Helpful Business Plan Resources
The number of resources available to help write a business plan is virtually infinite. With the aim of narrowing down the list to a helpful few, here are a few of my favorites:
Business Plan Website
The Small Business Administration (SBA) at www.sba.gov. The specific link for business plans is:
www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/plan/writeabusinessplan/index.html.
Business Plan Book
My favorite book is The Business Planning Guide by David H. Bangs, Jr. It explains each part of a business plan in clear, concise language without too much jargon. Examples can be found throughout.
In-Person Assistance
These wonderful organizations offer literature, seminars, workshops and consulting services at little or no cost:
• SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives): www.score.org
• SBDCs (Small Business Development Centers): www.sba.gov/sbdc
Legal Issues
Nolo Press (www.nolo.com) is the resource for legal information for consumers and small businesses. Their legal self-help publications address a wide variety of topics, and can be purchased online or found in local bookstores and libraries. More importantly, their information is trustworthy and easy to understand. Topics include patents, trademarks as well as how to decide on the best legal entity for your company (LLC, incorporate, etc.).
Creative Financing
In their own words, “Prosper (www.prosper.com) enables borrowers to request loans of up to $25,000 by posting listings indicating the amount they want to borrow and the maximum interest rate they wish to pay. In other words, people who need money request it, and other people bid for the privilege of lending it to them.”
Venture Capital Due Diligence
For those considering venture capital for their funding, I recommend using TheFunded (www.thefunded.com) in order to learn about potential investors. The website lets entrepreneurs rate and review venture capital firms and their individual partners.
