Small Business Resources
This guide lists books, databases and Internet sources
that specifically relate to the operations of small business. Many of the
websites included here may have a commercial interest, but attempts have been
made to select only sites that have some free information to non subscribers as
well.
See the UWF Eli Research Guides
A-Z List for additional resources.
Research Guides and MetaLists: One Stop Shops
- American Express Small Business Exchange
http://www.americanexpress.com/homepage/personal.shtml
- Provides in depth information for beginners as well as veteran
entrepreneurs. Includes a good discussion of doing business abroad
- Business Resource Center
http://www.morebusiness.com
- Provides practical advice and tips to small-business owners and offers
books, software and agreement kits for sale.
- CCH Business Owner's Toolkit
http://www.toolkit.com
- "Total know-how for small business." Includes information, forms, advice,
and guidelines
- Encyclopedia of Small Business. 1998. (Ref. HD 62.7 H553) & Emerald Coast Library
- This two volume work is an alphabetic arrangement of discussions of issues
and practices that affect the entrepreneur.
- ENTERWeb: Enterprise Development
http://www.enterweb.org
- This directory is divided into 24 categories and 500 resources are annotated
and rated. Sites are also listed geographically and alphabetically.
- EZ Research - Small Business
http://www.ezresearch.com/smallbiz/index.html
- Brief directory of major small business sites
- Nova Plaza Business Library
http://novaplaza.com/library.shtml
- This company sells Internet services to companies but also has some
useful links to free sources.
- Online Women's Business Center
http://www.onlinewbc.org
- While aimed at the business issues that women face, this site is extremely
useful to all business owners. The Resource section is an excellent
collection of websites and guides about operating a small business.
- Small Business Administration
http://www.sba.gov
- Includes a wealth on information about starting, financing and expanding a
small business and links to hundreds of useful sites. The SBA:
Office of International Trade http://www.sba.gov/oit, section encourages
and assists small business with exports.
- Small Business Development Center
http://sbdcnet.utsa.edu
- The National SBDC Information Clearinghouse provides research support of
over 900 Small Business Development Centers in the United States.
- Small Business Resource Center
http://www.sbrc.net
- Offers sources for free and for sale useful to starting a business,
with emphasis on Internet marketing
- Small Business Sourcebook. 2001. (Ref. HD 2346 U5 S66)
- An excellent source for the beginning entrepreneur, this two volume
work lists important sources, associations, contacts, etc for various types
of businesses. It also offers for each state a directory of officials
important to small business professionals
- Small Office Solution
http://www.smallofficesolutions.com
- Offers links to information and free resources
Sources for Advice and Tips
- Bizresource.Com http://www.bizresource.com
- Includes support and information including tips on making a
business prosper
- Edward Lowe Peerspectives http://peerspectives.org
- "Information, Insight and Inspiration for Business Owners...A combination
of peer networking and next level thinking"
- Entrepreneur.com http://www.entrepreneur.com
- Tips on everything from starting a business to finding funds.
Includes franchise and business opportunity data bases, free e-mail,
articles from several magazines and classifieds. The StartUps
tab leads to industry, market and and how to guides.
- Idea Cafe http://www.ideacafe.com
- Gives advice, tips and information for small- and home-based business
owners
- Inc.com http://www.inc.com
- Devoted to news and information ranging from technology to management
to financing small businesses. Provides online shopping for various books,
videos and other products
- Online Business Advisor
http://www.onlinebusadv.com
- While consulting services online require a small fee, much free
advice is available in sections titled "BizForum," "Daily Bread," "Business
Briefs," "Quick Tips," "Online Training," and "Feature Articles."
- Small Business Information Library
http://www.bizoffice.com
- A collection of essays about various operations important to small
business owners
- University of West Florida Small Business Development Center
http://www.sbdc.uwf.edu
- This center in Pensacola should be one of the first sources consulted
for new businesses in the West Florida area. It provides guidance, advice and
classes on various aspects of entrepreneurship.
Small Business Magazines and E-Zines
- Entrepreneur Magazine
http://www.entrepreneurmag.com
- This site includes full text articles from Entrepreneur
Magazine as well as access to Business Home Office Magazine
and Business Start-Ups Magazine. In addition, users may use chat
rooms, forums and ExpoLINK( tradeshow list), 300 free business forms, and
links to other sites.
- Entrepreneur's Mind
http://benlore.com/index2.html
- Based on the print magazine of the same name, this site contains
anecdotal stories of successful business professionals.
- Entrepreneurial Edge Online http://www.lowe.org
- Offers articles, interactive tools, training modules and discussion
forums for entrepreneurs. Replaces the printed quarterly journal of the
same name
- Florida Trends http://www.floridatrends.com
- "The Magazine of Florida business and industry"
- Small Business Journal http://www.tsbj.com
- Aimed at companies that employ fewer than 100 people, this
bimonthly publication offers current and past content from the print
journal.
- Small Business News http://www.sbn-online.com
- Contains full text copies of articles from this publication that
caters to small and growing companies
- Small Business Taxes & Management
http://www.smbiz.com
- Provides information for financial management of small businesses
Small Business Associations
- Better Business Bureau
http://www.bbb.org
- Includes some full text guides, pamphlets and news reports.
Other sections in this site are a database
of local companies and complaint forms.
- Federation of International Trade Associations
http://www.fita.org
- Includes a few tools that point to trade lead sources and that
announce trade seminars and shows
- Florida's Chambers of Commerce
http://www.floridaguide.com/chambers
- Provides links to all city and/or county chambers in Florida
- National Association of the Self-Employed
http://www.nase.org
- Known for its lobby efforts in Washington, this agency also provides
a good directory of other Internet sources, as well as TaxTalk a library
of information about tax issues.
- National Federation of Independent Business
http://www.nfib.com
- This web site keeps up with important issues and legislation at
the state and federal levels.
- Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
http://www.score.org
- Provides contacts with retired executive volunteers who offer
counseling to beginning entrepreneurs. The web page also provides links
to valuable information resources.
- Small Business Survival Committee
http://www.sbsc.org
- This committee is actually a lobbying group that represents small
business owners.
Florida Government and Law
- Corporations Online http://www.sunbiz.org
- Offers free online searches of the databases for Florida corporations,
partnerships, fictitious names, and limited liability partnerships
- Division of Corporations
http://www.dos.state.fl.us/doc
- All Florida corporations may file corporate papers at this web
site of the Department of State.
- Enterprise Florida http://www.eflorida.com
- Florida's economic development organization provides a high-tech
website to encourage economic growth for the state as well as an InfoCenter
that provides economic data about the state and its counties.
- Florida Access to Government (My Florida)
http://www.myflorida.com
- The My Florida site is intended to direct searchers to all state
government websites. The Business & Industry, Employment
and Licensing links access many sites important to small businesses.
- Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation
http://www.floridajobs.org
- Provides statistics and information for job seekers, employers
and partners
- Florida Department of Revenue
http://sun6.dms.state.fl.us/dor
- Contains vital information about state taxes, registering a
business, property taxes and other legal issues relating to taxes.
Includes the Taxpayers Bill of Rights
- Florida Division of Workers' Compensation
http://www.fldfs.com/WC
- Rules, forms, statistics, and publications
- Florida Electronic Federal Depository Library
http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl
- This website developed by the University Florida Library lists by
counties the chambers of commerce, government officials, demographics,
education agencies, geographic information, newspapers, etc.
- Florida Small Business
http://www.floridasmallbusiness.com
- Published by Florida Trend, this specialized website supports a
periodical of the same name and provides easy to follow steps in starting
and managing a small business in Florida.
- How to Form a Corporation LLC or Partnership in Florida. 1999.
(Ref. KFF 213.5 Z9 B74)
- Designed to help in the formation of a typical business, this book
includes explanation of differences among types of business formation,
information on forming each type, and some sample forms. See also How to Form
a Corporation in Florida
(netLibrary).
- Purchasing Direct
http://dms.myflorida.com/dms/state_purchasing
- Describes the bidding process and other matters concerning the
Florida State purchasing process
- Starting a Business in Florida
http://www.dos.state.fl.us/startbus/index.html
- Provides the procedures for registering a business in Florida,
selecting a location, registering with tax offices, and locating information
on international trade, land use and industry data
Other Legal Sources
- American Bar Association Legal Guide for Small Business. 2000.
(KF 1659 Z9 A43)
- "Everything a small-business person must know, from start-up
employment laws to financing and selling a business"
- Business Law.gov http://www.businesslaw.gov
- Provides legal and regulatory resources including basic guidance to
specialized topics such as operating an online store
- Findlaw for Business
http://biz.findlaw.com
- This massive database includes full text legal sources, legal guides
and forms important to all businesses.
- Law for the Small Business Owner. 2001. (Ref. KF 889.3 J39)
- This almanac gives introduces general information on a number of
topics of interest to the small business owner. 15 appendices and a
glossary give statistics, sample business plans, and sample forms.
- The Legal Guide for Starting and Running a Small Business. 2001.
(Ref. KF 1659 Z9 S76 and
netLibrary) & Emerald Coast Library
- "Explains the practical and legal information" including licensing,
negotiating, insurance, contracting, customer policies, etc.
- Nolo's Law for All http://www.nolo.com
- The Nolo publishers are known for writing legal guides in
"plain English." The Small Business section of this encyclopedia
covers starting a business, accounting, taxes, marketing, home businesses,
doing business online and protecting the business's intellectual
property.
- U.S. Business Advisor
http://www.business.gov
- Sponsored by the Small Business Administration, this site provides access
to information on taxes, laws, regulations, workplace issues, etc. It
leads to specific laws and regulations relating to small business.
Starting a Small Business
In addition to the source listed here, there are numerous
websites listed previously that describe, among other things, the steps in
starting a business.
- How to Set Up Your Own Small Business. 1999. (Ref. HD 62.7 F35)
- A two volume set that presents basic principles as well as specific,
detailed financial and operating data for a wide variety of small business
opportunities
- WSF.com Startup Journal
http://www.startupjournal.com
- This comprehensive site produced by the Wall Street Journal covers
topics ranging from creating a business plan, to incorporating, financing,
advertising and running a small business.
Franchise Opportunities
- American Association of Franchisers and Dealers
http://www.aafd.org
- This organization represents the interests of franchisees and
independent dealers in the U.S. and its website provides information about
fair franchising standards.
- BIZBUYSELL http://www.bizbuysell.com
- Gives listings of buyers and sellers of businesses by categories
and includes instructions on buying and selling businesses, starting a
business, and finding a broker
- Bond's Franchise Guide. 2001. (Ref. HF 5429.235 U5 S66)
- One of several directories of franchise opportunities. See also
The Franchise Annual (Ref. HF 5429.3 F69 2004) & Emerald Coast Library.
- Federal Trade Commission: Franchises and Business
Opportunities
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/franchise/netfran.htm
- This agency interprets franchise regulations and rules, advises
about frauds, provides links to state agencies that deal with franchises
and consumer services, and lists cases that identify fraudulent franchisers.
Preparing a Business Plan
- Business Plans http://www.bplans.com
- Some free sample of business and marketing plans and interactive
business tools
- Business Plans, Forms
http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/business/beonline/bplan.html
- This guide, produced by the Library of Congress, provides links to
websites that offer model business documents, financial spreadsheet template,
forms, checklists and business plans.
- Business Plans Handbook. 2001. (Ref. HD 62.7 B865)
- Provides sample plans for many categories of businesses
Financing a Business
- AllBusiness.com: Finance and Accounting Center
http://www.allbusiness.com/articles/FA_articles.asp
- Includes links to sites on commercial loans, credit cards, government
loans, venture capital, and other finance and accounting activities
- BusinessFinance.com http://www.businessfinance.com
- A searchable database of over 15,000 potential funding sources for
small businesses
- Grants, Loans: F M R Home http://www.fedmoney.com
- Comprehensive guide to all U.S. government funding programs
- Pratt's Guide to Venture Capital Sources. 1996. (Ref. HG 65 P73)
- Well established directory of venture capital sources. See also
the websites:
Money Hunter http://www.moneyhunter.com,
National Venture Capital Association
http://www.nvca.org,
and Venture Capital and Private Equity
http://www.people.hbs.edu/jlerner/vcpe.html
(a tutorial).
- Small Business Grants
http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/blsba.htm?once=true&
- Although there are practically no grants for starting a business, this
site does present facts of a few specialized grants.
- Understanding Business Valuation. 2002. (Ref. HG 4028 V3 T78)
- "A practical guide to valuing small to medium-sized businesses"
- Venture Associates http://www.venturea.com
- This small business venture capital firm offers services for a fee
but also gives free pages of information on various types of financing.
- VC Fodder http://www.vcfodder.com/
- For entrepreneurs who investigating funding sources, this site provides
research and financing sources.
- Venture Capital Resource Library
http://www.vfinance.com
- A compilation of links to venture-capital firms as well as
other financial agents and firms
Taxes and Accounting
- Fair Labor Standards/Minimum Wage
http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/flsa
- Provides information that employers and employees need to know
about the federal minimum wage
- Internal Revenue Service - Small Business/Self Employed
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small
- A "one stop resource" for employers to federal and state tax and wage
reporting information, this site walks employers through the process of
starting a business, hiring, and reporting. Includes links
- NetLedger http://www.netledger.com
- This commercial site offers some free accounting tools online as
well as some fee based services.
- Tax Preparation Sources
http://dmoz.org/Business/Accounting
- In addition to giving links for accounting for all businesses, this
site lists tax preparation sources.
Promoting a Business
- Arts and Crafts Shows
http://artandcraftshows.net
- Lists over 2000 shows, festivals or fairs for the upcoming twelve
months
- Direct Marketing Association
http://www.the-dma.org
- Provides direct-marketing guidelines and information on mailing
lists for consumers
- Guerilla Marketing
http://www.gmarketing.com
- This website is based on a term coined by a series of books published
to help small businesses with creative ways to market. It includes
an online newsletter and advice columns.
- Marketing Sites
http://dmoz.org/Business/Small_Business/Marketing_and_Advertising
- Links to free and commercial sites offering marketing hints and
services
Inventions / Copyrights / Patents
- Business: Opportunities: Inventions
http://dmoz.org/Business/Opportunities/Inventions
- Provides links to brokerages, inventions for sale, patents,
prototypes, and products for inventors
- Copyright Website http://www.benedict.com
- This imaginative website provides forms, instructions, wizards
and audio-visual examples of pillagers of copyrights.
- Invent-NET http://www.inventnet.com/page1.html
- This website describes trade shows, forms, patent information and
other topics of interest to inventors and others concerned with new
product development.
- Invention Dimension http://web.mit.edu/invent
- This worthy site from the Lemelson-MIT Prize Program provides a
substantial Handbook for Inventors and links to important R&D
programs in the U.S.
- Law of Copyright. 2000. (Ref. KF 2995 J37)
- The editor explores the law of copyright and copyright treaties.
The appendices include resource directories and other pertinent
information.
- Law of Trademarks. 2000. (Ref. KF 3180 Z9 J37)
- This almanac is designed to provide an overview of trademark law and
to answer common questions about trademarks and service marks.
- National Congress of Inventor Organizations
http://www.inventionconvention.com/ncio
- Based on a trade show that is held each year for inventors to
be matched with investors and others, this website lists specific
inventions that are available for development as well as guides to
do-it-yourself preliminary patent and trademark searching.
- Patent Cafe http://www.patentcafe.com
- Links to a vast amount or resources relating to business,
intellectual property, inventors, government agencies, directories
and careers
- Patent, Copyright & Trademark. 1999. (Ref. KF 2980 E44 and
netLibrary)
- A comprehensive reference to the terminology of intellectual property
law. There is a short overview of each category then terms, lists, charts,
samples of official forms, and a few applicable statutes.
- U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
http://www.uspto.gov
- The official site of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
allows preliminary online searches for patents. Also available are
order forms for copies, patent applications, trademark registrations
and more.
Home Based Businesses
- All Freelance - Home Office
http://www.allfreelance.com/hoffice.html
- Sections include professionalism, forms and advice, budget and
business planning, and links to articles and other web pages.
- Best Home Businesses for the 21st Century. 1999.
(Ref HD 2333 E34)
- This publication provides advice about selecting and setting up
a home business.
- Home Office Association of America
http://www.hoaa.com
- This website describes benefits and services to the members but
also gives useful information about specific businesses that may be
ideas for anyone thinking of starting a business at home.
- National Association of Home based Businesses
http://www.usahomebusiness.com
- The NAHBB attempts to provide support and development services to
home managed businesses by establishing an internet home site system
that links specific types of home based businesses into a single
searchable database.
Employment Issues
- U.S. Labor Department. Office of Small Business Programs
(OSBP) http://www.dol.gov/osbp/welcome.html
- Answers questions about employing people in small businesses
Selling to the Military and Government
- Air Force Small Business Online
http://www.selltoairforce.org
- Offers resources, contacts, the CBD and other resources to
help small business
- FedBizOpps http://www.fedbizopps.gov
- "The single government point-of-entry (GPE) for Federal
government procurement opportunities over $25,000." Those seeking Federal
markets can search, monitor and retrieve opportunities. Absorbed
Commerce Business Daily
Putting the Business on the Internet
- Businessplan.com. 2000. (Ref. HD 30.28 R664)
- A practical hands-on workbook that shows readers how to write
an eCommerce business plan
- Internet Businesses
http://www.bizinfo.com/s?k=internet+businesses&t=1057775736904
- Suggestions for starting a business on the Internet
Search Engines with Small Business Directories
Shari Johnson
Business/Government Documents Librarian
University of West Florida Library
Date Last Updated: April 2004
Links Maintained by Bryan Reingruber: May 2006
