Research Guides: Small Business
Large & General Sites
- Business USA - New site from the Federal Government - "A product of collective thoughts and inputs from the following agencies who have pledged their commitment to making this site a one-stop shop for everything related to business in the USA." Agencies include Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, and more.
- Doing Business on the Internet - Library of Congress Internet Resource Page which lists general sources for doing business on the Internet. Internet business directories, Internet service and consultants for business.
- Edward Lowe Foundation - Their mission is to champion the entrepreneurial spirit by providing information, research, and educational experiences which support small business people. They have a searchable full-text small business database which can be browsed by category or by subject.
- FindLaw Small Business Center - One of the most comprehensive legal resources on the Internet providing information and resources for small business owners and help for entrepreneurs seeking to get a business idea off the ground. Get information on choosing and forming the right legal structure for your business, legal tips, an overview of employment law issues, and more.
- Idea Cafe - Idea Cafe creator Francie Ward aims for a "fun approach to serious business" in this colorful small business resource site. Advice and articles on financing a business, starting a business, running a business, using new technologies, and communicating effectively with employees and clients are provided.
- Office of Women's Business Ownership - Prepared by the Small Business Administration to help women entrepreneurs start or expand their businesses.
- Sample Business Plans - Every good business starts with a plan--more specifically, a business plan. If you're thinking of starting a business, but don't know the difference between an executive summary and a start-up summary, you'll want to take the crash course this very helpful site provides. Peruse over 500 sample business plans to get a general idea of what your pitch should include, then move on to the extensive tutorial section to help craft your own. Pointers, suggestions, dos and don'ts are all included. You'll also find tutorials for marketing plans, lessons on cash v profits, and a couple dozen helpful links. A fantastic resource and a definite bookmark for the entrepreneurial minded.
- U.S. Small Business Administration - SBA.gov provides a wide variety of information of interest to not only the prospective small business owner, but to people who already are operating a small business. You can find pointers to sources of financing, business plan samples and forms, managing a small business, and business opportunities.
- Women-Owned Business - Yahoo! Directory of various web-based sources of information for and about women in business.
- Yahoo's Small Business - Nice pointers to many sites of interest to people setting up small business.
State Information
- California Business Programs - From the California Secretary of State, this site lists all the information needed to start a business in California. It includes information on statutorily required filings, trademarks, service marks, UCC financing statements, and Notary Public Commissions.
Local Information
- Humboldt Economic Index - Produced by the Economics Department at HSU, this site contains both current and historic data on various indicators of economic activity in Humboldt, e.g., median home prices, unemployment rate, etc.
- Northcoast Small Business Development Center - This site is dedicated to helping both current and prospective small business owners learn about how to set up a business in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. For personal assistance and for quick one stop answers to your business related questions, use BizNet.
- Redwood Region Economic Development Commission - This site lists various ways to find information on how to do business in Humboldt County.