Small Business Guide

A business plan is essential to help outline the purpose of your business and how your business will operate. Here are a few resources that can help:

• Central Piedmont Community College’s Small Business Center offers free one-on-one counseling for small business and startup ventures.
• The U.S. Small Business Administration offers a step-by-step guide.
• The North Carolina Department of Commerce offers startup guidebook.
• Mecklenburg County’s Small Business Concierge Service offers a one-stop shop to help navigate resources in Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte.  

An important part of starting a business is choosing a name. Proper name selection is important because other parties may sue for unfair competition or trade name infringement if the name chosen is so similar to another entity’s name as to deceive or confuse the public. The Secretary of State of North Carolina offers resources on selecting a name. 

To register your business, contact the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds and learn more about an Assumed Name Certificate.

When selecting a site, it is important to ensure the location is appropriate for your business. Among the factors to consider are the type of building, location, zoning and available parking. Other topics to make sure your operations are on the up and up in Charlotte include: zoning, building inspections, registering alarm systems, and running a home-based business.

Many small businesses start out by getting loans from banks, but nontraditional funding is also available. Start by assessing your current situation with this financial guide from the Small Business Administration.

Here are a few Charlotte-based resources:

• Prospera provides Spanish-speaking industry experts to help with your financial plans. Call Prospera at 980-729-8273.
• The Carolina Small Business Development Fund provides financing solutions and guidance to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals.
• The Women’s Business Center of Charlotte stays abreast of traditional and non-traditional funding sources and community loan programs to help MWSBEs get the financing they need.
• Charlotte SCORE provides free and confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs and small businesses through their mentor program.
• The SBTDC online training portal includes a module on the potential funding options available for your business.
• The Central Piedmont Small Business Center offers a variety of courses, seminars, and workshops that cover everything from financing your small business to accounting with QuickBooks.
• Mecklenburg County assists small businesses with free lending and credit coaching. 

Many small businesses start out getting loans from banks, but nontraditional funding sources also are available.

Mecklenburg County

Meck Lending Small Business Loan Program offers loans of up to $75,000 with accommodating rates and terms available to qualified small and start-up businesses in Mecklenburg County.

Other providers:

• The Charlotte Small Business Growth Fund can provide loans of up to $250,000 to underserved small businesses in Charlotte.
• Carolina Business Capital finances small business enterprises with the SBA 504 Loan, which gives business owners the resources to finance real estate and fixed assets. 
• BEFCOR provides streamlined service between their clients and lenders, with a focus on building relationships and creating community success stories. With an SBA 504 loan through BEFCOR, entrepreneurs can get up to 90% financing for owner-occupied commercial real estate space. 
• The U.S. Small Business Administration assists small business owners with starting and expanding their businesses by helping them get loans through private banks and financial institutions.
• Self-Help Credit Union will work with your business or nonprofit to make the loan process as smooth and easy as possible.
• Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) are competitive federal programs for entrepreneurs seeking to commercialize innovative technologies.

The ever-elusive idea of “free money.” We’ve all seen the headlines, late-night infomercials and online advertisements promising grants to start or expand a business. Sound too good to be true? It is. Federal, state and local governments do not provide grants to:

• Start a business
• Pay off debt
• Cover operational expenses

However, there are grants available for some specific business purposes. Here are a few offered by our partners.

City of Charlotte

If your business is located within one of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity, you may be eligible for a small business matching grant; these cover items like security and specific building improvements.

U.S. Small Business Administration

Search the SBA Loans and Grants Tool for state and federal financing programs specifically available to small businesses. Another federal grant resource is Grants.gov, the government’s searchable public database of over 1,000 grant programs that award roughly $500 billion annually.

Not every kind of business in Charlotte requires the same kinds of paperwork. Let’s point you in the right direction for the licenses and permits you may need.

State of North Carolina

North Carolina no longer has a state-issued business license. However, some businesses may be subject to state requirements, while others may be subject to local requirements.

Resources

• North Carolina business and occupancy license database.
• Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Licenses/Permits Checklist.
• The SBA provides lists everything you need to know about the federal, state and local permits, licenses and registrations you’ll need to run a business. Find out which licenses and permits you’ll need to get started.
• Business Link North Carolina (BLNC) counselors can assist in identifying state licensing requirements for specific business activities, provide helpful links to business forms needed to register a business in North Carolina, and connect you with a wealth of information about service providers, resources and programs.

City of Charlotte

Not every kind of business in Charlotte requires the same kinds of paperwork. The information surrounding licensing and permitting can be overwhelming, but the City of Charlotte makes things more manageable with a portal dedicated to navigating permit requirements.

Here are some additional resources:

• Running a home-based business? Zoning approval is needed.
• Passenger vehicles for hire, including Uber and Lyft? Learn what licensing you need to operate in the city limits.

Mecklenburg County

Here are a few resources:

• Day care center? Learn about forms and applications, and inspections.
• Food or beverage business? Food and beverage permits are administered through the Mecklenburg County Department of Environmental Health.  
• Food truck or push cart? All food vendors must comply with regulations determined by the Mecklenburg Department of Environmental Health and the City of Charlotte Fire Department.
• Hosting a special event? Learn about special event permits.

North Carolina ABC Commission

If you are serving alcohol, theNorth Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Commissioncan help you get your permits to pour, manufacture, distribute, serve and/or sell alcoholic beverages.

Financing your business and your tax obligations go hand in hand. The process could be complex, but there are many resources to guide you. 

Mecklenburg County can help you get set up to pay your taxes. Mecklenburg County Assessor’s Office can guide you through identifying business personal property. This includes the personal property, income-producing property, supplies and leasehold improvements owned by a business or used by an individual for income purposes. Mecklenburg County also offers a variety of commercial property services, including information about the Commercial Technical Assistance Center, as well as the County Fire Marshal’s Office.

If you are looking to take the next step in your business growth and need a little more guidance, one of Charlotte’s key small business programs can bring inspiration and know-how to help business owners like you level-up.

Here are a few programs supported by the City of Charlotte:

• AMP Up: Business growth education program through Interise, helps small business owners’ revenues, creates jobs, and positively impacts their community.

• NXT|CLT: Connects business owners with leading management strategies, providing access to large enterprise organizations and cultivating meaningful relationships.

• Scale Up CLT: A collaborative business accelerator offered in partnership with the CLT Alliance Foundation, Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Charlotte, and the City of Charlotte.

• Charlotte Small Business Resources: Explore our network of more than 50 partners that are focused on helping small businesses grow and thrive.

• Small Business Certified: Be a part of the city’s small business enterprise certification program.

There are many factors you need to consider before you choose the location for your business. From zoning to demographics, the resources below will help you find the perfect location where your business will thrive.

City of Charlotte

Contact our Economic Development Team if you need any help finding a new location here. We love seeing our businesses grow and have resources to help you find the perfect location.

Looking for a new location in Charlotte for your business? There are many resources available to help you find the perfect location. If you are looking to move into one of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity, you may find supportive programing that can lead to funding for revitalization and prospects to partner.

Tap into the power of data by visiting Virtual Charlotte to find property zoning, real estate tax values, voting districts, eligibility for financial incentive programs and much more. The city also has property for sale; the Real Estate Division can assist you with the bid process.

Mecklenburg County

With Mecklenburg County’s Property Ownership and Land Records Information System(POLARIS), entrepreneurs can search properties by parcel or address to obtain ownership, sales and tax information.

These resources can help you find new customers in Charlotte or discover new markets in other countries to sell your goods and services.

• The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance’s interactive dashboard provides entrepreneurs with access to the research and data they need to start and grow their business.
• The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library offers many resources, including Reference USA to find competitors, SimplyAnalytics to discover local demographics and ABI/INFORM to help you search for industry trends.
• The Small Business Center at Central Piedmont Community College provides programs, no-cost counseling, networking events, seminars and a business resource library to assist start-up entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their business.
• The North Carolina Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) at UNC Charlotte can help small or mid-size businesses access sources of capital and financing and explore new market opportunities.

If you are seeking investors to provide capital for your business in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity, check out these resources:

• Contact a Small Business Administration-licensed Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) looking to invest in small businesses in North Carolina. The SBA gives you a full directory of current SBIC Licensees in North Carolina.

• IDEA Fund Partners provides seed and early-stage equity funding, along with company building expertise to IT, software, materials technologies and medical device companies. We seek to serve as a bridge between angel and institutional investors.

Employment and training services are continually being designed to meet the specific needs of businesses to ensure the availability of a trained and productive workforce.

The City of Charlotte continues to make talent development one of our priorities at the City of Charlotte. Learn more about training programs.

Other Resources

• The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has a variety of federal workforce data.  They also have free computer classes.
• Charlotte Works can help with training grants for workers of all stages and skillsets. 
• Central Piedmont’s Corporate Learning Center can build a custom program that meets the learning needs of your team. They can also build tailored co-ops, apprenticeships and internships.
• UNC Charlotte’s Corporate Training and Executive Education offers fully-customized professional development.
• Catapult provides a wide range of human resources services. From compliance advice to sample policies, Catapult serves as a resource and sounding board for entrepreneurs seeking HR support at startup and beyond.