Helping Small Businesses Start and Grow in New Jersey Starts With a Plan
By: the New Jersey Business Action Center
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are some 979,000 small businesses in New Jersey. And over 153,000 of them are run by Spanish-speaking business owners. To address the needs of this large and crucial sector of our economy, the New Jersey Business Action Center (NJBAC), working in collaboration with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), the Office of Innovation, and other community-based partners, created the New Jersey Small Business Manual in 2024, and then developed a Spanish version of it shortly thereafter, the Manual para Pequeñas Empresas de New Jersey. Both publications are available for downloading for no cost at the NJBAC website as well as for mailing to business owners a print version using an online form.
The New Jersey Small Business Manual serves as a written source for learning about how to plan, start, operate, and grow a business in New Jersey. For an owner, knowing exactly what their business needs to do to start and grow can be difficult. This straightforward manual will give owners an overview of how to register, hire, fund, and conduct other activities necessary to start and maintain their business in New Jersey. The manual includes information about state and local permits and inspections, financial assistance programs, lease contracts, commercial real estate transactions, and a variety of other topics related to owning and operating a small business.
“The content of the New Jersey Small Business Manual represents the most common queries and requests for assistance we receive from the small business community,” said Melanie Willoughby, Executive Director of NJBAC. “By compiling the information in a digestible, easy-to-use publication, we are ensuring access to essential information that is designed to make life easier for entrepreneurs and business owners. The manual was truly a collaborative effort across several state agencies.”
City staff and elected leadership can promote the Small Business Manual in newsletters, emails and on social media for downloading or ordering, and may also order multiple copies (up to 25 in each language) for free no-cost distribution to local businesses and entrepreneurs as well. Bulk printed orders can be made by emailing a request to NJBAC, and they will be sent to the City directly. To the extent we can work together to ensure that our small businesses grow and thrive by providing this kind of support, our local and State economy and quality of life will be enhanced for all of us.
Many of the forms and applications detailed in this publication can be expedited online. However, if business owners have any questions or concerns regarding any aspect of the manual, they can contact the NJBAC’s Office of Small Business directly at 1-800-JERSEY-7 or connect with our team online for a live chat at business.nj.gov for assistance. NJBAC’s Customer Service team can also assist with navigating State agencies, and connecting businesses with training, funding and other resources to support their success in New Jersey.
ABOUT NJBAC
Housed within the Department of State, the New Jersey Business Action Center (NJBAC) carries out a multifaceted outreach and business assistance effort to help existing businesses thrive by focusing on increased relationship-building and person-to-person outreach, coordinated promotion of state incentives and resources, and enhanced assistance for businesses navigating state government programs and processes.
NJBAC’s mission is to provide exceptional technical assistance, customer service, resources and information as advocates and mentors for New Jersey businesses and districts of all sizes, categories and diversities, offering answers, advocacy and connections in support of enhancing the prosperity of our state’s businesses and communities.
