National Small Business Week

For more than 60 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has celebrated National Small Business Week, which acknowledges the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. This year, National Small Business Week takes place April 28 – May 4, 2024, and is when SBA officially recognizes their hard work, ingenuity, and dedication, including their contributions to the economy.

National Small Business Week also includes a FREE virtual summit from April 30-May 1 for new and existing business owners. Learn new business strategies, meet other business owners and chat with industry experts. This year’s summit will include educational workshops on the following topics:

• Accelerate Business Growth with the Help of AI (presented by Visa)
• Securing Your Small Business in a Work-From-Anywhere World(presented by T-Mobile)
• Learn About the No-Cost SBA T.H.R.I.V.E Educational Program(presented by SBA)
• Unlock AI’s Potential for Your Small Business (presented by Grow with Google)
• Building a Foundation for Online Marketing Success: Review, Plan, and Execute (presented by Constant Contact)
• Leveraging E-Commerce to Scale Your Business (presented by Amazon)
• How to Start a Food Truck Business: A Step-by-Step Guide (presented by SCORE)
• 8 Practical Skills to Run a Successful Business (presented by Visa)
• Small Business Strategies for Collaboration and Productivity(presented by T-Mobile)
• Navigating Your Cash Flow (presented by Chase for Business)
• How to Turn Your Side Hustle into a Business & Securing Your First Loan (presented by NerdWallet)
• Future of Commerce 2024 (presented by Square)
• My SBA (presented by SBA)
• How to Write a Grant Proposal for Your Business (presented by SCORE)

In between sessions, explore free resources, take advantage of no-cost mentoring, make new connections, and get inspired by small business success stories.

As part of National Small Business Week, the IRS is highlighting tax benefits and resources to help small businesses. Small businesses should make the Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center their first stop for finding just about everything they need to meet their federal tax obligations. Whether they are self-employed, an independent contractor, a gig worker or a business with employees, the site provides in-depth information, tools and helpful educational resources. The IRS.gov small business pages map out the entire life cycle of a business and its tax implications. Sections include:

• Starting a business: Basic federal tax information for anyone starting a business, as well as a checklist to assist in making basic business decisions.
• Business structures: Help in choosing a business entity because that choice determines which tax forms need to be filed.
• Operating a business: Tools and tips on how to quickly get an Employer Identification Number (the tax ID number that most businesses need to file and pay their taxes), keep good records and file and pay taxes.
• Closing a business: Help navigating the closure of a business from a federal tax perspective; how to take care of employees, which forms to file, which records to keep and what tax related moves need to happen before shutting down.