11 Free Courses and Learning Resources for Small Business Owners Big businesses have a wealth of expertise, and the ones on our Champions of Small Business list want to make their know-how available to you.
By David James
Key Takeaways
- The 2023 Champions of Small Business is our first-annual list of big businesses that are helping entrepreneurs with grants, accelerators, and free resources.
- Below find great learning resources and free online courses.
Amazon
Program: Amazon's Small Business Academy
Launched in 2019, this free program gives early-stage entrepreneurs and small business owners a suite of tools, resources, and networking opportunities. The curriculum was designed in partnership with the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization and offers three educational tracks: "Start," "Build," and "Launch."
AT&T
Program: Small Business Resources
The small business resources page offers free expert webinars and educational series from business mentors like Barbara Corcoran. They also offer free "playbooks" for business concerns like going virtual or cybersecurity and protections, along with phone and Wi-Fi deals tailored to small business needs.
Bank of America
Program: Small Business Resources
This part of Bank of America's website offers small business owners insights and resources for managing money, applying for funding, improving credit, planning for retirement, and tracking industry trends, as well as operational assistance with HR and customer relations, and strategizing for small businesses.
Cisco
Program: Cisco Small Business Resource Center
This site publishes news and technology advice to help small and medium business owners build their knowledge around security, networking, and collaboration.
FreshBooks
Program: FreshBooks
FreshBooks is a platform that provides accounting services tailored to the needs of many industries and company sizes. Its blog offers tips and insights for small business owners looking for guidance at different stages of growth.
Program: Google for Startups
Google for Startups offers a range of resources to help small businesses grow. It provides guides and insights for startups at all stages of the journey, along with mentorship and funding opportunities including the Founders Academy, Accelerator, Cloud Program, Black Founders Fund, and Latino Founders Fund.
Mailchimp
Program: Mailchimp Marketing Library
Mailchimp provides an information resource for small businesses wanting to learn more about starting, running, and marketing their businesses. Browse straightforward articles like "Email Marketing 101: A Beginner's Guide for Small Businesses."
Shopify
Program: Shopify Blog
The commerce company offers tools to help merchants start, scale, market, and run a retail business of any size. It has a robust blog with advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on everything from sourcing products to marketing, customer management, and more. Shopify also pledged $130 million to support the 1 Million Black Businesses initiative.
Verizon
Program: Small Business Digital Ready
This platform gives small business owners access to free courses and educational materials, as well as live events, mentorship, peer networking, and grant opportunities. The courses support small business owners across the entirety of their business, with a specific focus on helping diverse and under-resourced business owners. Resources are also available in Spanish.
Visa
Program: Visa Small Business Hub
This landing page on the Visa website gives small businesses opportunities to read about trending topics that are relevant to their industries, along with tools and resources to manage their finances, grow their audiences, take advantage of analytics, optimize their online presence, and more.
Wells Fargo
Program: Wells Fargo Small Business Resources
On its "Small Business Resources" page, the bank provides articles on optimizing day-to-day operations, securing financing, leveraging credit, and paying down debt, as well as networking, sales, and marketing.
See more Champions of Small Business resources:
16 Accelerators Designed to Fast-Track Small Business Founder Success
13 Grant Programs Being Offered by Big Businesses
10 Discounted (and Free!) Tech, Finance and Marketing Solutions for Small Businesses
