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
  www.sba.gov
• SCORE - Counselors to America's Small Business
  www.score.org/
• Silicon Valley SCORE
  http://www.svscore.org/
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
  ChamberofCommerce.org
• National Federation of Independent Businesses
  www.nfib.com
• National Association for the Self-Employed
  nase.org
• United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
  usasbe.org
• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
  www.entrepreneurship.org

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.
  www.bplans.com
• Deming Center for Entrepreneurship - Writing a Successful Business Plan
• Free Legal Documents Courtesy of UpCounsel
• Free Legal Guides Courtesy of UpCounsel
• Guy Kawasaki's The Only 10 Slides You Need in a Pitch

• Business Ethics-The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University
• CalChamber
  www.calchamber.com/Pages/Default.aspx
• San Jose Chamber of Commerce
  www.sjchamber.com
• San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
  www.sfchamber.com
• IRS - California Workshops
  https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/california-tax-workshops-meetings-and-seminars
• California Governor's Office of Business & Economic Development
  http://www.business.ca.gov/

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
• Pinnacle Bank in Morgan Hill
  (408) 762-7163, Barbara Holland or Mark Ruiz
• Wells Fargo (while larger, it does do smaller SBA guaranteed loans)
  (408) 995-3660, Greg Mitchell
• U.S. Bank NA
  (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 list of links by city for banks with business loans, most of which offer SBA loans.

• USA.gov for Nonprofits
  https://www.sos.ms.gov/business-services/non-profits
• Society for Non-Profits
  http://www.snpo.org/resources/startup.php
• National Council of NonProfits - Including "How to Start a Nonprofit"
  http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/howtostartanonprofit
• Start a Nonprofit Corporation-CA Governor's Office of Business & Economic Development
  https://calosba.ca.gov/

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.
  www.marketingforsuccess.com
• 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, Santa Clara University
• Microsoft Office - Business Plan Templates
  office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT010253062.aspx
• Social Entrepreneurship Open-Content Site
  www.setoolbelt.org
• Easy online scheduling tool (free of charge and without registration)
  www.doodle.com
• United States Patent & Trademark Office Fee Schedule
  http://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/fees-and-payment/uspto-fee-schedule

• The Ethical Startup LinkedIn Group-The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University
• Jim Blasingame - The Small Business Advocate
  www.smallbusinessadvocate.com
• Fast Company
  www.fastcompany.com/
• Silicon Valley-SF Bay Area Startup Digest (newsletter/calendar of events and activities)
  www.startupdigest.com/digests/silicon-valley