Bullock launches Montana Business Navigator

Press release

HELENA — Montana entrepreneurs Sarah Calhoun and Scott Brown today joined Gov.Steve Bullock to launch the Montana Business Navigator, a new online service that guides prospective business owners and entrepreneurs through a streamlined process of identifying the necessary registrations, licenses, and permits needed to start a business in Montana.

“Montana’s small businesses are a driving force of our state’s growing economy,” Bullock said in a press release. “The Montana Business Navigator is the result of feedback from entrepreneurs and small business owners across the state who told us about the need to streamline information, cut red tape and make it easier to create jobs. I’m excited to join Sarah and Scott to show all Montanans how easy it can be to pursue your dreams when we make our services more efficient and user-friendly.”

The Business Navigator offers a checklist as a guide for Montanans to identify the state permits and licenses needed to open and operate a business in Montana. The checklist is tailored to the specific business input by the user.

“It’s exciting to see ideas from small business owners being implemented to make starting a business as easy as possible,” said Calhoun, owner of Red Ants Pants in White Sulphur Springs. “The new Business Navigator is a user-friendly platform that walks you through business permitting and offers access to business planning and financing services. Being in business is not always easy, so having a smooth, staff-supported resource is a huge help.”

The Governor’s Office of Economic Development led the development of the Business Navigator under the directive of the Governor’s Main Street Montana Project to cut red tape for small businesses and increase government efficiency.

“The Business Navigator is the result of hundreds of discussions and working sessions with a diverse group of stakeholders in government, economic development, and private business,” said John Rogers, chief business development Officer for the state of Montana. “We are all proud of the final product.”

Business Navigator can be accessed at http://www.business.mt.gov/navigator.