12.3.24 – News 9 –
Oklahoma’s new Business Hub streamlines the process of starting and operating small businesses by consolidating resources and services into a single online platform.
A new initiative by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce aims to simplify the process of starting and running small businesses in the state through a centralized online portal called the Business Hub.
The website, launched in collaboration with several state agencies, provides entrepreneurs with a one-stop shop for resources and guidance to name, register, and operate their businesses. The portal also offers educational tools and assistance with tax forms.
“We’re incentivizing people to live, work and play in Oklahoma,” said Ray Little, director of entrepreneurship and small business at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.
Starting a business can often feel overwhelming, a challenge the Business Hub seeks to address.
“A lot of states make it really murky,” Little said. “We wanted to create a one-stop shop.”
Traditionally, entrepreneurs in Oklahoma have had to navigate multiple state agencies to launch their businesses, including the Secretary of State’s Office, the Tax Commission, and the Department of Commerce. The Business Hub streamlines the process by consolidating all the necessary steps into a single platform.
“Go to the Business Hub and you can find out how to do all that in one place,” Little said.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Oklahoma Tax Commission, the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, and the Secretary of State’s Office.
“We want to promote Oklahoma as the top state for business,” said Secretary of State Josh Cockroft, whose office oversees business registrations. “When you have those entrepreneurs that are looking at the state of Oklahoma, you want to make sure that you make the process as easy as possible.”
The Business Hub is designed to bolster a vital sector of Oklahoma’s economy.
“Small businesses is where we go to shop, is where we go to eat, it’s where we go to live,” Little said.
For additional support, the Department of Commerce offers direct assistance at 405-630-7455.