Eau Claire Launches Business Startup Toolkit for Entrepreneurs

The City of Eau Claire Economic Development Division has launched a new online resource for residents seeking to start their own business.

The new tool seeks to guide entrepreneurs through planning, setting up, and launching their own business. The goal is to provide those entrepreneurs with step-by-step guidance, help them navigate things like permit and zoning regulations, and connect them with local business assistance resources.

According to a press release, the Business Startup Toolkit can help residents choose a business structure and register it, assist with planning, hiring and marketing, and access financial assistance like city loan programs. The toolkit also contains resources for entrepreneurs ranging from small home-based businesses to larger industrial operations.

Kendall Williams with the City of Eau Claire Economic Development Division says the new resource aims to make starting a business less complicated. He also hopes consolidating services and locally-relevant information can streamline the startup process.

“Starting a business can be very overwhelming, especially when information as basic as what steps to take first is scattered across so many different organizations,” he said in the press release. “This hub was built to provide new entrepreneurs with Eau Claire-specific answers wherever they are in the startup process, from the spark of a new business idea all the way through hiring and potential expansion.”

Williams also hopes the new resource will make Eau Claire more business-friendly in general, potentially even attracting expansion from existing businesses in other regions. Anyone can access the new Business Startup Toolkit on the City of Eau Claire Economic Development Division website.