► Cape Cod & Islands - Info Sources + Chambers of Commerce + Trade Associations
► Massachusetts & U.S. Government Business Resources

--- see resources listed alphabetically below ---

► Agriculture - Farming & Aquaculture
​     ♦ USDA-SCORE Partnership - Collaborating for Success
     ♦ Help your new AgriBusiness Succeed (SCORE Tips as published in the Cape Cod Times)

► Benchmark your Business - BizStats to compare your business with others in your industry

► Business Plans
     ♦ Business & Financial Planning Templates from SCORE
     ♦ Business Model Canvas - learn more at Strategyzer.com - Video + Template
     ♦ Bplans - Select from 500 Sample Business Plans, including:
        • 46 for Restuarant, Cafe & Bakery  • 116 for Retail & On-Line Store
        • 26 for Medical & Health Care  • 216 for Services of all types

► Business Start-up Planning
     ♦ The SCORE Startup Roadmap: Your Step-by-Step How-to Guide to Successfully Starting a Business
     ♦ Handbook for Small Business - Comprehensive guide to starting and running a small business on Cape Cod & the Islands.  You'll learn everything from naming and structuring your business to pricing, marketing, operations and financing.
     ♦ What Business Structure is Right for You? -  Sole Proprietorship, LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp
     ♦ Checklist - Starting a Business in Massachusetts
     ♦ Also check out: ChooseWhat.com - A start-up guide for Entrepreneurs + Valuable Product Reviews to help businesses select On-line Services, e.g. Email Marketing, On-line Fax, Virtual PBX, Business Cards, QuickBooks, Printing Services, 800 Numbers & many more
     ♦ Also check out: The Risks and Rewards of the Covid Career Makeover - This is an article from The Washington Post discussing the value of using a mentor when starting a business during the current COVID pandemic.

► Buying an Existing Business - Steps needed to help you make the right decisions
     ♦ Or check out:  Buying a Business - Online course from

SBA Learning Center

► CyberSecurity - How to protect your small business from Cyber attacks - a comprehensive guide

► Demographics & Statistics for Cape Cod & the Islands

► Financing Resources & Grants - for Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and Southeastern Massachusetts

► Financial & Taxes
     ♦ 2019 - 2020 Tax Planning Guide (Source: Malloy & Co. CPA Inc, Brewster, MA)
     ♦ Tax Guides, Business Guides, Financial Guides (Source: Steven M Ellard, CPA, Brewster, MA)
     ♦ Tax & Accounting - Info + Directory to find a Certified Public Accounting firm.  Also see:  Finding the right Accountant
     ♦ IRS Video Portal - Short Videos on Tax topics dedicated to helping Small Business
     ♦ Virtual Small Business Tax Workshops - 9 Lessons - for Small Businesses & Self Employed - “What you need to know”

► Franchising
     ♦ International Franchising Association
     ♦ Consumer Guide to Buying a Franchise
     ♦ FranNet assists individuals with the entire franchise process

► Government Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses - 

 SBA 8(a) Business Development Program to help small disadvantaged businesses

► Handbook for Small Business - Comprehensive guide to starting and running a small business on Cape Cod & the Islands.  You'll learn everything from naming and structuring your business to pricing, marketing, operations and financing.

► Homestead Protection for your Home - Homestead Act offers $500,000 protection to Massachusetts homeowners. Individuals over 62 years old or legally disabled are eligible for $1,000,000 protection.  Forms should be filed at the Registry of Deeds in your county. On Cape Cod file at: Barnstable County Registry of Deeds

► Human Resources - Important Employment Laws for all Small Businesses (Source Pamela Sand Associates, Hyannis, MA)
    ♦ Recent Employment Law Changes Impacting Small Businesses & Nonprofits
    ♦ Summary of Major Employment Laws for Companies with 15 or Fewer Employees
    ♦ 10 HR practices that go a long way to protecting your business

► Insurance Coverage Overview -  (Source: Rogers & Gray Insurance)
Describes 7 types of Business Insurance - What does it cover? & Who needs it?

► Legal - This information is not a substitute for a lawyer
    ♦ Legal Essentials for Entrepreneurs - (Source: Atty. Eugene R. Curry, Barnstable, MA)
       • Choosing a Business Entity - Advantages & Disadvantages of each
       • Top 10 Legal Do's & Don'ts
    ♦ Employment & Labor Laws - (Source: Foley & Foley, Falmouth, MA)
       • Resources & Tools - for employment & workplace issues
       • Independent Contractor Law - 3-part test to determine compliance
    ♦  Lawyer Referral Service - Mass Bar Association
       • Business & Intellectual Property Law Information
    ♦ Starting a Business - Source: BizFilings
​       • Business Tools & Business Structures - Corp, LLC, Partnership, Sole Proprietor, etc

► Manufacturing
     ♦ 7 Tips for a Smooth Start to Manufacturing
     ♦ How to Find a Manufacturer For Your Product
     ♦ Maker's Row - Online source listing 11,000+ American manufacturers for small, medium-sized, and product-based businesses, focused on Apparel, Accessories, Jewelry, Furniture and Small Batch production

► Non-Profit Planning Guide - Business Planning Tools for Non-Profit Organizations

► Small Business & Entrepreneurial Assistance
     ♦ SCORE - Cape Cod and the Islands - Free, Confidential Mentoring, Workshops & Business Resources
     ♦

 SBA - U. S. Small Business Association - Loan Programs & Services to Help Small Business Start, Grow & Succeed. SCORE is a resource partner of the SBA
     ♦ EforAll - Pitch Contests and Business Accelerator programs
     ♦ CapeSpace - Shared space for Entrepreneurs - Workspace, Meeting Rooms, Virtual Office
     ♦ Community Development Partnership on the Lower Cape - Business Counseling

► Security - see CyberSecurity

► Social Media Resources - Selected Resources to Guide you through the Basics

► Website Builder Resources
    ♦ Website Builders Comparison Chart - Compare WIX, SquareSpace, Weebly, GoDaddy & others
    ♦ Best Website Builders for Business & E-commerce