Business Resources: Building a business

Milwaukee ranks as one of the top 30 startups hubs inthe country according to business.org

Almost all of the firms in the sevencounty region are small companies with fewer than 100 employees. The people who run these businesses are often looking for advice, networking possibilities and revenue-generating

opportunities. MMAC offers a variety of small business services through its Council of Small Business Executives (COSBE) and honors the area’s fastest-growing companies with the annual Future 50 awards. MMAC also provides a valuable legislative voice for small businesses, which often times don’t have the time or resources to advocate on their own behalf.

COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS EXECUTIVES (COSBE)

Led by a representative group of CEOs from companies with one to 300 employees, COSBE focuses on the specific issues facing smaller companies. Its executive roundtable programs provide confidential peer

advisory boards for its members to share best practices and resolve their business challenges. COSBE sponsors nearly four dozen roundtables with more than 400 participating CEOs, CFOs, senior executives and sales management executives, making them MMAC’s most popular small business resource. In addition, COSBE and MMAC offer educational forums, special events and networking opportunities to help businesses help each other, including the CEOs of Growing Businesses (CGB) – which brings together individuals who share the challenges of building a fastgrowing company. Telephone: (414) 287-4124. mmac.org/cosbe

More than 400 CEOs, CFOs, Senior Executives and Sales Managers in the Milwaukee Region participate in COSBE’s Executive Roundtable Program.

THE BUSINESS COUNCIL

An MMAC affiliate, The Business Council fosters economic inclusion by facilitating the growth of ethnically diverse firms. The Business Connection Program encourages corporations to source products and services from ethnically diverse businesses.

The Business Council also offers members the opportunity to share information on issues that affect small businesses and the minority community; a voice on public policy issues; access to experienced professional advisors; and networking opportunities with larger businesses. Telephone: (414) 287- 4108. www.mketbc.wordpress.com

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Technical assistance services available to small and medium-sized businesses include:

Regional Economic Development Directors: Assist businesses with expansions, promote business retention and help local development organizations. wedc.org

BizStarts: A one-stop resource center that helps entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses through one-on-one coaching, personalized mentoring and meaningful connections. bizstarts.com

CEOs of Growing Businesses (CGB): Brings together entrepreneurs who operate businesses with consistent growth and annual revenues in excess of $3 million. CGB provides monthly roundtables, educational forums and networking opportunities. mmac.org/cgb

Consortium for Economic Opportunity: Connects non-profit organizations and small businesses to achieve economic growth in Milwaukee’s low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. Includes UW-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education, Small Business Development Center and UWM Center for Economic Development. Telephone: (414) 229-5881.

Corporate Partner Network: Milwaukee School of Engineering program that offers reduced tuition rate for the school’s MBA and graduate nursing programs; a discounted rate for graduate and professional education (GPE) course offerings; corporate site training opportunities; corporate consultations on managerial and organizational improvement, business systems, processes and tools; and global competency. Telephone: (414) 277-2710. msoe.edu/cpn

Kohler Center for Entrepreneurship: Marquette University’s Kohler Center for Entrepreneurship, part of the Office of Research and Innovation, supports new venture creation by Marquette students, faculty, alumni and friends; provides outreach to the central city business community; and research on entrepreneurship. The Kohler Center is located in the 707 Hub. marquette.edu/707-hub

Marquette Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic: Offers free legal services to start-up businesses and entrepreneurs, with a focus on clients who cannot afford qualified legal counsel. Provides legal services in many key areas, with a focus on: business entity selection and formation, corporate governance, funding/financing, business contracts, employment, business licenses and permits, trademark, copyright and other basic intellectual property matters, and commercial leases. law.marquette.edu/community/marquettelaw-and-entrepreneurship-clinic

Milwaukee Development Center: A division of the city’s Department of Neighborhood Services, provides single point of contact for developers, contractors, businesses and builders undertaking development projects in the city. city.milwaukee.gov/permits

SCORE: Free business counseling, mentoring, inexpensive seminars and workshops for new, existing and expanding businesses. scoresewisconsin.org

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): Offers loan programs and technical assistance to businesses. sba.gov/wi

Waukesha County Technical College Small Business Center: Free one-on-one counseling,networking, classes, technical assistance and referrals for financial assistance. wctc.edu/smallbusiness

Wisconsin Innovation Service Center: Helps entrepreneurs research product feasibility, competitive intelligence, licensing/strategic partnering and distributor assessments. uww.edu/cobe/business-resources

Wisconsin Job Center Network: A single point of contact for employment needs, including statewide job postings. Other services include job fairs and special recruitments. jobcenterofwisconsin.com

Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP): Provides consulting services to help manufacturing companies become more profitable and increase value using an integrated suite of assessments and services that help customers grow, reduce costs, increase capacity, achieve certification and compliance, improve quality and maximize their human capital investment. WMEP is part of the MEP National Network. Telephone: (608) 240- 1740. wmep.org

Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) Financing and Business Seminars: Links seasoned business owners and corporate professionals directly with entrepreneurs. Telephone: (414) 263-5450. wwbic.com

TRAINING PROGRAMS

The following training and educational resources are available to the region’s startups and small businesses.

Center for Supply Chain Management: Conducted by best-in-class faculty from Marquette University’s College of Business Administration and beyond. Corporate and executive education delivers highly informative and interactive learning experiences through custom-designed programs. The center has worked with groups at Johnson Controls, Direct Supply and Rockwell Automation. Telephone: (414) 288-3995.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Customized Professional Development Solutions: Assists with the design, development and delivery of a customized training program. Telephone: (414) 227-3264. uwm.edu/sce/customized-training

Kenosha Area Business Alliance: Offers leadership development, supervisory, forklift training, and first aid and CPR courses. Professional roundtable discussions for CEOs, human resource professionals and manufacturers are also offered throughout the year. Telephone: (262) 605-1100. kaba.org

Small Business Development Centers: Supports entrepreneurs and business owners through nocost, confidential consulting and business education. Regional SBDC experts facilitate improvement and growth for small and emerging mid-size companies and help launch successful new enterprises. wisconsinsbdc.org

Small Business Workshops: Held in conjunction with the U.S. Small Business Administration, these small-class workshops cover a variety of business topics, including marketing, managing cash flow, digital marketing, business plans, financials, business loans, and readiness assessments. scoresewisconsin.org

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education’s Customized Training: Customized program that assists with the design, development and delivery of professional development training that best meets the needs of employees. Questions and requests for a no-obligation meeting can be directed to: (414) 227-3243. uwm.edu/sce/customized-training

WI DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is a state agency charged with building and strengthening Wisconsin’s workforce. It works with employers on finding the necessary workers to fill current job openings.

Locally, DWD partners with the Employ Milwaukee Workforce Development Board, the Milwaukee Area Technical College, Moraine Park Technical College and Waukesha County Technical College, as well as other workforce and economic development agencies to provide employers and job seekers with comprehensive workforce solutions in the three-county area, including Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act Youth, Adult and Dislocated Worker programs. dwd.wi.gov