Finding Training Opportunities for Aspiring Hazelwood Small Business Owners

The is “open for business,” according to its economic development department.

“We’re ready, willing, and most importantly, able to support companies both large and small,” says the city’s website. “When we say that we’re business-friendly, we mean it.”

If you’ve been following our series on , you know that we’ve discussed ideas for choosing a business concept, including the and . We’ve also discussed .

This week, we’re spotlighting free and low-cost business training opportunities for Hazelwood small business owners.

To get some guidance on where to find the best free and low-cost training for small business owners, we talked with the ’s economic developer, David Cox,  and franchise consultant, Chris Coleman.

Meet the Experts

Cox is the economic developer for the City of Hazelwood. His office offers support for local businesses, including help with marketing and liaison with local developers, as well as providing information to residents and other parties who are interested in the city’s economy. He’s available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Coleman owns a St. Louis-based franchise consulting firm and does a lot of business in the Hazelwood area, he said. His company, FranNet, helps business owners choose and pursue franchise ownerships, among other things, and serves Hazelwood business owners, as well as many others in the greater St. Louis area.

Business and Training Tips

Try engaging others in your industry. For example, if you’re opening a salon, it’s a good idea to talk with other salon owners to learn how they run their businesses and what you might watch for.

Cox said that’s where the either the or the will come in handy, depending on where you’re locating your business.

“The regional chambers of commerce are a good source of basic information and can introduce people to existing small business owners,” he said.

Coleman said he recommends a number of resources for his clients as well, both online and in-person.

“Some great resources for potential business owners would be the SCORE organization, local economic development councils, and entrepreneur forums (live and online),” Coleman said.

SCORE stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives. It's a St. Louis-based nonprofit association supported by the SBA and a network of more than 13,000 volunteers dedicated to helping small businesses get started and grow to achieve longer-term goals.

SCORE offers mentoring, free confidential business consulting in person or via email, free online business tools, tips and templates and inexpensive or free business workshops and webinars.

“Two more good resources for training are the Center for Business, Industry and Labor and Missouri Division of Employment Security,” Cox said.  “CBIL is part of the St. Louis Community College system and will work through the Florissant Valley campus to offer training programs.”

Cox added that the Missouri Division of Employment Security “can help with training, labor law information, unemployment information and is a good first stop when looking for employees.”

The SBA also offers several free and low-cost local events for business training. Check the online events calendar for details.

Other Free Training Resources for Hazelwood Small Business Owners

•  City of Hazelwood Economic Development Department—Led by David Cox, the office of economic development offers support for local businesses, including support in finding resources for training.
• Northwest Chamber of Commerce—As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you’ll have direct access to your fellow business owners, many of whom will be happy to share their own experiences and tips with you, among many other benefits.
•  Greater North County Chamber of Commerce—The Greater North County Chamber of Commerce believes that by uniting together, the group has stands a “better chance of getting things done.” As with the Northwest Chamber, this group’s members can be a strong resource for a new business owner seeking guidance.
• St. Louis County Economic Development Council (SLCEC)—SLCEC is the economic development agency for St. Louis County, so if your business will have a Hazelwood address but it will technically be in unincorporated St. Louis County, you’ll reach out to this group rather than the City of Hazelwood’s economic development department. SLCEC offers many services for local small business owners, including some training courses and programs.
• Missouri Business Portal—This website acts as a portal for business registration, filings, licenses and permits in the state of Missouri. It also offers a wide variety of resources.
• University of Missouri Extension—The University of Missouri offers a number of free and low-cost training options for local small business owners. Check out the Business Start-Up page for details and ongoing courses.
• MissouriBusiness.net—Billing itself as “the hub for all resources related to business success in Missouri,” this site offers access to free and low-cost training, both online and in-person.
• Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)—OSHA provides a number of free resources for small businesses, including safety and health tools and publications, guides for specific OSHA standards and a number of other benefits. Plus, OSHA offers free on-site consultation for small employers for protecting their workers from occupational hazards.
• Dale Carnegie Training—Offers both paid and free training for businesses. Many free options are available online.

Have you always dreamed of starting your own business? Subscribe to our daily newsletter so you won’t miss a single part of this ongoing series! Next week, we’ll discuss the different types of ownership options and how to determine the legal structure of your business.

Do you own your own business in Hazelwood? We want to share your story with the community! Contact Patch reporter Angela Atkinson at angela.atkinson@patch.com to arrange for an interview.