Feature

Small Business Focus: Got a Great Idea?

This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

By Tara Palacios

The summer of 2018 was busy at BizLaunch.

Entrepreneurs opened new businesses at a fast pace and there was never a dull moment. Innovative ideas and solutions were discussed and strategies implemented. New small businesses did not take a break.

In fact, mentorship of new businesses was up by 30% from the prior summer. Entrepreneurs from a wide variety of industries sought assistance to launch their business endeavors. Small business growth is on the rise.

So what do you do if you have a great idea that you’d love to launch? How do you succeed and go on to become the next Shark Tank success story?

Our answer is simple. Use local (FREE!) resources to help you turn your idea into reality.

We’ve got you covered this fall.

The first thing you’ll want to do is research your industry. Understand where the opportunities and threats lie. Identify a well-defined target market and begin to develop your business plan.

Arlington Public Library is a wonderful resource and has several free tools to help you successfully launch. The list of tools can be found here, and the best news is there is a Business Librarian you can meet with to help you navigate the various available tools for you to use.

Better yet — we will be conducting a live Lunch Webinar on October 10 at noon on “Best Researching Tools for Entrepreneurs in 2018.”

Next, we cordially invite you to attend our program on October 25 entitled “Are you Ready to Start Your Business?” At this event you’ll walk through everything you need to know to successfully launch your idea.

We discuss all points of regulations, planning, and resources as you make your decision to go forward or not. Key BizLaunch partners will be in attendance and will be available to answer your questions as well as to network for additional resources.

We hope to see you this fall to keep our business community thriving!