I want to start a business Where can I get help developing a business plan?
152915
Here are some resources that can help you write your business plan:\n\n- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html\n\nYou may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it actually looks like:\n\n- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm\n- MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners\nhttp://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html\n- VFinance - View hundreds of real business plans in pdf format. http://www.vfinance.com/home.asp?bps=1&ToolPage=bps_main.asp\n- Business Owners Toolkit Sample business plans and information on how to create a plan. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/tools/buspln_m.asp\n- PlanWare Planning software and information. http://www.planware.org/\n- Virtual Business Plan Walk through the design of a business plan. http://www.bizplanit.com/vplan.html \n-SBA Business Planning Guide http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- Small Business Advancement Center http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/business_plan/businessPlan.pdf\n- Sample Business Plan General planning guide created by the Canadian Business Service Center. http://www.cbsc.org/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=CBSC_FE/display&c=GuideFactSheet&cid\n- Business Plans Index - A subject guide to sample business plans and profiles for specific business types from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. http://216.183.184.20/subject/business/bplansindex.html\n-\nSome recommended books are :\n\n- Business Plans Kit for Dummies \n- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan \n- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide \n- Business Plans For Dummies® \n- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan \n\nHope that the above resources help
8788
try to talk to friends and ask them if they can help you out...\n\nthey may know some people who can help you with your business
1085089
I would pay someone to get a business plan prepared for a new business.  It helps with so many different aspects of a new business.\n\nYou need it to seek small business financing.\nYou need a map for your businesses marketing, operations, financial, and future goals (the direction of the company).\n\nYou'll find that the business plan will help with that.\n\nYou may find after completing this plan that the business may not be as successful (realistic) as you thought.  Setting up a new business is bigger than a catchy gimick.
90411
I'm assuming you're talking about the IT field & wanting to start a business offering support.\n\nThere are many associations that may be able to help you further. See the first link in the source box -- that's what Google came up with.\n\nCheck out the Small Business Administration web site -- they're a great resource for the small business owner. I listed a couple of other handy links as well.\n\nTry reading up on the subject -- check out Amazon, your local bookstore or library. \n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
536843
You may wish to contact the SBA ( http://www.sba.gov/ ) or SCORE ( http://www.score.org/ ) for help in starting a business.  They are excellent resources for a small business just starting out (and free, too!).  You should also look into either setting up a corporation of LLC to protect yourself legally.  Contact your state for the guideline involved in that.
354872
Here are free business plans on starting a restaurant business. Study how they are put together and get inspiration for your strategies:\n\nhttp://www.virtualrestaurant.com/plan.htm\nhttp://www.bplans.com/spv/3259/index.cfm?affiliate=pas\nhttp://www.bplans.com/spv/3228/index.cfm?affiliate=pas\n\nOther resources that can help you write your business plan:\n\n- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html\n\nYou may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it actually looks like:\n\n- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm\n- MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners\nhttp://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html\n- VFinance - View hundreds of real business plans in pdf format. http://www.vfinance.com/home.asp?bps=1&ToolPage=bps_main.asp\n- Business Owners Toolkit Sample business plans and information on how to create a plan. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/tools/buspln_m.asp\n- PlanWare Planning software and information. http://www.planware.org/\n- Virtual Business Plan Walk through the design of a business plan. http://www.bizplanit.com/vplan.html \n-SBA Business Planning Guide http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- Small Business Advancement Center http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/business_plan/businessPlan.pdf\n- Sample Business Plan General planning guide created by the Canadian Business Service Center. http://www.cbsc.org/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=CBSC_FE/display&c=GuideFactSheet&cid\n- Business Plans Index - A subject guide to sample business plans and profiles for specific business types from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. http://216.183.184.20/subject/business/bplansindex.html\n\nSome recommended books are :\n\n- Business Plans Kit for Dummies \n- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan \n- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide \n- Business Plans For Dummies® \n- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan \n\nHope that the above resources help
440254
Bplans.com has several free business plans, one of which is for a steak house. Read through it and get the strategies and lessons that you think would work for your business\n\nhttp://www.bplans.com/spv/3228/6.cfm\n\nOther resources that can help you write your business plan:\n\n- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html\n\nI also suggest you check out the following books for ideas on how to successfully start a restaurant business:\n\n- Starting a Small Restaurant, Revised Edition by Daniel Miller \n- Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting a Restaurant, 2E (The Complete Idiot's Guide) by Howard Cannon  \n- Everything Guide to Starting And Running a Restaurant: Secrets to a Successful Business! (Everything: Business and Personal Finance) by Ronald Lee Restaurateur and Ronald Lee\n- Opening a Restaurant or Other Food Business Starter Kit: How to Prepare a Restaurant Business Plan and Feasibility Study by Sharon Fullen
190471
For complete information about planning for and starting your own small business, see the Small Business Administration website at http://www.sba.gov  Take a look at the startup kit and lessons.  It is probably something you can start now while you are working, and keep getting a paycheck while you get all the other stuff in order.\n\nBefore investing time and especially money on any home-based businesses, it’s a very good idea to educate yourself on the different types of schemes there are out there, and what to look for – and look out for – before picking a home-based business. The Federal Trade Commission has several advisories about home-based business opportunities and network marketing (MLM) schemes. \n"Work at home Schemes" http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/invest/homewrk.htm \n'Net Based Business Opportunities: Are Some Flop-portunities?\nhttp://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/online/netbizop.htm\n"The Bottom Line on Multilevel Marketing Plans" http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/pyrdalrt.htm
872070
I suggest you buy the Palo Alto Business Plan software as it has about 500 business plan samples that you can modify  http://www.bplans.com/mk/bpp.cfm?affiliate=powerhomeb\n\nHere are some resources that can help you write your business plan:\n\n- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html\n\nYou may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it actually looks like:\n\n- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm\n- MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners\nhttp://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html\n- VFinance - View hundreds of real business plans in pdf format. http://www.vfinance.com/home.asp?bps=1&ToolPage=bps_main.asp\n- Business Owners Toolkit Sample business plans and information on how to create a plan. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/tools/buspln_m.asp\n- PlanWare Planning software and information. http://www.planware.org/\n- Virtual Business Plan Walk through the design of a business plan. http://www.bizplanit.com/vplan.html \n-SBA Business Planning Guide http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- Small Business Advancement Center http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/business_plan/businessPlan.pdf\n- Sample Business Plan General planning guide created by the Canadian Business Service Center. http://www.cbsc.org/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=CBSC_FE/display&c=GuideFactSheet&cid\n- Business Plans Index - A subject guide to sample business plans and profiles for specific business types from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. http://216.183.184.20/subject/business/bplansindex.html\n\nSome recommended books are :\n\n- Business Plans Kit for Dummies \n- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan \n- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide \n- Business Plans For Dummies® \n- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan \n\nHope that the above resources help
268758
The simplest way to answer this is to see a need and fill it. \nThere are many different kinds of businesses out there \n( Large Corporations, small businesses, Franchises etc.). If you want to start your own, my suggestion is to take a Entrepreneur class at a local community college. It is not necessary but it will give you a good overall view of what may be ahead and answer alot of questions. \n\n1. have an idea on paper, write it all out, think it all the way thru, is it a service or a product? Will you make it yourself? resale? Who is your competition? and so on.\n\n2.Write down who your customers will be and why they will go to you rather than someone else.\n\n3.Do research on the area you think will be good to market in or set up shop. (surveys, cold calling, demographics,etc)\n\n4.If there is someone who is doing what you would like to, call and ask them politely if they would spend an hour or so to help you with your research. Come prepared with a good list of questions and be ready to do most of the listening. (AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE AT LEAST 40 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE YOU ARE THINKING OF LOCATING AS TO NOT COME ACROSS AS THEIR COMPETITION)\n\n5. The most important thing to remember is ** LOCATION **. As it is the second reason businesses fail. (the #1 reason they fail is poor money management)\n\n6. You will need to apply for a business license and place an newspaper ad with a ficticious business name. It is also a good idea to become incorporated, the tax benefits are well worth it.\n\n7. Make sure you weigh the pros and cons of being a business owner and that is it something you really want to do.\n\nAs for the best business is concerned, it should be one you have a passion for.
18678
That's a pretty broad question; it really depends on your specific business.  What do you plan to do?  \n\nAt the very least you need to make sure you have a business plan with at least an idea of your specific market and a detailed breakdown of your estimated cash flows.  I would recommend starting at the sites listed below; they have some good free resources that can jump start the business planning and marketing planning process. \n\nOne thing I would also recommend is finding a mentor in the business/industry you are going to start.  There's is nothing more valuable than real world experience and you would be surprised to see how many successful business owners are willing to share their knowledge!
1020772
I recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.\n\nResearch, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:\n\n* Entrepreneurial Finance: For New and Emerging Businesses by James McNeill Stancill\n* The Business Startup Checklist and Planning Guide: Seize Your Entrepreneurial Dreams! by Stephanie Chandler\n* How to Really Start Your Own Business, Fourth Edition by David E. Gumpert\n* How to Really Create a Successful Business Plan: Step-by-Step Guide by David E. Gumpert\n* What No One Ever Tells You about Starting Your Own Business: Real-Life Start-Up Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs (What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business) by Jan Norman \n* Business Start-Up Kit by Steven D. Strauss \n* Start Your Own Business (Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Up) by Rieva Lesonsky\n\nThere are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.\n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
1056735
Begin with an business plan with an 3 to 5 year projection that covers your forseeable expenses of total operation cost of your desired business for example wages, rent or lease of property, insurance ,legal fees, advertisment cost , etc and it helps to either have some prior experience or education but sort after an mentor who can be a spiritual / business guide for you because you can expect some bumpy roads ahead!
282017
Check out the Small Business Administration web page at http://sba.gov/starting_business/index.html - they have a huge listing of resources for starting any kind of business.\n\nAs well, FirstGov for nonprofits site at http://www.firstgov.gov/Business/Nonprofit.shtml has some resources you might find useful.\n\nFinally, there are a number of relevant articles at About.com here: http://nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitstartup/\n\nGood luck in your venture!
239520
I am self employed and you are right, if you are going to start a business you need a plan. The area you live in, if it is in the western part of the world should have a Small Business Resource Center, this can be found in the telephone book usually in the blue pages. They can provide some of the info you seek or offer a source site. I suggest you check out the wikipedia site using your town, city or region as the main word for your search, this site should provide you with demographic breakdowns as well as the geographic info and a history of your area as well as what planners envision the area to become like into the future. Remember luck favors the bold, so good luck to you.
691557
There are several ways of mastering a business plan:\n\n1. Buy a software such as Palo Alto's Business Plan Pro, which has a list of questions for each section of the business that serves as a guide for your business plan.\n2. Read books on how to write a business plan (recommended books below)\n3. Visit websites with information on how to write a business plan\n4. Read sample business plans and look at each elements carefully\n5. Consult with organizations such as SCORE http://www.score.org or SBDC nearest you on the best way to prepare a business plan\n\nHere are some resources that can help you write your business plan:\n\n- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html\n\nYou may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it actually looks like:\n\n- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm\n- MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners\nhttp://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html\n- VFinance - View hundreds of real business plans in pdf format. http://www.vfinance.com/home.asp?bps=1&ToolPage=bps_main.asp\n- Business Owners Toolkit Sample business plans and information on how to create a plan. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/tools/buspln_m.asp\n- PlanWare Planning software and information. http://www.planware.org/\n- Virtual Business Plan Walk through the design of a business plan. http://www.bizplanit.com/vplan.html \n-SBA Business Planning Guide http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- Small Business Advancement Center http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/business_plan/businessPlan.pdf\n- Sample Business Plan General planning guide created by the Canadian Business Service Center. http://www.cbsc.org/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=CBSC_FE/display&c=GuideFactSheet&cid\n- Business Plans Index - A subject guide to sample business plans and profiles for specific business types from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. http://216.183.184.20/subject/business/bplansindex.html\n\nSome recommended books are :\n\n- Business Plans Kit for Dummies \n- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan \n- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide \n- Business Plans For Dummies® \n- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan \n\nHope that the above resources help
85750
Here are some resources that can help you write your business plan:\n\n- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html\n\nYou may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it actually looks like:\n\n- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm\n- Examples of winning business plans and got funding: MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners\nhttp://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html\n\nSome recommended books are (linked to Amazon so you can easily learn more about the books):\n\n- Business Plans Kit for Dummies http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764553658/ref=nosim/powerhomebizguid \n- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0942061411/ref=nosim/powerhomebizguid \n- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0809240076/ref=nosim/powerhomebizguid\n- Business Plans For Dummies®  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1568848684/ref=nosim/powerhomebizguid \n- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1570712190/ref=nosim/powerhomebizguid\n\nHope that the above resources help\nIsabel Isidro\nFor information on starting a business, visit http://www.powerhomebiz.com