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Major Corporations Team Up to Support Small Businesses Across the U.S. with Free Online Resource WebsiteCHICAGO, May 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In an unprecedented collaboration, Allstate, Capital One, LegalZoom, Microsoft, Office Depot, Inc. and Web.com have joined forces to create Small Business Connection (http://www.smallbusinessconnection.com), a free online resource hub built to empower small business owners by addressing and helping to solve their critical business issues. This is the first partnership of its kind, made up of leading companies from the banking, insurance, legal, office supply, internet marketing and technology sectors. The variety of industries represented will help provide small business owners – from those just starting out to established owners – with access to a broad base of knowledge and advice, all without a sales pitch. "Small businesses are the backbone of our nation. They face the same challenges as large companies yet have a fraction of the resources. Small Business Connection sets out to change that," said Mike Barton, president of Allstate Business Insurance and chairman of the Small Business Connection Board of Governors. "This resource hub will provide the 28 million small businesses in the U.S. with knowledge, insight, ideas and guidance from some of the most innovative companies around." According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses make up nearly 50 percent of private-sector payroll, representing more than 28 million companies. Nearly half of all new establishments survive five years or more and about one-third of new businesses survive 10 years or more. Small Business Connection is a freely accessible web portal that features valuable information and thought leadership to assist with many aspects of running a small business, including:
"Allstate Business Insurance and Allstate Benefits are leaders in supporting small businesses because the corporation is a network of nearly 10,000 small businesses," continued Barton. "We are excited to bring some of the nation's leading brands together to help small businesses grow, succeed and thrive in the ever-changing economy." "Allstate Benefits began as a small business, so we understand the unique challenges and opportunities of that marketplace," said Greg Guidos, president of Allstate Benefits. "Today, more than 20,000 small businesses across the U.S. place their trust in Allstate Benefits to provide voluntary benefits solutions. As part of the Small Business Connection team, we hope to bring our solutions to even more employers, helping them provide financial protection to their most valuable asset – their employees." "Small businesses fuel job growth and innovation, and enrich the communities we live, work and play in – but many lack the resources needed to compete and grow," said Keri Gohman, Capital One's Head of Small Business Banking. "As a founder-led company, Capital One has a deep appreciation for what it takes to establish and grow a business, and we're proud to partner on this initiative to empower local businesses and entrepreneurs with quality insights and guidance to help them succeed." "Business owners often make decisions on issues they are facing for the first time. We are excited to join this collaboration to share insights, observations, or guidance to help them make the right choice or their business," said John Suh, CEO of LegalZoom. "The collective economic impact of small businesses is unquestioned, and Microsoft is committed to continuing to help these businesses grow and thrive," said Alex Fong, Sr. Director of Business Development at Microsoft. "The content provided through the Small Business Connection hub will give small businesses guidance on realizing the impact of technology, the importance of security and the opportunity to leverage enterprise capabilities to better collaborate and enhance productivity." "Small Business Connection will provide a broad base of knowledge that will help small businesses with expert, unbiased business advice for managing and growing a business," said Steve Calkins, executive vice president, business solutions division for Office Depot, Inc. "We are proud to be a part of this worthy endeavor." "Like Web.com, the Small Business Connection is committed to helping small businesses succeed in every way possible," said Scott Helfrich, senior vice president, business development for Web.com. "The combined knowledge among the partner companies, shared over a Web.com platform, provides small businesses incredible tools they would not otherwise have in one place." About Allstate Business Insurance About Allstate Benefits About Capital One About Legal Zoom About Microsoft SMB About Office Depot, Inc. The company has annual sales of approximately $16 billion, employs approximately 56,000 associates, and serves consumers and businesses in 56 countries with approximately 1,800 retail stores, award-winning e-commerce sites and a dedicated business-to-business sales organization – all delivered through a global network of wholly owned operations, joint ventures, franchisees, licensees and alliance partners. The company operates under several banner brands including Office Depot, OfficeMax, OfficeMax Grand & Toy, Reliable and Viking. The company's portfolio of exclusive product brands includes TUL, Foray, Brenton Studio, Ativa, WorkPro, Realspace and HighMark. Office Depot, Inc.'s common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol ODP. Additional press information can be found at: http://news.officedepot.com. About Web.com Media Contact: Video - http://youtu.be/R4Gk6312T0k
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/major-corporations-team-up-to-support-small-businesses-across-the-us-with-free-online-resource-website-300076457.html SOURCE Small Business Connection |