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There are various local and national networks to join as a small business, which may may help you with a variety of valuable resources, a strong support group, and much more. Take a look below for networks that may interest you.

• U.S. Small Business Administration
  
• SCORE - Counselors to America's Small Business
  
• Silicon Valley SCORE
  
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
  
• National Federation of Independent Businesses
  
• National Association for the Self-Employed
  
• United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
  
• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
  

It is vital for all startups to begin planning with a clear business model and purposeful strategy. Check out the following links for additional help with business planning:

• Sample 1 Page Executive Summary-A concise, easy to read format
• Bplans.com - Your business starts here.
  
• Deming Center for Entrepreneurship -
• Free Courtesy of UpCounsel
• Free Courtesy of UpCounsel
• Guy Kawasaki's

• -The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ
• CalChamber
  
• San Jose Chamber of Commerce
  
• San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
  
• IRS - California Workshops
  
• California Governor's Office of Business & Economic Development
  

Following is a sampling of just a few area banks that make SBA-backed loans, including contact information (the links below are links to the SBA loan area of each institution):

• Superior Financial Group in Walnut Creek
  (925) 296-0500
•  in Morgan Hill
  (408) 762-7163, Barbara Holland or Mark Ruiz
•  (while larger, it does do smaller SBA guaranteed loans)
  (408) 995-3660, Greg Mitchell
• 
  (800) 303-4722

In addition, many credit unions offer SBA-backed loans, such as Tech CU in the Silicon Valley area. Gaebler.com has a for banks with business loans, most of which offer SBA loans.

• USA.gov for Nonprofits
  
• Society for Non-Profits
  
• National Council of NonProfits - Including "How to Start a Nonprofit"
  
• Start a Nonprofit Corporation-CA Governor's Office of Business & Economic Development
  

When marketing your new company, be sure to stay updated on the best ways you can market to your customers!

• Charlie Cook's Marketing for Success - Sell More. Profit More. Live More.
  
• Colloquy - The art and science of building customer value.
  www.colloquy.com/#
• JustSell - It's all about sales
  www.justsell.com/

• The Unavoidable Ethical Dilemmas That Entrepreneurs Face-The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ
• Microsoft Office - Business Plan Templates
  
• Social Entrepreneurship Open-Content Site
  
• Easy online scheduling tool (free of charge and without registration)
  
• United States Patent & Trademark Office Fee Schedule
  

• -The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ
• Jim Blasingame - The Small Business Advocate
  
• Fast Company
  
• Silicon Valley-SF Bay Area Startup Digest (newsletter/calendar of events and activities)