Small Businesses & Startups
Photo provided by the Butler County CVB
Meet Small Business Owner Carrie O’Neal
Originally from Cleveland, Carrie O’Neal received a degree in Industrial Design with a minor in Visual Communications from OSU. After her first daughter was born, she decided to work from home and started O’Neal Designs, the graphic design portion of her business. With a web of clients everywhere from an amusement park in Dubai to a coffee shop in Hamilton, Carrie eventually wanted to move the business out of her home. “I’ve always had a love for stationery, and when I travel I always seek out these little paper shops that are kind of fleeting,” she says. Soon enough, everything came together and she opened Scripted Studio, her own little paper shop on Main Street in early 2019.
Zoning
Make sure to check the zoning of any building before signing a lease or purchasing a commercial space for your business. By making sure that your property is zoned appropriately for its intended use, you can avoid a major headache out of the gate. If not zoned correctly, you will need to either find another location, or apply for a variance. You can check the zoning of your potential location by using the City of Hamilton’s fast and free Zoning Portal tool below.
Permits & Licenses
Once you have a location in mind, and you have verified it is zoned correctly for your intended use, you will want to determine which permits and licenses you need to bring your business to life. The best tool to use is the City of Hamilton’s Business Portal! The portal allows you to plug in your businesses information, and it will communicate which city departments you will need to contact, which permits to pull, and give you an estimated overall cost .
Ready to Pull Permits?
We’ve all heard the quote, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” We highly recommend putting pen to paper so you can set yourself up for success right out of the gate.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, by far the best place to start your business planning is the Butler County Small Business Development Center. They are a completely free, local resource for getting your business off the ground. The Butler County SBDC’s counselors advise tenants, local existing business owners, and other entrepreneurs in the community on strategic planning, marketing, and gaining access to financial capital.
Contact
David Riggs, CBA - riggsdl2@miamioh.edu
Sangmi Kim, JD, MBA, CBA - kimsj4@maimioh.edu
Just Starting Out? Start Here.
Butler County Small Business Development Center
By far the best place to begin if you are just starting out. The Butler County Small Business Development Center is an amazing, completely free resource for getting your business off the ground. The Butler County SBDC’s counselors advise tenants, local existing business owners, and other entrepreneurs in the community on strategic planning, marketing, and gaining access to financial capital.
Contact
David Riggs, CBA - riggsdl2@miamioh.edu
Sangmi Kim, JD, MBA, CBA - kimsj4@maimioh.edu
SELF Microenterprise Program
The Microenterprise Program provides intense instruction in starting & operating a small business, including hands-on help with writing a business plan. If you qualify, you will receive at no charge:
A 10-week business training class with topics including: business plan essentials; finances, budgeting and cash flow; marketing strategies; and legal issues.
A workbook and other materials.
Support to overcome barriers to participating in the class or launching your business.
An opportunity to present your business plan to a special Loan Review Committee for a possible microloan of $500 to $5,000.
To be eligible, participants must be a resident of Butler County, Ohio and have a household income of no more than 80% of the Area Median Income.
Contact
Jerry Brown - 513-820-5023 or jbrown@selfhelps.org
Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Microloan Program
A partnership with First Financial Bank offering low interest loans up to $10,000 to businesses within the City of Hamilton only. These loans are 2% above the prime interest rate and can be paid back over a 4 year period. Loans are based on personal credit score. This is a good option for a start up business, but must have a business plan. Business revenues are $500,000 or less and have 10 or less employees. Download the application here.
Contact
Dan Bates - dan@hamilton-ohio.com
For Small Businesses Who Are Ready to Go!
Ohio GrowNOW
When a business is approved for a loan at an eligible bank, GrowNow provides an additional three percent discount on the loan’s already negotiated interest rate. The program can be used by businesses that are organized for profit, have less than 150 employees and are headquartered in Ohio. Maximum loan is $400,000 and there is no application deadline. For more information, check out the website here.
Community Reinvestment Area
For small businesses purchasing property in Hamilton, the Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) offers property owners a property tax abatement on property improvements. Up to 50% of the improved value can be abated for up to twelve years. Property owners submit an application to the City of Hamilton prior to construction or remodeling. For more information, check out the program brochure here. You can find the commercial application here.
Commercial Building Assistance (CBA) Program
The Commercial Building Assistance (CBA) Program is designed to assist in reactivating vacant and/or underutilized commercial and mixed-use buildings, including buildings that may be seeking a change-of-use to commercial or mixed-use, Building owners and/or tenants seeking to complete a significant and permanent change to their building may apply. For more information, view program guidelines here. You can find the CBA Program application here.
For Small Businesses Opening in the Urban Core
Downtown Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA)
In May 2018, the City of Hamilton created a Downtown Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), a program that allows patrons to purchase to-go drinks in designated cups from a participating liquor serving establishment. Liquor serving establishments located within the boundaries can opt-in to participate in the program, which has proven to be a powerful tool to increasing their bottom line. Retail and service industries have benefited from increased foot traffic and overall activity within the urban core. To explore the boundaries, and learn more about how it works, click here.
Community Entertainment District (CED)
In 2018, the City of Hamilton approved the creation of two Community Entertainment Districts within the urban core. The legislation created 15 new D5J liquor licenses in each district, bringing 30 new liquor permits total to downtown Hamilton. These licenses are available through the Ohio Department of Liquor Control at the annual cost of the license, which is currently $2,344. Only those establishments looking to locate within one of the defined boundaries of the CED are eligible to apply for one, and permits cannot be sold or transferred outside of the district.
IMPROVE Facade Grant
If you own or rent a building in the Central Business District you are eligible to apply for the IMPROVE (Incentives to Maintain Proper Restoration Of Valuable Edifices) Program, facilitated by the Downtown Hamilton Special Improvement District. The purpose of the program is to help the SID’s downtown building & business owners improve the exterior facades of their downtown buildings and/or businesses. It is a 50/50 matching grant up to $4,000 for exterior improvements. For more information, click here.
Small Business is Booming
What sets the City of Hamilton apart from other communities is our commitment to our small business community. We love being a liaison for new, expanding, and current businesses, and are actively engaged in our small business districts.
Because of this focused dedication to our revitalization over the last decade, we have welcome over $600 million dollars and 100+ small businesses to our urban core. Dilapidated buildings have been transformed into thriving business hubs. Hundreds of new apartments and lofts downtown has brought not only foot traffic, but the coffee shops, breweries, and restaurants to support them.
If you are considering opening your business here in Hamilton, we hope you will reach out to us. From the first spark of a concept, to first day open, to five year anniversary, the City of Hamilton is here to help you and your business every step of the way.
