Research

As you consider starting or growing your business, you want to be sure you’ve got all of the information available to make your best decisions.  A good starting point is the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), described below:

Missouri Business Development Programs

Each year, Missouri Small Business Development Centers (MO SBDC) successfully assist more than 10,000 businesses. The staff is uniquely qualified to help businesses get started, develop and thrive with Missouri Business Development Programs by offering both training workshops and consulting services. 

The MO SBDC web site gives you information so you can better answer the questions asked when registering your business with the various departments of the state.  These resources include the following:

Additional Missouri Research Resources

It’s always best to confer with your legal and financial advisor about business matters.  If you don’t have an accountant, you can contact the Missouri Society of Accountants or the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants.  If you need an attorney, contact Missouri Lawyer Referral Service.

Several state level resources include:

Links to other state agencies can be found at:

If your business involves commercial vehicles, you’ll want to review the information in these sites:

For minority or women owned businesses, the Office of Supplier & Workforce Diversity can provide valuable assistance.

The University of Missouri Extension offers several resources:

Some clients may require that your business and its employees be "bonded." Corporate surety bonds are the preferred method of guaranteeing the performance or financial obligations of others. These guarantees include contractor performance and payment bonds, financial guarantee bonds, license and permit bonds and many others. Contact your insurance agency for more information or:

Surety and Fidelity Association of America
1101 Conneticut Avenue, NW Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 463-0600
Web: http://www.surety.org

Federal Research Resources

Doing business with the Federal Government can be especially challenging and rewarding.  The federal government offers a portal to business information for businesses and non-profits with their Business Gateway. 

The Small Business Administration  offers a wealth of information for small business owners.

Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is the primary vendor database for the Federal Government. CCR collects, validates, stores, and disseminates data in support of agency acquisition missions.  Through CCR, a business can register once.

Patents, trademarks, service marks and copyrights can be important to your business.  After you consult with your advisors, you may want to visit these sites:

To get and remain in compliance with various environmental regulations,  you’ll want to visit the US EPA Small Business Gateway for assistance.

In conjunction with your accountant, you can also find business information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).