Small Business & Entrepreneurship

Resources for entrepreneurs: those who organize, manage, and assume the risks of a business or enterprise.

Sub-headings:

African American entrepreneurs

Asian American entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs with disabilities

Hispanic American entrepreneurs

Native American entrepreneurs

Women entrepreneurs

Resources in this category:

American Booksellers Association
http://www.bookweb.org/

"Offers education, services and products, advocacy, and relevant business information" for independent booksellers. Contains updates on events, booklists, book news and resources, connections through forums, a wiki, a blog, a member directory and a booksellers' resource directory.

The Business Start Page
http://www.bspage.com/

The Business Start Page is suggested by its author as a page from which the business owner can launch his work on the internet, rather than "surfing" around trying to find useful business information. The page has little original content but is regularly updated and contains links useful to business people. A section called The Virtual Desk links to phone and business directories and general reference tools. The Reference Library has links to business reference sources and other sections are featured with subjects deemed by the author to be of interest to small business owners.

CCH Business Owner's Toolkit
http://www.toolkit.com/

A resource for small business owners that covers topics like starting your business and managing finances. Provides access to a wide variety of business tools, including forms and model business plans. The section of the site that offers business reports and trademark/patent searches requires registration and fees.

Center for Business Planning
http://www.businessplans.org/

"The Center for Business Planning provides any business manager or entrepreneur with a set of resources to help in creating a business or managing a business. Information is provided on every area of planning a business including: acquire venture capital, define new products, market analysis, competitive analysis, production management, tax problems, legal issues, prepare financial statements, write a business plan and much more."

The Edward Lowe Foundation
http://edwardlowe.org/

Provides a wide-range of information for entrepreneurs, especially second-stage entrepreneurs, including forums on finance, human resources, legal issues, technology and marketing.

ENTERWeb: The Enterprise Development Website
http://www.enterweb.org/

A portal for information on enterprise development, international trade, finance, and economics on a global scale. Also provides business-related information and links on a country-by-country basis, mostly for developing countries and emerging markets.

Entrepreneur's Library
http://www.caycon.com/resources.php

This is a directory of resources including articles and websites developed specifically to assist entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground.

Entrepreneurs' Help Page
http://www.tannedfeet.com/

"This site is designed, created, and published by a group of young professionals. We put together our skills and knowledge to publish this site to help out other young people or inexperienced business people with good ideas and the desire to start their own business. This web site distributes basic information on legal, financial, and management issues that commonly affect (or afflict!) people who are just starting up their businesses." Extensive articles on opening and financing a business. Legal resources on incorporation, intellectual property, taxation, contracts, and links to legal forms. New content added often.

Entrepreneurship.org-Fostering Entrepreneurship Worldwide
http://www.entrepreneurship.org/

Contains information about all areas of entrepreneurship. It is a joint venture from the Ewing Marion Kaufman Foundation and the US Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA) to promote best practices and improve economic growth around the world.

FCIC: Small Business - Starting and Managing a Business Links
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/links/sm69links.htm

The Small Business section of the U.S. Government Consumer Information Center has links to government and private websites offering resources for small businesses.

FindLaw for Small Business
http://smallbusiness.findlaw.com/

General and legal information relevant to small businesses. Its "Self Help Legal Guides" on topics such as "Business Formation", "Business Planning", "Finance", and "Human Resources" include articles, web links, FAQs and forms.

Free Business Planning Information and Resources from BizPlanIt
http://www.bizplanit.com/free.html

Offers free business plan information, advice, articles, links, book suggestions, and a free monthly newsletter. The 'Virtual Business Plan' presents tips and examples for each section of a business plan.

Free Management Library
http://www.managementhelp.org/

Web directory. The Free Management Library provides extensive how-to management information to nonprofit and for-profit managers with very limited resources.

Free Sample Business Plans
http://www.bplans.com/

Make a business plan, view sample plans, get templates, calculate starting costs, and get advice on funding, growing, and running a business.

A Guide to Finding Business Information at the Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/guide/guide1/sharp13.html

House Committee on Small Business
http://wwwc.house.gov/smbiz/

"The House Permament Select Committee on Small Business was created just days before war broke out in 1941 to help small businesses participate in the federal defense production program. Since then, the House Committee on Small Business has engaged in expanding the participation of the entrepreneur and small business owner in the great American marketplace." Areas of the Committee's jurisdiction include assistance to and protection of small business, including financial aid, regulatory flexibility, and paperwork reduction and the participation of small-business enterprises in Federal procurement and Government contracts.

How To Guides for Starting and Running a Business
http://www.entrepreneur.com/howto/index.html

Resources on starting a business, money, management, marketing, sales, advertising, human resources, and technology from Entrepreneur.com.

Inc.com
http://www.inc.com/home/index.html

Inc.com contains resources, handpicked by Inc.com editors, on specific business-management issues. Use them to discover strategies for starting, growing, and running your business more effectively and successfully.

Industry Canada
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ic1.nsf/eng/h_00000.html?OpenDo...

Canada's department of industry site offers resources for businesses and consumers. Program areas include developing industry and technology capability, promoting investment and trade, promoting tourism and small business development, and setting rules and services that support the effective operation of the marketplace.

IRS.gov Home
http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/

The main site for U.S. Internal Revenue Service on the Web. This site contains a great deal of information for both individual and business taxpayers, as well a downloadable tax forms, instructions and IRS publications. Individuals can use an interactive tool Tax Trails to find out the answers to frequently asked questions about exemptions, deductions and credits. A text-only version is also available.

Managing a Small Business
http://www.liraz.com/

This site, from a commercial publisher of business books and CD-ROMs, has useful articles and tips for small business owners, many of which are excerpts from the company's products, but are meaty enough to be useful online. Tips on goal setting, managing people, managing yourself, being an entrepreneur, planning, marketing, cutting expenses, and more.

Minority Business Development Agency
http://www.mbda.gov/

General information on federal government management and technical assistance programs to assist minority-owned businesses.

PricewaterhouseCoopers' Vision to Reality
http://www.pwc.com/extweb/home.nsf/docid/EE9516C31B839411CA2...

An entrepreneur's resource center provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers. They offer users business plan templates, financial models and technology sector-specific ratios, benchmarks and more.

Restaurant Report
http://www.restaurantreport.com/

Catering to the independent restaurant owner, this site provides information on restaurant management as well as tips on how to deliver "outstanding local dining experiences!" Restaurant Report is a sister site to RunningRestaurants.com and is the publisher of a major industry e-newsletter. Offers a wealth of information, including: 25 top ranked industry websites, a buyer's guide, links to products and services, an events calendar, an online store, and articles on restaurant ownership and management.

Senate Committee on Small Business
http://sbc.senate.gov/

The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship reports on matters related to the Small Business Administration (SBA), and problems of American small business enterprises.

Starting a Small Business
http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48527

This IPL pathfinder is an overview on the basics of starting your own business. It contains both Internet and print sources as well as organizations and periodicals on planning and running a company. The information is geared toward opening and running a small business in the United States.

Startup Company Valuation Calculator
http://www.caycon.com/valuation.php

This is an educational and humorous multiple-choice quiz for estimating the value of an early-stage company.

The Law & Your Business
http://www.abanet.org/publiced/practical/businesshome.html

Advice from the American Bar Association on legal issues involved in running a business from your home.

U. S. Small Business Administration
http://www.sba.gov/

Provides information and resources on the U.S. Small Business Administration programs and publications about starting, financing, and expanding a small business. The SBA also plays a major role in the government's disaster relief efforts by making low-interest recovery loans to both homeowners and businesses.

Yahoo Small Business
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-index

News, tips, and articles for small business owners. Topics include getting started, marketing, online business, management, legal and financial issues. Also offers a business dictionary and web domains for small businesses.