Starting a Business
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The Wausau region offers a variety of community organizations to help businesses thrive, adapt, expand and relocate.
Business Incubator Space Entrepreneurial and Education Center (EEC): Provides new businesses with an environment that nurtures and enhances their creativity. With 43,940 square feet of potential, the Center houses 28 office tenant spaces, 17 industrial tenant spaces, a kitchen-café facility with ample parking and convenient freeway access. Provides administrative services, conference and training facilities and wireless Internet. A variety of partners will offer services and programs that support the growth of new business and assist current businesses in moving forward with innovation in products and process. Many of these services will be portable and taken out to the communities as part of the Community Empowerment Program. Partners include American Society of Quality, NWMOC , NTC, WRCC, UWSP – SBDC, SCORE, MCDEVCO, UWMC, MCDEVCO and the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce. Entrepreneurial Mentoring and Guidance UWSP Continuing Education Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Offers no cost business counseling to both start-up and existing businesses. The SBDC also coordinates conferences, workshops and certificate programs on topics ranging from business planning and marketing to financial management and sources of capital. Call 715-346-2288 for more information about SBDC programs and services. Business Mentoring and Guidance SCORE: SCORE is a free service providing business counseling and mentoring for business entrepreneurs. SCORE counselors are business professionals with backgrounds ranging from small business owner to corporate executive. SCORE counselors:
Municipality Business Development Resources The City of Wausau Community and Economic Development: provides a variety of resources, including available business sites, Wausau-area demographics, business mentoring and guidance, profiles of local businesses and financing resources. Financing MCDEVCO: Revolving Loan Fund. Provides financial assistance for new and established Marathon County businesses. Contact Vicki Resech, vresech@mcdevco.org or 715-298-0084. WHEDA Small Business Guarantees: WHEDA helps in the expansion or acquisition of an existing business or for limited startup business opportunities. Eligible startup businesses include adult and child daycare centers, as well as startup businesses located in vacant storefronts in the downtown area of a rural community. WBD Inc: WBD helps fund small businesses looking to purchase or expand commercial real estate or acquire equipment while preserving working capital, through the SBA 504 loan program. A SBA 504 loan requires lower down payments than conventional financing and provides long-term, fixed-rate interest rates. It also reduces the risk to lenders through its structure as second mortgage financing. Wausau Community Development Authority: (WCDA). In partnership with local agencies and nonprofit organizations, WCDA administers a variety of grant and loan programs that strengthen local housing, promote downtown revitalization and provide economic development assistance. |
