In this 6-minute read:
- 15 local business resources in Atlanta, GA
As you’re looking to start or improve your small business in Atlanta, you may be wondering where to start. There is a lot that goes into creating and maintaining a successful business, and sometimes we just aren’t aware of everything that we should be.
Click here to check out our small business loans resources. Learn more, plus get free reputation monitoring and customer insights when you sign up for Womply Free!
Throughout this article, we’ll provide you with resources to help guide your entrepreneurial journey. Learn the best places to go to learn more about business management, funding your startup, networking, and much more.
We’ve broken this list down into five categories to help you easily find the resources you need for your Atlanta business:
- Comprehensive business resources
- Business mentors and courses
- Financial resources
- Local chambers of commerce
- Recruitment and employment resources
Comprehensive business resources in Atlanta, GA
This first category includes comprehensive business resources that will help you in every aspect of starting and running your small business.
City of Atlanta
The City of Atlanta has an in-depth “How to Start Your Business” guide with a list of all the resources you will need to start a business in Atlanta. From the best places to get funding to the licensing and permits you’ll need.
To contact the city:
Atlanta City Hall Annex
55 Trinity Ave SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 311 or (404) 546-0311
Website: https://www.atlantaga.gov/doing-business
You may also like: Top questions to ask before you start a business
Georgia Small Business Administration (SBA)
The U.S. Small Business Administration seeks to help small businesses grow and thrive across the nation. The Georgia District Office runs the SBA branch in Atlanta to help further the economic development of this area.
Through this office, your small business can receive business counseling, guidance on business loans, training, and even federal contracting (when applicable).
Georgia District Office
233 Peachtree Street, NE Suite 300
Atlanta, GA
Phone: (404) 331-0100
Website: https://www.sba.gov/offices/district/ga/atlanta
Atlanta Business League
The Atlanta Business League seeks to help with the growth, creation, and development of small businesses owned by African Americans in the Atlanta, GA metropolitan area. They provide business meetings and seminars for local networking opportunities.
This organization also offers membership benefits such as:
- Discounted ad placements
- Referrals
- Expanded networking events
Atlanta Business League also has collaborated training and events with Clark Atlanta University, Georgia SBA, Goodwill of North Georgia, and the Georgia Minority Business Development Center.
Contact:
Atlanta Business League
931 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30314
Phone: (404) 584-8126
Fax: (404) 584-0445
Website: https://www.atlantabusinessleague.org
Business mentors and courses in the Atlanta area
The following resources provide training programs and mentorship opportunities for small business owners and entrepreneurs in Atlanta, GA.
SCORE Atlanta
SCORE Atlanta has more than 100 business mentors in the Atlanta metropolitan area who are ready to help. You don’t have to learn how to start your business on your own. You can get free mentoring, attend low to no-cost local workshops, and take advantage of a list of free resources that SCORE Atlanta keeps up to date on their website.
Contact:
Atlanta SCORE
233 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 331-0121
Email: admin.0048@scorevolunteer.org
Website: https://atlanta.score.org/
The Atlanta Business Alliance
The Atlanta Business Alliance creates networking and mentorship opportunities for Atlanta business owners. They host a weekly forum for businesses to gain education, share business experiences, and make new professional connections.
Contact the ABA for an invitation to attend their weekly meetings, held every Tuesday at 7:30 am at The Georgian Club.
Urban League of Greater Atlanta Entrepreneurship Center
The Urban League of Greater Atlanta has an entrepreneurship center that focuses on raising economic self-reliance in individuals. They offer training classes, one-on-one consulting, and additional resources.
They want to help business owners take a business from the pre-venture stages to growing enough to hire employees and beyond.
Contact:
Urban League of Greater Atlanta TEC
229 Peachtree St NE #300
Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone: (404) 659-1150
Website: https://ulgatl.org/the-entrepreneurship-center/
Atlanta Small Business Development Center
The Small Business Development Center seeks to boost the local economy by providing business owners with the resources they need to succeed.
They offer specialized training for experienced entrepreneurs and break it down to the basics for those who are just starting out. They have workshops, training programs, and mentors to help business owners every step of the way.
Contact:
Atlanta SBDC
75 Piedmont Ave, NE, Suite 700
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 413-7830
Website: https://www.georgiasbdc.org/atlanta-office/
Financial resources for Atlanta businesses
Starting your small business may require some financial assistance. So, we’ve included some helpful places that you can contact to help fund your new venture.
Invest Atlanta
Invest Atlanta holds seminars and offers informational resources to help you learn more about the business loan process. They also keep an updated list of local and state business loan opportunities that your small business may be eligible for.
Contact:
Invest Atlanta
133 Peachtree St. Ne, Suite 2900
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 880-4100
Website: https://www.investatlanta.com/businesses/small-businesses/small-business-loan-programs
ACE – Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs
ACE provides small businesses in Georgia with small business loans as well as business coaching to help ensure success. With financing and education, ACE has been able to loan more than $69 million to entrepreneurs since 2000.
Obtain a loan up to $50,000 when you meet ACE requirements.
Contact:
ACE – Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs
504 Fair Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30313
Phone: (678) 335-5600
Email: info@aceloans.org
Website: https://aceloans.org/
SBA Loans Atlanta
SBA Loans Atlanta is powered by Signature Bank and partnered with the U.S. Small Business Administration and Georgia District Office to help Atlanta businesses get the capital they need to start successful ventures.
They have several loan options and a quick online application process to help make loan acquisition simple and convenient.
Contact:
Signature Bank
6065 Roswell Road
Sandy Springs, GA
Phone: (404) 609-0234
Website: https://www.sbaloansatlanta.com
Local chambers of commerce
Local chambers of commerce all seek to further the economic development of their communities. Through membership benefits, networking events, marketing resources, workshops, and much more, local chambers help small businesses get started on the right foot. Contact one or more of the following chambers in the Atlanta area to see what resources are available to your business.
Metro Atlanta Chamber
191 Peachtree Street N.E. Suite 3400
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Phone: (404) 880-9000
Website: https://www.metroatlantachamber.com/
Georgia Chamber
270 Peachtree St Nw
Atlanta, Ga 30303
Phone: (404) 223-2264
Website: https://www.gachamber.com/
Cobb Chamber
1100 Circle 75 Pkwy. Suite 1000
Atlanta, GA 30339
Phone: (770) 980-2000
Website: https://www.cobbchamber.org/
You may also like: Chamber of commerce basics, what they do, and why you should join.
Recruitment and employment resources in Atlanta, GA
Whether you need employees from the get-go or you plan to grow your business, you’ll want to be aware of the local recruitment resources available to you. List your job openings with these resources and gain an education on the obligations that you will have as an employer.
Each of these organizations can provide you with additional resources regarding tax and payroll laws, compliance, and tips for recruiting new team members.
Georgia Department of Labor
Visit the Employer Page with the Georgia DOL to learn more about recruitment opportunities and gain valuable recruitment resources.
MetroAtlantaJobs.com
MetroAtlantaJobs.com will help you find the best candidates, promote your brand, and they provide regular webinars for recruiting tips and compliance.
Enhance your business with small business software
As you are starting your business, give yourself every opportunity to succeed, including using advanced technology to gain valuable insights into customers’ spending habits and tools to help improve your online visibility and reach.
Womply’s small business software can help your business manage all of your customer reviews across multiple platforms with one simple dashboard, and help you get direct feedback from your customers so you know how to improve your business.
Also, click here to check out our small business loans resources. Learn more, plus get free reputation monitoring and customer insights when you sign up for Womply Free!