Business Resources
Opening A Business?
Are you thinking of opening a business? Consider the Barrington area – there’s lots of prime commercial space available and you’ll be operating in one of the most affluent zip codes in the country – 60010. As an added plus, there’s a vibrant and active chamber in the region – BACC!
The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce supports local business owners by providing aggressive marketing, professional resources and networking that can lead to business connections. If you’re looking into our area to get your start, feel free to reach out to us to help you pull together some demographics and business statistics. We can also refer local commercial realtors.
The local Village Halls are another resource. Each Village will have their own requirements for opening a business. Many require an approved Certificate of Occupancy before you can open your doors.
If you’re starting from scratch, do your homework, develop a plan and learn about the community. Free consulting is often available through the Small Business Development Center at Harper College, and there are a many effective websites. Check out our Business Resources below for some ideas. SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship, helping business owners for nearly fifty years. The Barrington Area Library is also a dynamic source for information, lists and databases!
If you need some help or information on our region, call the Chamber office – we’d be happy to assist! And, when you’re ready to open, BACC will host an official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony inviting local dignitaries, BACC Directors and members for official grand opening photos that we send to local media on your behalf. These photos are often picked up giving you great exposure.
BACC membership should be part of every business marketing plan. We bring valuable resources, exposure and dedication to helping you succeed.
Helpful Resources for Starting a Business
Government
- Illinois Small Business Development Center at College of Lake County www.clcillinois.edu/sbdc-itc
- lllinois Small Business Development Center
Shah Center
www.shahcenter.mchenry.edu/sbdc.asp
For start-up or existing McHenry County businesses that employ up to 500 people. - Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs
www.commerce.state.il.us
Information on services for small businesses and community development programs. - Internal Revenue Service
www.irs.gov
Offers IRS tax forms, tax preparation information and educational documents that can be downloaded. - National Federation of Independent Business
www.nfib.com
News, advice, and resources for small businesses. - U.S. Business Advisor
www.usa.gov/business
One-stop access to government information, services and transactions. - U.S. Census Bureau
www.census.gov
Government statisctics and resources. - U.S. Copyright Office
www.loc.gov/copyright
Copyright information and a searchable database. - U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
www.uspto.gov
Patent and trademark information with searchable databases. - U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
www.sec.gov.ph.htm
Public company information, filings, and research tools. - U.S. Small Business Administration Online
www.sbaonline.sba.gov
America’s small business resource - Social Security Resource Center
www.BarringtonILSocialSecurityOffices.com
Resource for workers, retired, elderly and disabled people
Business Publications
- Inc.com
www.inc.com
Inc. magazine online. - Fortune Small Business
www.fortune.com/smallbusiness
Fortune Small Business magazine online. - Crain’s Chicago Business
www.crainschicagobusiness.com
Business news resources. - Smart Business
www.smartbusinessmag.com
Business and technology. - Wall Street Journal
www.wsj.com
Business news, economy, politics.
Computing and Technology
- C|NET
www.cnet.com
Computing and technology resources, news, and reports. - ZD Net
www.zdnet.com
Computing and technology resources, news, and reports. Associations and Organizations - American Marketing Association
www.marketingpower.com
Marketing resources. - Illinois Manufacturers’ Association
www.ima-net.org
News and business information for Illinois manufacturers. - Illinois Retail Merchants Association
www.irma.org
News and business information for Illinois merchants.
Legal
- LawGuru.com
www.lawguru.com
Legal questions, answers, and research. - Small Business Law Center
biz.courttv.findlaw.com
A comprehensive guide to the legal issues involved in the launch or management of a business.
General Resources
- Bartleby.com
www.bartleby.com
Full texts of reference, verse, and literature books online. - BizBuySell
www.bizbuysell.com
The Internet’s largest, most popular business-for-sale site with over 15,000 listings in our databases. - Business Owners Idea Cafe Inc.
www.businessownersideacafe.com
A fun approach to serious business. - CCH Business Owner’s Toolkit
www.toolkit.cch.com
News, tools, and resources for small business. - CEO Express
www.ceoexpress.com - How to Start a Business ChamberofCommerce.org
- Five Marketing Tools to Recession-Proof Your Business www.adobe.com/express/learn
- MoreBusiness.com
www.morebusiness.com
Tools and information for entrepreneurs. - NetPad Business Resource Center
www.netpad.com
Internet resources for businesses. - Office.com Inc.
www.office.com
Small business resources and tools. - Wageweb
www.wageweb.com
Salary survey statistics.
Education
- MBA Programs and the Shifting Economic Landscape
www.onlinembaprograms.org
Resource with relevant educational material for those interested in pursuing an MBA