Dictionary

This site provides several definitions of feasibility. Feasibility studies are important since they help the entrepreneur determine the viability of their venture before committing their time to a full scale business plan. The basic question answered by a feasibility study is: Is this business a good idea?

Cooperative Feasibility Study Guide

This site is a United Sates Cooperative Feasibility Study Guide. It presents the important elements to consider when constructing a feasibility study. A sample of a feasibility study is included.

Notheast CHP Application Center

This site provides a comprehensive, extended sample of a feasibility study for a heat and power plant.

SME Toolkit

This site provides a comprehensive toolkit for assisting the entrepreneur in his/her efforts to build their business. Such topics as accounting and finance, business planning, human resources, international business, legal and insurance, marketing and sales, operations, and technology are included. In terms of accounting and finance, specific guidelines are provided in regard to bookkeeping and cash flow management, budgeting and forecasting, credit and collections, financial management and reporting, finding financing, and payroll.

SCORE

SCORE is a comprehensive small business assistance site which features interactive mentoring of aspiring entrepreneurs who are United States citizens by retired executives and business owners. Score has a plethora of online resources to help the entrepreneur finance their own business, including start-up financing, getting a loan, tax tips, business columns, business quizzes, and finance options.

Business.gov

This is the official business link to the United States Government. The link includes the ability to search for loans and grants provided by the United States government. The site also includes comprehensive guidelines for assisting the entrepreneur regarding a wide variety of small business concerns, including financing one’s business. The site specifically provides guidelines for financing your business, managing your finances, and insuring your business.

Small Business Administration

The Small Business Association provides guidelines and free online workshops on a wide range of topics related to starting and maintaining a small business. In terms of guidelines related to finance, information provided by the SBA includes general financing and accounting as well as loan and funding information. There is also information on how to prepare a loan package.

Consumer Reports

This Consumer Reports article explains how entrepreneurs can tap a variety of resources to finance their new businesses.

Score

A nonprofit organization of retired executives who assist U.S. citizens interested in starting and/or growing their own businesses. The section includes a comprehensive template for writing a business plan as well as online workshops.

Small Business Administration

This section of the site of the SBA features online training related to the formation of a business plan. Such topics as strategic planning, essential elements of a good business plan, writing the business plan, and using the business plan to start and maintain one’s business are included in this section of the site. The workshop includes audio and is self-paced.

My Own Business

This site features a comprehensive lesson plan on how to write a business plan. Such topics as what is a business plan, the business plan format, six steps to a great business plan, necessary factors to a business plan, and formulating and reformulating your business plan are included on the site.

Microsoft Small Business Center

This section includes a quick nine step plan for writing a business plan. Also featured on this site is a variety of information for assisting entrepreneurs with start-up ventures.

Small Business Administration

This section of the SBA site features a variety of information pertaining to market research. Considerations related to market research, why do market research, how to conduct market research, and the process of conducting market research are included on this section of the site.

Ohio Library Council

Although this site is primarily for guiding librarians in their efforts to assist patrons in conducting market research, it consists of many relevant features for the entrepreneur. Such topics as internal vs. external marketing research and how to write a marketing plan are included on this site.

Job Accomodaton Network

SOAR (Searchable Online Accommodation Database) is an offshoot of JAN Network. This particular link provides the reader with an extensive list of associations and organizations related to entrepreneurship and disabilities.

Tradeport

This site provides an extensive tutorial related to market research. Aside from reviewing why marketing research is important and how it is conducted, the site also discusses the distinction between primary and secondary market research. The site also reviews how to identify potential markets and considers what\ trade barriers may exist for different markets.

About.com

This site of About.com provides advice on how to recruit “stars” to your organization. Also included as links to this site are articles on a wide variety of recruitment-oriented topics, including employee recruiting, networking, developing a candidate pool, and job descriptions.

Entrepreneur.com

This article by Entrepreneur.com focuses on how to recruit top talent. It includes four tips on how to improve the organizational culture of your company. Entrepreneur.com features many useful tools for the entrepreneur, including information on compensation and benefits and employee law.

Work Force Institute

This 14 page document compiled by Mel Kleiman of the Workforce Institute reviews how to find and recruit employees for an organization. The document discusses a step-by-step approach towards recruiting personnel.

Smart Money Small Biz

This article from smallbiz.com features tips for better returns on training. The site features a wide variety of guidelines related to human resources functions of a business including information on health care for the employees of your organization.

Essortment

This site contains a basic article on points to consider when training personnel.

Mission Statement

A mission statement provides an overview of the underlying purpose of your organization. A mission statement is essential for providing an ethical framework for an organization’s activities. Here are some helpful guides related to the development of mission statements:

Stakeholders

Stakeholders are parties that affect or are affected by the individual or organization that is the unit of analysis. The following guides can be used to assist in the development of stakeholder analyses:

SWOT Analyses

A SWOT analysis traditionally considers the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that confront an organization. Strengths are things your organization is currently good at, and weaknesses are things that your organization currently has some limitations in its operations. Opportunities are things that could go right for the organization in the future, and threats are things that could go wrong in the future. Obviously companies will reveal their strengths before they reveal their weaknesses. Also, it is arguably more difficult to determine opportunities and threats than it is to determine strengths and weaknesses. This is because opportunities and threats occur in the future. The following links should guide your understanding of SWOT analyses:

Marketing Plan

The marketing plan provides a blueprint to attract and persuade potential investors, clients, and/or customers. The marketing plan is a means of conveying and promoting the marketing strategy. The following links should guide your understanding of the development of a marketing plan:

Business Plan

A business plan provides the blueprint of an organization. The purpose of a business plan can be twofold:

• To provide a document used to persuade investors.
• To provide a working plan for members of the organization.

It is essential to have a business plan if you wish to start your own business. The following links should be helpful in learning about business plans: