SmartStart Navigator | microbusiness support

Powering Rural Microbusiness

The SmartStart Navigator (powered by SmartStart Business Development) is the online business education and connection platform created specifically for microbusiness.

Built for business owners, guided by EDO's.

Here's How

For Business Owners: Learn how to launch or grow your business with confidence no step is missed.

For EDOs: The SmartStart platform makes it easy to guide, track, and support microbusiness growth in one place-- without adding staff or building new programs.

Why Microbusinesses?

rural town square with microbusiness owners

How The SmartStart
Navigator Works

Why microbusiness?

Businesses such as yoga studios, makers, coffee shops, and boutiques are often "micro" businesses. According to the SBA, a microbusiness is an enterprise with fewer than 10 employees.

While small, they account for 96% of all U.S. small businesses.

These are the businesses that fuel your local economy and create vibrant downtowns and Main Streets...but they remain underserved by traditional small business support programs.

Learn More About Microbusinesses

Phases of the Business Journey

The Navigator provides business owners a custom business development journey based on 4 phases to reach their specific goals. The platform helps them achieve each step and track progress as they go.

Community economic development leaders monitor, track, connect and support along the way.

Customer Development

Nuts and Bolts

Financials

locally owned food truck - microbusiness owner

Launch and Grow

Learn More About The Navigator

80% of early-stage business owners using the Navigator had never engaged with any local business support before.

Professional Development

Microbusinesses have unique needs. The SmartStart team facilitates our signature micro-economy session to help community teams reframe how they think about business development and what unique support those businesses may need.

Customize Providers

Take a deeper look behind the scenes in your community to identify the local providers who are able to support microbusiness growth, such as accountants, bookkeepers, marketing and legal professionals.

Launch the Navigator

Your team/community purchases a license and promotes the platform as a free, self-directed tool available to local business owners who are looking to start or grow their businesses at their own pace.

Here's How it Works in Communities

Next Steps

Connect

Schedule a Zoom call to see if SmartStart is right for your community

How It Works

Learn more about how the SmartStart system can work in your community

Subscribe to our weekly SmartStart Micro-Catalyst newsletter.

“I owe all my business connections and growth to the knowledge and contacts I have made through SmartStart. All of the vendors in my shop have come from SmartStart! I don’t know why a small business owner would not get plugged in to the community that can help them grow.”

Tommie Chadwick, owner of Ichabod's Apothecary, Delavan, IL

"I was able to discover an entirely new market for my business that I wasn't aware of because of the connections I made through SmartStart.”

Jennifer Manske, owner of Lavender and Honey Creek Farms, Edwards, IL

Contact Us

We'd love to hear from you! Whether you have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello, we'd love to hear from you.

Please fill out the form below and we'll be in touch!