From operations and logistics to employee and customer management, small business owners wear many hats to keep things running smoothly. Without experience, acting in this role can be challenging at the least—and a fast track to failure at the worst.
Fortunately, there’s no shortage of resources available to support you through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship—whether you’re just starting out, trying to stay on track, or want to take your business to new heights. Here are some of the best tools and resources you can use to support your small business year-round.
Amazon
Amazon’s Small Business Academy provides a wealth of free resources, ideal for both aspiring and established entrepreneurs. These resources include live events, podcasts, and on-demand classes, along with access to a network of like-minded business professionals. Additionally, they offer practical guides for starting and growing a successful business, and specific resources catered to those interested in selling their wares on Amazon’s store.
Amazon’s Founders Table event series, in particular, is an excellent resource for those just starting on their entrepreneurial journey. Small business experts and successful entrepreneurs share insights on industry trends and practical growth strategies during each event.
[Read more: 6 Essential Personality Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs]
America’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
America’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) is a nationwide network that supports small business growth. The network has nearly 1,000 local hubs sponsored by top educational institutions, state economic development agencies, and private partners. America’s SBDC provides free consulting and affordable training to new and established businesses.
The nonprofit’s website provides ample resources like infographics, checklists, and templates. America’s SBDC even hosts annual conferences, virtual summits, and other educational events that cater to small businesses at no cost. Notably, its 46th annual paid professional development event, America’s SBDC 2025 Annual Conference, is scheduled for September 2–5, 2025.
Bank of America’s Center for Business Empowerment
With Bank of America’s Center for Business Empowerment, entrepreneurs at any stage can get the support they need to start, grow, or even sell their business. From SMB-focused educational guides to financing support and data security management, the center can help entrepreneurs take control of their business and take it to the next level—whatever that step may be.
To get a personalized experience with the Center’s free knowledge hub, answer a few simple questions about your business, including its current stage, your industry, your revenue, and the topics most relevant to your business needs. From there, you can access a collection of tailored resources ranging from quick-read articles to lengthy guides and informational videos.
A Google Business Profile, formerly Google My Business, can drive customers to your brick-and-mortar storefront and online platform. It also offers many free tools for entrepreneurs and small teams, including Google Workspace and Google Drive. The Google for Small Business page provides an abundance of information for small business owners, helping you navigate SEO, advertising, and marketing.
For even more in-depth information, the Applied Digital Skills platform provides free-to-access lessons to help start or grow your business. There, you can explore courses ranging from short, single-objective lessons to expansive, multi-unit projects to help you research your market, develop a business plan, and prepare to request funding. Also, check out the Grow with Google small business showcase on YouTube, which offers more than 250 videos covering topics like project management and data analytics.
Note: Applied Digital Skills Lessons will be moving to a new platform effective June 30, 2025. While it will still be free to use, account data will not be automatically migrated—users who wish to retain their data will need to do so manually.
HubSpot
HubSpot is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) tool offering free and paid courses. It also provides the HubSpot Academy for ongoing education geared toward your entire team, including leaders, department supervisors, and employees. There are dozens of programs, including free online courses and longer certification sessions, and you can display earned badges on websites and company bios.
Also, check out HubSpot’s Website Grader, which grades your site based on performance, search engine optimization (SEO), mobile functionality, and security. To get started, simply enter your company’s website and email address in the grader and click “get your score.” HubSpot will inspect and test your website to rate its functionality, then provide a list of recommendations for site improvements.
HR.com
Manage human resources effectively with a free membership and resources from HR.com. It has e-learning lessons, webcasts, and virtual events. You can learn about upcoming changes to regulations and help your HR employees achieve Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certifications, among others.
[Read more: 4 Human Resources Tools for Small Businesses]
IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center
The IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center is a comprehensive resource designed to assist small businesses and self-employed individuals with their tax needs. It caters to those filing Form 2106, Form 1040 or 1040-SR, or Schedules C, E, or F, and small businesses with less than $10 million in assets.
Small business owners can access a range of free tools and information, including forms, instructions, and tips, to help ensure businesses comply with tax laws. The resource provides insight into starting, operating, and closing a business, as well as how to handle employment taxes and common expenses and deductions.
LinkedIn is a professional-focused social media platform used by entrepreneurs globally. You can showcase your company and build relationships with business customers and future employees. It’s also a key spot to highlight your expertise as an entrepreneur in your personal profile. Get started with the LinkedIn Pages Action Plan for Small Businesses. It’s a five-page guide to completing your page, growing your follower count, and posting the right content.
But don’t stop there! LinkedIn has a resource center packed with content for business owners. It offers reports, checklists and guides, and certification programs covering everything from employee development to important metrics for success. We recommend How to Use LinkedIn Learning for existing businesses, as it offers guidance through the expansive library of over 20,000 courses about branding, lead generation, and hiring.
Robert Half Salary Guide
Robert Half’s free 2025 Salary Guide offers comprehensive insights into starting salaries, hiring trends, and in-demand skills across various industries, including finance, technology, marketing, and administrative support. The guide is based on data from surveys of small, midsize, and large businesses across the U.S., providing benchmarks to help small businesses structure competitive compensation packages and job offers.
Whether you’re planning your next hire or budgeting for the year ahead, this guide can help you make informed decisions about not just pay but also perks and benefits—critical factors in attracting and retaining talent. It’s also useful for understanding remote work trends, benefits expectations, and regional salary variances, allowing small businesses to stay agile and appealing in a fast-changing workforce landscape.
Mastercard Digital Doors
From setting up your online business to accepting payments to enhancing cybersecurity, Mastercard helps digital small businesses every step of the way with its Digital Doors program. Implemented to support small businesses of all sizes and stages, the Digital Doors program provides access to ample financial and educational tools to help establish, sustain, and expand online businesses.
Digital Doors offers an expansive library of articles, videos, and tools compiled through partnerships with businesses like HootSuite, FedEx, and Accion Opportunity Fund. It also provides online businesses with exclusive discounts and small-business–focused offers, including savings on marketing and expense management platforms, analytic services, and more.
MIT Open Learning Library
Expand into a new industry and explore diverse courses through the MIT Open Learning Library. These self-paced lessons are free to download—no registration required. Most courses include interactive content and exercises, which provide immediate feedback. These sessions are a great free resource for businesses wanting to offer professional development options for employees.
As the “voice of small business,” the NFIB is an advocacy organization representing small and independent businesses across the United States.
National APEX Accelerator Alliance
Small businesses needing a jump start can get help from the National APEX Accelerator Alliance. Since 1985, the Accelerator network has helped small businesses connect with government contracts, offering more than 90 Accelerator programs across over 300 offices nationwide. In its time, the network has helped small businesses to win over $24 billion in contracts.
Local APEX Accelerators offer many free services to entrepreneurs, ranging from determining business readiness for government contracts to business certification assistance to contract and audit support. With this resource network, entrepreneurs can connect with the right leads and identify valuable contracting opportunities for which they may be eligible.
National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)
Networking groups for entrepreneurs can help you develop local and national connections. NASE represents companies with 10 employees or fewer. It has free resources for small business owners and offers many more tools for members, including unlimited access to consultants for tax, retirement, finance, and operations questions.
NASE also provides member-only scholarships and grants, including the NASE Growth Grant. The grant helps entrepreneurs pay for training programs, business courses, and other small business investments.
National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB)
As the “voice of small business,” the NFIB is an advocacy organization representing small and independent businesses across the United States. The nonprofit strives to protect the rights of small business owners to own, operate, and grow their businesses. The NFIB provides a business legal center, webinars, and referral services. Additionally, small business owners can benefit from the NFIB’s business insights and reporting, exclusive networking events, and educational content like its Small Business Rundown podcast.
The NFIB’s membership program is another resource where entrepreneurs can take advantage of increased access to resources, discounts on purchases made through NFIB partners, and a stronger voice in the program’s advocacy efforts.
National Retail Federation (NRF)
As the largest retail trade association in the world, the NRF advocates for the interests of the retail sector. The NRF provides education on best practices, cutting-edge research, and extensive networking opportunities. Notably, the NRF’s 2025 Annual Retail Sales Forecast, along with its holiday data and research on seasonal trends, provides valuable insights to small business owners, enabling them to plan and execute successful campaigns.
The organization also hosts virtual and in-person events across the country. The NRF Retail’s Big Show, in particular, is a large-scale, annual event that delivers expert insights into the retail industry and provides networking opportunities for participants.
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
SCORE provides many great resources for small business owners, including webinars, interactive courses, business templates, and local workshops. SCORE partnered with Google and the International Downtown Association (IDA) to develop a free digital readiness series. Each module provides digital tools, webinars, and videos on how to grow your business with Google.
Another helpful resource from SCORE is The Startup Roadmap. It’s an excellent guide for individuals wanting to start a company. An entrepreneur can complete the step-by-step tutorial alone or with a mentor. It has 12 modules, which you can complete in any order. Each module offers actionable steps, free resources, and other online tools to complete the steps.
You can find SCORE events and workshops near you by entering your state or zip code and filtering the results according to business stage, topic, and format. SCORE also offers mentorship opportunities to any citizen or permanent resident who owns a business or wants to start one. The sessions can take place in person or virtually via email, phone, or video.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
As the world’s largest business organization, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce advocates for business-friendly policies, supports local chapters, and provides free resources for entrepreneurs. You’ll find many virtual events and informative guides on small business topics and can network within your community by joining a local branch.
Check out the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business page. It displays events, a Small Business Weekly Forecast, and current initiatives. Remember to register for CO—’s Small Business Day event featuring small business experts. It takes place on Thursday, May 1, 2025.
Bookmark these links to stay informed with regularly updated content:
- Local chapters: Get involved at the local level by finding a chamber of commerce in your area. There are thousands of local chapters in 57 states and territories offering community networking opportunities.
- Chamber OnDemand: View videos, forums, and interviews with experts, business leaders, and government officials on the Chamber OnDemand platform. Browse by topic or series, such as technology, economy, and government policy.
- CO— by U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Start your morning or end your day by expanding your small business knowledge on CO— by U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
It delivers fact-based articles on best practices for how to start,
grow, and run your company. Plus, you can get expert tips from industry
leaders and small business owners.
[Read more: Small Business Month Events to Register for Now]
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Learn how to start, grow, or sell your business using the SBA’s free resources. The SBA offers informative content, interactive online tools, and a video library for entrepreneurs. These range from business planning solutions to mentoring services.
You can explore export assistance programs and financial resources. Both help grow businesses and enable entrepreneurs to strengthen their market position. Or learn how to qualify for government contracts, get funding for your company, and explore business certifications.
Check out these SBA tools and content:
- Small Business Development Centers: Attend in-person events and get individualized assistance from small business centers near you. Enter your zip code to find your local SBDC.
- Learning center courses: The SBA’s learning center video courses
cover starting up to selling your business and everything in between.
Most topics have several videos, with many around a minute long. - Boots to Business: If you’re a transitioning service
member (including National Guard and Reserve) or a spouse with access to
a military installation, check out the Boots to Business program. Alternatively, Reboot courses,
which offer one- and two-day classes on business fundamentals, are
available to veterans, National Guard, Reserve, and military spouses. - Empower to Grow: Formerly the 7(j) Management and Technical Assistance program, the Empower to Grow
program helps small businesses serving low-income markets to bid and
win government contracts. Available to eligible small businesses in the
United States, the program hosts a library of resources and training
opportunities, including funding matchmaking events and one-on-one
training. - SBA THRIVE: If you have at least one employee besides
yourself, have been in business for three years, and have annual
revenues of at least $250,000, consider the SBA THRIVE
program. This six-month, no-cost program offers promising small
businesses advanced training, including mentorship and in-person
coaching from C-level executives, along with customized micro-sessions
targeting small businesses’ unique needs. Entrepreneurs will also be
guided in creating a three-year strategic growth action plan for their
business.
Verizon
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is a one-stop resource center for entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to access coaching, networking and funding opportunities, and educational content. The hub features more than 40 online courses packed with expert guidance on various topics crucial for small businesses at any stage of development. Additionally, it enables entrepreneurs to engage in personalized coaching sessions and workshops with industry experts, offering tailored support and professional insights.
To date, the program has been instrumental in supporting small businesses. The Small Business Digital Ready program has provided over $1 million in funding annually to entrepreneurs and hosted over 200 virtual and live events in its time.
[Read more: Things to Do in Small Business Month to Grow Your Company]
Jessica Elliott contributed to this article.
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts.
However, before making any business decision, you should consult a
professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.
CO—is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here.
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