Ohio partners with Google to promote small business growth

Small businesses in Ohio should find it easier to develop and file with the state, thanks to a new collaboration with Google. According to Columbus Business First, a combination of lower filing fees and more online resources for entrepreneurs intends to grow startup activity in the area, a possible boon to the thousands of new businesses to have emerged in Ohio this year alone.

One of the major proponents of this initiative, a branch of Google’s “Let’s Put Our Cities on the Map” program, is Secretary of State Jon Husted. In a press release from his office, Husted said that partnering with Google will build off of the existing business potential in the area and add the company’s technological prowess to the mix.

Among the “success tools” Google will provide business owners are resources for creating a website or registering with Google’s search features. In addition, Husted notes a new focus for his office’s role in sustaining local commerce.

“We have changed the mindset of the office from a regulatory role to a customer service-driven mission,” he said. “Instead of processing paperwork and enforcing rules, we try to help people comply with the law, help them get their business started and give them more tools to be successful.” A few weeks before that announcement, Google also brought shipping service Google Express to multiple locations in Ohio, including Columbus and Dayton.

Having these tools at their disposal will only help small businesses so much: securing capital is also essential to creating growth. For this, commercial lending programs help grant beginning enterprises the resources they need for later growth.