It is really not very hard, and if you simply follow the steps
below, in order, it is not very difficult, either.
From: http://www.sba.gov/
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| Startup Basics |
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Starting a business can be an exciting
venture offering many rewards. However, you must be prepared and
you must understand the basics. |
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Free
Small Business Startup Guide |
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| Business Planning |
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| Planning is one of the most important
aspects of starting a business. Proper planning is needed for
success in business and, for that matter, anything you do in
life. |
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| Financing |
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All businesses require some form of
financing. Learn about raising capital, borrowing money and
managing the financial operations of your business. |
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| Marketing |
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| Marketing is all about satisfying customer
needs. Learn how to better understand customer needs and ways to
satisfy those needs. |
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| Employees |
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The employees of a business are its most
important asset. Learn how to find and manage your employees
successfully. |
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| Taxes |
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| Understanding tax requirements is a
necessary aspect of all businesses. Learn about payroll taxes,
employee identification numbers, Federal income taxes, and other
required taxes. |
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| Legal Aspects |
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Following the conceptual stage of starting a
business, a prospective owner will move towards the actual legal
formation of the business. There is much that needs to be known
about forms of ownership, required licenses and business law. |
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| Special Interest |
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SBA offers many special programs and
supports many special interests. Within its mission to assist
the development and growth of small businesses, the SBA has a
vast menu of focused initiatives.
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BASICS
Web Sites
Business
Dictionaries from Your Dictionary.com
Business dictionaries containing information ranging from bankruptcy to
commercial fraud. Over fifteen different dictionaries to choose from. The quick
and easy way to find the correct meanings of terms as they pertain to business.
Business N@tion
"Small business center: how-to advice & ideas for starting a small
business, 350,000+ web site links; 2,500+ small business articles, forms &
letters, resources...." Read about business opportunities, news, polls, and
additional resources.
Georgia Career Information
System
Subscription database available in the Athens-Clarke County Library. Information
covers starting a business, laws, market strategies, self-employment
information, and financial needs.
Small Business
Administration - Starting Your Business
Contains start-up basics, planning, financing, marketing, and employing. Also
contains legal aspects and tax information.
Books
How to Start A Business in Georgia: With Forms, 2nd ed.
Naperville: Sphinx Pub., 2001.
Call No.: BREF 346.758 ROBERTSO
This is a helpful book to use in getting started. It tells you what the State
expects and where to get information within Georgia. There is also a circulating
copy that can be checked out.
Inc. Yourself: How to Profit by Setting up Your Own Corporation,
9th ed. New York: Broadway Books, 1999.
Call No.: 658.1145 MCQUOWN
This book gives you a broader perspective on incorporation than individual state
guides. McQuown explains basic law in plain language so it is easier to read and
to understand than many other sources.
Small Business Sourcebook: the entrepreneur's resource, 14th ed.
Detroit: Gale Group, 2001.
Call No.: BREF 658.022 Small (2 vols)
This 2 volume set provides 97 chapters dealing with specific types of small
business. Each topical chapter contains associations and organizations,
educational programs, reference works, sources of supply, statistical sources,
trade periodicals, videocassettes and audiocassettes, trade shows and
conventions, consultants, computerized databases, computer systems software,
internet databases, libraries, research centers and incubators related to that
business. There is also a state directory.
OWNERSHIP
Web Sites
The Business
Link
Although Canadian, this site is designed to assist entrepreneurs as they begin
and build their businesses. Included are links to pages that cover
characteristics of successful entrepreneurs and self-analysis questions to
evaluate entrepreneurial traits and skills.
Business Owner's
Toolkit- Do You Have What It Takes?
Designed to make prospective business owners think through the process and the
consequences of starting their own business. Includes an online small business
advice column, links to tools including downloadable forms, checklists, model
business plans, and a bookstore.
Georgia Career Information
System
Subscription database accessible from the Athens-Clarke County Library. The
Self-Employment section contains forms, laws, opportunities, ideas, and
guidelines for owning and operating a business.
Small Business Development Centers
Describes SBA(Small Business Administration) services and offices. Includes
development, financing, legislation, research, and employment information.
Typical
Characteristics Of Successful Entrepreneurs
Site from the University of Alabama Birmingham, Small Business Development
Center. Lists some of the traits that are characteristic of people who build
successful businesses.
TYPES OF BUSINESSES
Web Sites
Georgia Career Information
System
Subscription database accessible from the Athens-Clarke County Library. Under
the Self-Employment section find business ideas, examples of self-employment
opportunities, and information about buying a business or franchise.
Startup Journal- Wall Street Journal
Center for Entrepreneurs
Articles on franchising to assist in finding a fit between the franchise and
prospective owner. The Franchises for Sale section has a brief description of a
variety of franchising opportunities and one can click to request more
information via e-mail.
The
Top 40 Homebased Business Resources
An article by Laura Tiffany in the August 2002 online magazine, HomeOfficeMag.com.
Lists the best resources for home-based businesses.
START UP KITS & MANUALS
Web Sites
Start-Up Kits
Easy to read guides on how to start and run more than 40 different types of
businesses. Follow links to the SmallBizBooks.com
bookstore to order additional materials.
Books & Magazines
The Small Business Start-up Kit. Berkeley: Nolo, 2001.
Call No.: 658.022 Pakroo
Forms in this book are also on computer optical laser disk (CD) so you can print
them out as needed.
Entrepreneur Magazine. Irvine: Entrepreneur Media Inc., 2001.
Publisher of a number of start-up guides to specific businesses such as
automobile detailing, consignment clothing stores, herb farming, family hair
salons, etc.
FINANCING
Web Sites
Counseling the Small
Business Client in Georgia: How to Finance the Small Business
Information compiled by Scott Withrow for the National Business Institute in
Atlanta on May 5, 1999. Discusses marketing and financing a small business. A
list of various business loans is given along with an explanation of them.
"This site includes a summary of certain legal issues facing small
businesses today. This site does not, and is not intended to, give legal
advice."
Small Business
Development Center Gopher/ Financial Assistance
Takes user to text documents from the Small Business Administration on all
aspects of financing a business.
Books & Magazines
Entrepreneur Magazine's Financing Your Small Business: How to
Raise the Money You Need. Irvine: Entrepreneur Media Inc., 2001.
Call No.: BREF 658.02 Entre No. 1806
One of Entrepreneur Magazine's Business Management Series. Chapters cover topics
such as start-up financing, various types of loans and financing, writing a
business plan, equipment leasing and incubators. Appendices are directories by
state of places to get more information.
LEGAL ISSUES
Web Sites
BusinessLaw.gov
"BusinessLaw.gov is an online resource guide designed to provide legal and
regulatory information to America's small businesses. Because laws and
regulations affect every aspect of business strategy, topics covered on the site
range from the most basic and crucial, such as choosing a business structure, to
the most complex and specialized such as e-commerce and exporting."
FindForms.com
A legal forms search engine that can help you locate both free and
"Premium" (state specific legal forms) that can be purchased. The free
forms are divided into such categories as wills, eviction, bankruptcy, powers of
attorney, and leases.
FindLaw for Business
This site provides online articles and guides to all kinds of business
information from finding space for an office to intellectual property issues.
There are links to search a legal dictionary and for all sorts of legal forms,
contracts, and cases and codes. In addition, you can register for a free
newsletter.
Books & Magazines
Legal Forms for Starting and Running a Small Business, 2nd ed.
Berkeley: Nolo, 2001.
Call No.: 346.7306
Provides a variety of basic business forms needed by small business. A computer
laser optical disk makes it easy to print out nice looking forms.
Legal Guide for Starting and Running a Small Business. Berkeley:
Nolo, 2001.
Call No.: 346.73
MARKET ANALYSIS & MARKETING PLANS
Web Sites
Georgia
Community Indicators
"This is an interactive on-line resource where users can get information
about their communities. The database for Community Indicators includes data for
more than 450 Georgia communities. The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has
developed Community Indicators to assist users with understanding and assessing
the quality of life in the State's communities."
Georgia 2000 Information System
"Georgia 2000 [is] a powerful decision-support tool geared for business
owners, consultants, community planners, educators and researchers. This site
for demographic and statistical information on Georgia is developed by the
Office of Information Technology Outreach Services (ITOS)." Registration is
FREE. Reports are available by counties, municipalities, states and other
geographies. Report information includes education, rent, housing value, income,
industry, mortgage status, and occupation.
SCORE - Counselors to America's Small
Business
". . . a nonprofit association dedicated to providing entrepreneurs with
free, confidential face-to-face and email business counseling .... From
marketing advice to finances, sales and operations, SCORE counselors will help
you find the answers. Just as important, counselors will help you develop and
think through your business plan to make sure you’re asking the right
questions."
SCORE Atlanta
These web pages provide information on the national organization, contact
information for the Atlanta chapter of SCORE, and gives the satellite branches
for counseling throughout Georgia. (One is listed in Athens)
Books & Magazines
Georgia County Guide. Tifton: Rural Development Center,
Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georgia, 1981- .
Call No.: RREF317.58
The current issue of this annual publication is kept at Ready Reference in the
Reference Area. The back issues are shelved in The Heritage Room.
Georgia Statistical Abstract. Athens: University of Georgia, Terry
College of Business, Selig Center for Economic Growth, 1990- .
Call No.: RREF317.58
The 2000-2001 issue has a CD that makes searching much easier and the data can
be copied and pasted, downloaded, or e-mailed.
The current issue of this annual publication is kept at Ready Reference in the
Reference Area. The back issues are shelved in The Heritage Room.
Marketing Research, 7th ed. New York: Wiley, 2001.
Call No.: BREF 658.83
Basically a textbook, this source will help the novice in marketing to
understand marketing research and how and why to do it. There is an excellent
table of contents and a good index that make it easy to use to find specific
information.
Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide. Rand McNally
& Co., c2001.
Call No.: REF 911
Revised annually this detailed, accurate and comprehensive tool has a wealth of
information on the United States. The colored state maps are large and show both
political and physical features. Statistics are given for counties and for MSAs
(Metropolitan Statistical Areas). For the currency and quality of geographic
information this tool is hard to beat.
BUSINESS PLANS
Web Sites
Finding
Demographic Information
Prepared April 1997 by Cal Gough for The Ivan Allen, Jr., Department (Business,
Science & Technology) at the Central Library of of the Atlanta-Fulton County
Public Library System. A pathfinder leading you through the process and sources
to use so you learn how to locate demographic information in
commercially-produced sources, federal government documents, state and local
sources, and in periodicals. Although geared to Atlanta-Fulton Public Library,
the sources can be found many other places and the steps for research are
useful.
The Simon Selig Center, University
of Georgia
This research division of the Terry College of Business at UGA, publishes a
variety of information with some of the most valuable being major economic
impact studies, economic forecasts, and data products, like the Georgia
Statistical Abstract. The purpose is to help guide business decisions and public
policy directions by making accurate information available for decision makers.
Small
Business Administration- Business Plan Basics
Learn how to write a business plan and view examples. A breakdown of the
business plan includes description, marketing, finances, and management.
Available in Spanish.
Writing a Business
Plan
Small Business Development Center, Georgia State University. This document
clearly spells out why you do a business plan and even tells you how long each
section should be and how to make it look good. The author of this document
stresses the fact that a business plan should be developed unemotionally.
INCUBATORS
Web Sites
National Business Incubation
Association
"The National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) is the world's leading
organization advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship. It provides
thousands of professionals with the information, education, advocacy and
networking resources to bring excellence to the process of assisting early-stage
companies worldwide."
WOMEN & MINORITIES
Web Sites
SBA - Online Women's Business
Center
"OWBO promotes the growth of women-owned businesses through programs that
address business training and technical assistance, and provide access to credit
and capital, federal contracts, and international trade opportunities."
Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Icelandic, and
Arabic.
African
American Women Entrepreneurs@ Home
The mission is to connect women of all colors to e-Business Resources through
email, message boards, real-time collaboration and email groups. "Our goal
is to ensure that you are kept abreast of major issues that impact the small
business industry, create an online community where information is easily
accessible 24/7 and to foster mentorship and networking opportunities among
aaweh members."
Georgia
Women ENtrepreneurs (GWEN)
"In 1999, the GSBDC began a statewide initiative for women business owners
called Georgia Women Entrepreneurs (GWEN) that operates as part of the Georgia
SBDC Network. This initiative has two major goals: to provide technical
assistance needed to help women-owned businesses grow and become a even greater
economic force in Georgia, and to provide sharing and networking opportunities
among Georgia women business owners."
Governor's
Small Business Center - Department of Administrative Services
"The Governor’s Small Business Center, works with state agencies,
authorities, commissions, boards and institutions to provide the small and
minority business communities with access to information and bid opportunities.
In addition to providing information, technical assistance, and training, we aim
to help you understand exactly how to do business with the state."
National Association
of Women Business Owners, Atlanta Chapter
"The Atlanta Chapter provides monthly meetings to support and educate women
business owners in the Atlanta area." Topics include owner certification,
administration, procurement, financing, educational opportunities, and bid
opportunities.
National Women Business Owners
Corporation
"The National Women Business Owners Corporation TM, a national 501(c)(3)
not-for-profit corporation, was established to increase competition for
corporate and government contracts through implementation of a pioneering
economic development strategy for women business owners. NWBOC is a sister
organization to the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and
the Center for Women's Business Research (CWBR)."
GEORGIA & ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY RESOURCES
Web Sites
georgia.gov-
Business Services and Employment
Includes information about starting and operating a business, doing business
with the state, employment, licensing, industry, and consumer protection.
Georgia Small Business
Development Center Network, University of Georgia
This web site describes the mission, services offered by, and information
available to help small business owners from the GSBDC. There are links to
publications and articles on a variety of topics. The Resources section is
especially helpful with information not easily obtained elsewhere plus there is
a fairly comprehensive list of useful links.
Local
Information- Small Business Administration Services and Centers
Online list of types of SBA services and SBA Offices. Each service or office is
then listed by state. The types of SBA services you can access include: Business
Information Centers, Certified Development Companies, Certified-Preferred
Lenders, Minority Enterprise Development Staff, Microloan Lender Participants,
Public Information Officers, Service Corps of Retired Executives, Small Business
Development Centers, Small Business Investment Companies, and United States
Export Assistance Centers. There are also state economic profiles that you can
choose by year to get historical information for research.
State
Business Information - Georgia
Part of the Bankrate.com web site that
includes business, consumer and financial information for each state.
Unified Government of
Athens-Clarke County
"The Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County's Home on the
Internet." Links to the Code of Athens-Clarke County, purchasing and bid
requirements and procedures, and information on business workshops and other
programs(under Human and Economic Development).
