Small Business Resources

Operating a small business can be challenging, but this is a great time to open a small business. This website has been set up to offer you tools and sources of information to make it easier to operate your business, to attract new customers, and to successfully reach your business goals*.

Free College Classes

• www.edx.org/
  

Free Library

• www.overdrive.com

The Importance of Environmental Awareness When Running a Business

• https://online.maryville.edu/blog/importance-of-environmental-awareness-when-running-a-business/

Starting a Business – Tools and Resources

• www.fiscaltiger.com/resources-for-women-starting-a-business/
• www.finimpact.com/starting-a-business/
• www.connection.com/content/technology-resources/entrepreneurs-guide-to-starting-home-business

NAICS Code search and Size standards

• www.naics.com/search/

Business Plans

• www.bplans.com
• www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/write-your-business-planwww.sba.gov/tools/businessplan/1
• www.sbdcnet.org/small-business-information-center/business-plan/
• www.finimpact.com/writing-a-business-plan/
• https://wyomingllcattorney.com/Blog/How-to-Write-a-Business-Plan

Business Entity Types

(Sole Proprietorship, LLC, Partnership, S Corporation, C Corporation)

• www.incorporate.com
• https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/forming-a-business-entity

Business License

• www.finimpact.com/business-license/

Business Disaster Recovery Planning Guide

• www.comparitech.com/net-admin/small-business-continuity/

Finance

• Buzgate.org
• www.netmba.com/finance/

  Mortgage Calculator

• www.bankrate.com/brm/news/biz/bizcalcs/ratiocalcs.asp

  Dictionary of Money and Investing

• www.duke.edu/~charvey/Classes/wpg/glossary.htm

  Beginner’s Guide to Financial Statement

• www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/begfinstmtguide.htm

  How to Read an Annual Report

• www.moneychimp.com/articles /financials/fundamentals.htm

  How to Read a Prospectus: a guide for beginning investors

• www.sos.mo.gov/securities/pubs/prospectus.asp

  Business Insurance Guide for Small Business – 10 Steps to Making Your Small Business Stand Out

• www.businessinsurance.org/

  Unlocking the secrets of a Proxy Statement

• www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2002-03-03/unlocking-the-secrets-of-a-proxy-statement

Finding Financing

Bankrate article for the female entrepreneur

• www.bankrate.com/loans/closing-the-gap-how-to-overcome-obstacles-as-a-female-entrepreneur/

 From Friending to Funding Collaborative Funding

• www.indiegogo.com/

  Fundable

• www.fundable.com

  Grants

• www.grants.gov
• www.grants.gov/learn-grants/grant-programs.html
• www.finimpact.com/small-business-grants/

  Kickstarter

• www.kickstarter.com/

  List of Venture Capital in Michigan

• michiganvca.org/

  Loans

• www.finimpact.com/how-to-get-a-small-business-loan/

 On Deck

• www.ondeck.com

  SBA Funding Programs

• www.sba.gov/funding-programs

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program funds
Research and Development (R&D) that has the potential for
commercialization.

• grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm

  National Venture Capital Association

• www.nvca.org

Marketing

  Advertising Plan Example

• https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advertising-plan-outline-example-66260.html
• https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-prepare-an-advertising-plan

  Advantages and Disadvantages of Various Advertising
Mediums

• www.powerhomebiz.com/vol118/admediums.htm

  Gaebler.com Marketing Resources for Entrepreneurs

• www.gaebler.com/

  The Publicity Hound (Tips of the Week Newsletter)

• www.PublicityHound.com

  Marketing Plans

    Marketing Plan Tutorial

• www.knowthis.com/marketing-tutorials/

Research and Statistics

  Bureau of Labor Statistics

• www.bls.gov

  Cayenne Consulting – The Entrepreneur’s Library – Market Research Tools

• www.caycon.com/resources.php?s=6

  Dun & Bradstreet

• www.dnb.com/us /

  Epodunk: The Power of Place

• www.epodunk.com

Industry Statistics

• www.bizstats.com
• www.census.gov/

Industry Trends

• www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/outlooks/industry-outlooks.html
• www.ibisworld.com/industry-trends/
• MarketResearch.com
• www.strategyand.pwc.com/industry-trends

Market Research Tutorial

• www.knowthis.com/marketing-research/research-intro/

Market Segments

• www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/products/tapestry-segmentation/zip-lookup

Michigan Electronic Library

• www.mel.org

MIT Library – Marketing

• libguides.mit.edu/marketing

Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights

• www.copyright.gov
• www.freepatentsonline.com
• www.sumobrain.com
• www.uspto.gov
• www.inventorsdigest.com

Small Business Facts

www.smbtn.com/smallbusinessfacts

Statistics by Zip code

• www.bestplaces.net/City
• data.census.gov/cedsci/all?q=zip code

Tech Industry Statistics By the Numbers

• seekingalpha.com/article/89977datadumptechindustrystatisticsbythenumbers

U.S. Census

• www.census.gov

VALS Survey

• www.strategicbusinessinsights.com/vals/ustypes.shtml
• www.strategicbusinessinsights.com/vals/presurvey.shtml

Small Business Resources

SBA.Gov

• www.sba.gov/business-guide/10-steps-start-your-business/

AllBusiness, A D&B Company – Small Business Articles and resources

• www.allbusiness.com

BusinessUSA

• https://www.usa.gov/business?source=busa

Buzgate – America’s Small Business Assistance Network

• www.buzgate.org

Edward Lowe Foundation – Second Stage Entrepreneurs, Resource Center

• www.edwardlowe.org/index.elf?page=sserc

Encyclopedia of Small Business Articles

• www.referenceforbusiness.com/small

Entrepreneurship Resources

Entrepreneurship.org

• www.entrepreneurship.org/

Investing in a Business

• https://www.annuity.org/financial-literacy/investing-business/www.entrepreneurship.org/

Gaebler.com Resources for Entrepreneurs

• www.gaebler.com

IdeaCafe Small – Business Ideas

• www.businessownersideacafe.com

Find Law Small Business Resources

• https://www.findlaw.com/smallbusiness/starting-a-business/state-resources-starting-a-business.html

Women’s Business Resources

• www.miwomen.com
• www.wbenc.org
• https://www.houzz.com/pro-learn/blog/resources-for-women-in-construction

National Federation of Independent Business, The Voice of Small Business

• www.nfib.com/

National Retail Federation

• www.nrf.com

SCORE

• www.score.org/

Small Business Association of Michigan

• www.sbam.org

Small Business Government Resources

Michigan Economic Development

• www.michiganadvantage.org

OSHA for Small Business

• www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/index.html

Score – Service Corps of Retired Executives

• www.score.org

Small Business Administration

• www.sba.gov

Small Business Information Center

• sbdcnet.org

State of Michigan

• www.michigan.gov

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Center

• www.uschamber.com/sb

* Disclaimer: SmallBizResources.org seeks to ensure that all content and information published at this Website is current and accurate. The information at SmallBizResources.org does not in any way constitute legal or professional advice and SmallBizResources.org cannot be held liable for actions arising from its use. In addition, SmallBizResources.org cannot be held responsible for the contents of any externally linked pages.