There’s always something new to learn as a small business owner. The Downtown Springfield Association facilitates several educational sessions throughout the year to encourage entrepreneurs to explore the latest trends and tools, network with fellow businesses, and plan for the future.
A sense of community is very important to most business owners in Center City. We encourage everyone to join DSA to connect with your neighbors and have a greater voice in the future of Downtown!
In addition to DSA, many businesses are members of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce to help promote the entire region and attract new investment to the area.
Universities are another great resource with continuing education and certification programs focused on the needs of small businesses.
The Springfield chapter of SCORE was founded in 1974 as Chapter 61 and now has more than 30 volunteers. Counselors of Springfield SCORE are experienced business owners and managers who volunteer their experience and knowledge to help small business owners and potential small business owners achieve success.
SCORE offers free and confidential mentoring from over 30+ mentors, local workshops, online workshops, templates & tools.
Springfield-Greene County Library Business Resources and Tools
The Springfield-Greene County Library offers a wide range of resources for small businesses and nonprofits. The categories include, but not limited to, company research, databases, demographics, dictionaries, economic indicators and legal forms.
Housed in the Library Center, the Library’s Business Information Center has a variety of resources to help you with personal finance and business matters. Whether you are planning for retirement or researching market trends, the Business Information Center makes research easy by coordinating all the Library’s reference business materials in one place.
Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and SCORE are available for free consultations in the Business Information Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the first Thursday of October, January, April and July at the Library Center.
Visit the Library’s business and finance-oriented website, Minding Your Business, to access high-quality research databases and online links available at home or work with a valid library card.
Make an appointment with Business Librarian at (417) 882-0714 to learn more about how the Business Center can help you.