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Resources
Resources A-LThe online resources below were collected by the KSBDC team to provide our clients easy access to the vast array resources available to both startup and existing entrepreneurs. Any links to outside organizations are not an endorsement of said companies, but are provided to assist with collecting information. Please feel free to contact your KSBDC regional office to discuss these resources in more depth. Access to Capital Access to CapitalThe SBA has an online publication entitled "The ABC's of Borrowing." Here it is in Spanish.
Micro loans--Go Connection - Administers the SBA's microloan program in many counties in Northeast Kansas. The Business Owner's Toolkit also includes information about getting the capital you need for your pre-venture or existing business. Different types of financing are also thoroughly explained. Entrepreneur.com has informational resources about everything from starting a business to expanding an existing business. A financial section is also available. Businessfinance.com provides connections to possible sources of capital for start-up businesses along with financial articles and advice for aspiring small business owners. AccountingKeeping good records, studying financial statements, and making financial projections are all important steps in running a successful small business. Here are some resources to assist with this. Click here to download a sample INCOME STATEMENT - excel format Click here to download a sample BALANCE SHEET - excel format Cashflow Calculator from bplans.comArticles on Accounting Financial Statements Business Town.com - Basic information about income statements Financial Benchmarking / Industry Financial Statistics BizStats. com- Free information about business statistics Links to Small Business Accounting Software Intuit-QuickBooks Business PlansWriting a business plan is often a great suggestion when starting a business or throughout the course of the ongoing management of the firm. If you are seeking capital, it is almost always a requirement. But even if you do not need to access financing, a good business plan helps organize and develop your thoughts around the business and can act a guide for managing your business successfully. Here are some resources to help. Business Plan TemplateClick here to download a PDF file with a business plan outline. Sample Business Plans & Resources Often the best advice for writing a business plan is to read several plans from actual companies. This helps the process make more sense. Often, you can locate a business that is similar to yours, which provides additional insight into the planning process. Here are some resources where you can find sample business plans. Buying or Selling a BusinessBuying or selling a business is a big step! The following resources should provide some assistance. Also feel free to work with your KSBDC consultant through this process. Checklist for Buying a Business. View White Papers on Allied Business Group
Business Valuation Resources is an online store that provides free downloadable forms, an online discussion forum, and weekly services. DemographicsThe Internet provides a vast amount of demographic and statistical information. The following weblinks will help you access a tremendous amount of information. Additionally, ask you SBDC consultant about conducting a research report with SBDC-NET, an affiliate organization of the KSBDC. This free report will collect a large amount of market research data as well. US Census is an extensive resource for demographic data and trends. For Kansas censusc data go here Kansas KU's Institute for Policy and Social Research has an outstanding listing of information about Kansas. Much of the information is broken down into county levels. Census Scope provides great charts and graphs on demographic information by MSA. You Are Where You Live analyzes lifestyle clusters based on census data for a given zip code. Yahoo Neighborhood Profiles provides data on both a city and zip code level. Sperling's Best Places provides information pertaining to living characteristics about a given community. Business DemographicsInfo USA.com is a website that provides business and consumer lists. You can query their database at no charge. Hoovers Online is an investment website that provides information on industries and specifics on larger companies. Edgar Scan provides detailed financial and benchmarking information on publicly traded companies. It is also searchable by SIC code. FreeLunch.com is an economic indicators website. It does require registration, but provides a significant amount of economic information. Zapdata.com is a website from Dun and Bradstreet that provides a free SIC code industry report. It requires registration but provides a significant amount of economic information. Energy Efficiency/IncentivesVisit the Nebraska Business Development Center to learn more about incentives for Kansas small businesses.Bank Your Power-Energy Efficiency for Small Businesses Kansas Energy Incentives Energy Star Portfolio Manager--learn about energy consumption, rating building performance and finding your carbon footprint. Kansas Corporation Commission-State Energy Office: Learn about incentives and state energy programs. Efficiency Kansas Loan Program. Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment-Small Business Support:Sign up to receive The Public Advocate quarterly newsletter. Kansas Small Business Environmental Assistance Program: Free confidential, environmental and technical information. Greening Your Business-EPA Office of Small Business Programs Wind Energy- Kansas Wind Information Kansas Small Business Environmental Assistance Program Exit Strategies/Succession PlanningThe KSBDC Network has compiled the following articles/resources related to succession planning and creating an exit strategy. Please contact your regional center for additional information. Articles/VideosSuccession Solutions on BNET: Don't Put it Off--succession planning for the family farm operation. Farm Journal 12.01.07. Cornell University: Estate and Succession Planning for Small Business Owners Transition by Design free publications/articles SCORE: Developing a Succession Plan Information for multi generational farm family businesses: Passing the Plow: Family Farm Transitions How to Create a Business Succession Plan by Mark P. Cussen,CFP Entrepreneur.com: Exit Strategies for Your Business Mold Making Technology: Nine Common Mistakes in Business Succession Planning AllBusiness.com Video-How to Create a Succession Plan Host Hattie Bryant of Small Business School interviews Anne and Sam Beiler of Pennsylvania-based Auntie Anne's Pretzel Company. AllBusiness.com Video-Exit Strategies: How to Pick the Right Buyer Host Hattie Bryant of Small Business School interviews Peter Schenck, a former owner of an advertising agency OrganizationsPrentice-Hall, Inc. Family Business & Management Succession (list of resources/links) Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University: The Kansas Family Business Forum The forum is designed to provide unique learning experiences to those involved with family businesses. Educational seminars bring owners, families and managers together to address issues of ownership and management succession, strategic planning, estate planning, family dynamics and family governance. Forum programming features a mix of national and local experts on family business issues. SBA- Transfer Ownership- Information about estate and gift taxes and management in family- owned businesses. SBA- Sell Your Business - Information about finding a buyer, making sure the price is right, and seller financing. ExportingThe following websites are resources for exporting: Export-U.com: This site is a collaborative effort with the Georgia SBDC, the US Department of Commerce and the US Export Assistance Center in Atlanta. The site has free webinars on many areas of exporting.Kansas Department of Commerce Trade Development U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Compliance Center The Export-Import Bank of the United States-Small Business Portal U.S. Customs and Border Protection U.S. Government's Export Portal FranchisingFranchising can be an excellent way to get into business. Buying a proven business system can greatly reduce the risk of business ownership. As with anything in business, however, care should be taken in researching different franchising opportunties. The following websites will help you with this. The US Small Business Administration has a resource guide for purchasing a franchise, it can be viewed at US Small Business Administration
Online listings of franchises: Private sector resources: GrantsUnfortunately "free" grant money for for-profit companies is not nearly as available as those who are selling the "how to" books and seminars would like you to believe. Finding grants is a competitive and research-intensive process. We do not want to discourage you from seeking grants, though, you should be aware that most small businesses obtain their financing through more traditional means.Researching grants can be done on the Internet and at the public library. Some websites you may wish to visit are listed below. Kansas Grants Clearinghouse provides information and links to federal, state, and industry-specific grants. U.S. Small Business Administration in addition to providing loans and loan information, has an extensive list of links to federal and state grant sites. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance National Endowment for the Humanities SBIR/STTR technology grants program Human ResourcesBeing an employer adds to the management issues a business owner faces. Here are some resources to assist with this process. As well, your KSBDC consultant can assist you with Human Resources issues. Kansas Department of Labor assists existing and prospective business owners with employee and workforce concerns, legal matters, and relations. U.S. Department of Labor is a federal agency that regulates employer / employee issues. OSHA--Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a division of the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. SBA has several publications on managing people including "Employees: How to Find and Pay Them," and "Managing Employee Benefits." They also have a video program called "What You Need to Know About Federal Taxes When Hiring Employees." The Internal Revenue Service has many publications for employee issues in small business including, "The Employer's Tax Guide" and "Employees versus Independent Contractors." Business Know How has links to articles about management, human resource problems to avoid, hiring advice, staff motivation, and many other issues. The Small Business HR Page is a comprehensive look into human resources, exploring such issues as mandated benefits, labor relations laws, and record keeping. The U.S. Department of Labor's E-Laws advises small business owners in matters of human resources and labor relations, as well as addressing many specific employee topics. Careerbuilder's Advice and Resources page provides numerous links to sites relating to human resource issues. About.com Human Resources section Salary.com small business section. HRGOPHER has over 50,000 links to Human Resources sites. Drug Free Workplace:Drug Free Workplace Policy Builder U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Drug and Alcohol Information Arkansas SBDC Drug Free Workplace Program National Drug Alliance report on the economic impact of drug abuse on businesses.
InsuranceInsuring your small business is an important, and sometimes challenging and expensive, aspect of running your business. The following links should provide some assistance. The Kansas Insurance Commissioner provides answers to small business owners about their insurance needs. The KS Insurance Commission can provide you a list of the companies authorized to sell insurance in Kansas. The US Department of the Treasury has an extensive listing of information on Health Savings Accounts (HSA's). Internet/E-CommerceThe Internet opens some incredible doors for small businesses. Here are some resources to assist you with using this very powerful communications tool in your business. The Arkansas SBDC has developed a free online course on ecommerce. Ebay.com is one of the largest web auction sites and is a starting point for many e-commerce businesses. Click here "seller central" Ecommerceguide.com has a reference listing of articles and news links regarding Internet business practices and methods. Webcontent.gov offers information about numerous website issues from usability and design to content management and marketing . Articlebiz.com page entitled "Understanding the Terms" of ecommerce. LegalThere are quite a few legal issues that impact small businesses. The following resources can provide some assistance. Business Law.Gov is an SBA sponsored website that features information on small business legal matters. The SBA Online Library features articles on selecting the appropriate legal structure for your business. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment provides information on specific industries and their respective environmental and/or health impacts. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is as source for those seeking to register a trademark or servicemark for a business. The US Copyright Office handles copyrighting questions and concerns. Businesstown.com provides articles about many aspects of small business including "The Lowdown on Contracts." Nolo.com has an entire section allocated to small businesses. |
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