Small Business

For free advice, SCORE Atlanta pairs you with a volunteer mentor who has run a business, for as long as you want. The UGA Small Business Development Center gives free one-on-one consulting. Mentors will ask for your numbers, even rough ones. Bring what you have.

For classes and other owners to learn from, the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, 404-912-8494, supports Black business owners. Start:ME is a free program for very small businesses in Clarkston, East Lake, the Southside and the Westside. The Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 404-929-9998, works with Latino business owners, and the ACE Women's Business Center works with women.

For a loan, try a community lender before a bank or an online lender. Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, 678-335-5600, lends to small businesses that banks turn down and coaches you along the way. Invest Atlanta, 404-880-4100, has loans and some grants for businesses inside the city. Grants are few and slow. Plan around sales and a fair loan, and treat a grant as extra.

To make it legal, register the business with the Georgia Secretary of State, then get a business license from your city or county. You can file both yourself. Ignore official-looking letters that offer to file for a fee.

To sell food you make at home, Georgia has a cottage food license for baked goods, jams and similar foods. For other foods you need a licensed kitchen, and some kitchens rent space by the hour.

For a first shop, iVillage @ MLK has small shop spaces for local businesses at the H.E. Holmes MARTA station.

Written by ATL Care from the listings in this directory. See something wrong? Tell us.