Free small business kit launched by IBM and IFC offers valuable tips, tools and information

Small business owners looking for information or ideas on managing or growing their companies have a valuable new resource to mine — a free small business toolkit launched by IBM and the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation. The SME Toolkit was developed specifically to provide small and medium businesses owned by Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans and women in the United States, as well as small business owners around the world, with highly developed business information, tools and training services usually reserved for Fortune 1000 companies.

“The SME Toolkit really has the potential to change the face of business because now, anyone who is starting or building a business has access to tools that can help them increase efficiencies and profits,” said Marilyn Johnson, vice president, IBM market development. Accessible at www.us.smetoolkit.org, the SME Toolkit is a “onestop” online portal that offers businesses more than 500 pieces of high value content and tools that address such business needs as accounting, finance, business planning, human resources, legal and insurance, marketing and sales, operations and technology.