses and entrepreneurs succeed by providing access to resources, informational sessions, and networking opportunities.

Getting Started

The U.S. Small Business Administration website and Missouri Business Portal are great places to start if you are looking into starting your own business. The Missouri Business Development Program has the tools and resources your small business needs to get started and be successful. St. Joseph has lots of great resources for small business including the Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC), and the St. Joseph Small Business Resource Center developed by the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce.

Business Planning

A strong business plan is essential for establishing financial security for your business. Visit the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business Planner to get started. If you are in need of legal forms, use your library card to access St. Joseph Public Library’s Gale Legal Forms database. Gale Legal Forms even has a Sample Business Plan Outline to help you get organized. Additionally, SCORE has a free Business Plan Workbook available.

 Registering Your Business

Register your new business with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office and the Missouri Department of Revenue.  The Missouri Business Portal can help register your business with the appropriate agencies. Once you have registered, the Missouri Business Development Program provides ideas and resources for financing your business.

Market Research and Information

Read and review trade and business journals for market research and industry information. Use the United States Census, The American Factfinder, the SBA Demographics Resources, and many more to research demographics and learn more about your customer base. The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center offers assistance with local demographic and economic statistics. Use our databases like AtoZ Database to build email, mailing, and telephone lists of potential clients and contacts.

Networking Opportunities

Every Wednesday morning at 9 a.m the St. Joseph Public Library hosts the Chamber of Commerce Event Cup of Joe at the East Hills branch. Each week Cup of Joe features two presenters who showcase informational sessions and engage with area entrepreneurs. Attendees gather at 8:30 a.m. for coffee and the presentations begin at 9 a.m.