• By Nicole Harterink
• Posted Sunday, February 11, 2024

Take care of (your) business with the Small Business Resource Center

Have an idea that you think could be a business, but you don’t know how to begin? Do you have a small business that needs an influx of capital to take you to the next step? Want to learn from experts on how to make your mark in the business community? The Small Business Resources Center at the Forsyth County Central Library is the place for you.

Small Business Collection

Located on the third floor of the Central Library, the Small Business Resource Center has a curated collection of books about starting and operating a small business. They’re just behind and to the right of the Information Services desk. Look for the books with the green dot.

Free small business classes

The Library’s partnership with Forsyth Technical Community College’s Small Business Center offers a variety of classes to benefit aspiring entrepreneurs and existing business owners who want to learn from experts. And as with all Forsyth County Public Library programs, these classes are free and open to the public.

The Small Business Solutions begins in late February at the Central Library Auditorium. You can take any or all of the classes, and there's no advance registration.

Class	Date and time
The Checklist for Starting a Business	Thursday, Feb. 29, 3-4:30 p.m.
How to Write a Business Plan	Thursday, April 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Writing a Start-Up Marketing Plan	Thursday, May 30, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

A second series focusing on the needs of the Latino community – Business Connection – will include interviews with Latino entrepreneurs and their stories about how they started and grew their businesses, resources available in the community, and ways to connect with other Latino business owners. This monthly series will take place entirely in Spanish.

Clase | Class	Los martes a las 5 al 7:30 p.m. | Tuesdays from 5-7:30 p.m.
Descubre el poder de las redes sociales in tu negocio | Uncover the power of social media in your business	Febrero 27 | Feb. 27
Presupesuto para to negocio y registro de empresa | Budgeting for your business and company registration	Marzo 19 | March 19
Tecnología y herramientas Inteligentes para pequeñas empresas | Technology and Smart tools for businesses	Mayo 28 | May 28

There’s sure to be more classes throughout 2024, both at the Central Library and elsewhere within the Library system. For information about these classes or future offerings visit the Ask your Librarian page.

One-on-one assistance with an Information Services librarian

If you’re looking for the personal touch, make a one-hour appointment with an Information Services librarian to learn about free library resources you can use to:

• Discover industry trends
• Research your competition
• Identify sales prospects
• Find sources of supply

Call 336-703-3020 or email Jody Lohman to make an appointment or for more information.

Local, statewide, and national contacts for entrepreneurs the Small Business Resource Center maintains a list of dozens of agencies and departments around the corner and across the country to help start, grow, and maintain a small business. Download the document and take advantage of this curated list.

Online resources for anywhere you are

The Forsyth County Public Library maintains subscriptions to hundreds of databases on thousands of subjects, including small businesses. Go to the Small Business Resource page and scroll to the bottom for links to several resources that can help you research competitors, customers, marketing strategies, product development, industry trends, sources of supply and more.