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Other Resources
General Small Business
Information
Oregon SBDC
BizCenter services are available to anyone who owns or
operates — or is considering starting — a small business in
Oregon. Business owners who seek BizCenter services are
found everywhere. They comprise a complete spectrum of
business stages, from start-up to mature companies.
ABC's of Small Business
Lots of guidance for small business, with plenty of humor
along the way. Includes basic information, such as what to
include in the business plan, marketing and promotion ideas,
and plenty of tips for the person just starting out.
Starting a Business and Keeping Records
Internal
Revenue Service
This publication from the IRS explains what kinds of records
to keep, what kinds of taxes you may be liable for, how to
get your Employer Identification Number, and other very
practical matters related to your business' finances and
recordkeeping.
Business.gov
This site is managed by the Small Business Administration,
but represents information for small businesses from many
federal government agencies. It offers numerous guides and
tools for all phases of a small business' growth.
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www.prosper.com
For
loans from strangers. At this person-to-person web lending site you
post your story and what interest rate you’ll pay and perfect
strangers will (you hope) lend you money
www.circlelending.com
For loans from friends. If you need to ask
friends and/or family for seed money, do it through a site that will
make it official
www.angelcapitalassociaton.org
Browse the directory of angels –
wealthy investors, often ex-entrepreneurs, who dole out funds for
new ventures – to see who might be willing to look over your
business plan.
www.bootstrapnetwork.com
For moral support. At this
social-networking website, people starting businesses without much
money, or bootstrappers, share ideas (and miseries) over blogs and
forums.
www.ycombinator.com
For inspiration. To learn what kinds of
startups are getting funded today, click on News.
www.startup.com
For community. Running a Web business: Go here to
compare notes with other Web 2.0 types and link to bloggers.
www.sba.gov and
www.bobignetwork.com
For a business plan. Visit
the SBA for a parimer on writing a plan. Bounce your ideas off
experts in the Getting Started forum at Go Big Network.
Portland Small Business
Community
This is a free site intended as a community resource for small
business owners and entrepreneurs. Although the resources listed
here are centered around the Portland, Oregon area, we welcome the
participation of any small business owners and entrepreneurs, no
matter where you live and work
Small Business Administration's Small Business Training
Network
The Small Business Administration's web site contains
extensive resources to support every phase of small business
activity. In this section you will find training courses,
workshops, and other resources for small business owners.
National Federation of Independent Business
Click on the "Tools and Tips" tab to find extensive
information on owning and operating a small business. The
NFIB is the "largest advocacy organization representing
small and independent businesses in Washington, D.C. and all
50 state capitals."
SCORE: Counselors to America's Small Business
The SCORE Association (Service Corps of Retired Executives)
web site provides numerous resources for small businesses at
their web site. In addition, small business owners are
invited to request "email counseling" by submitting a
question at the SCORE Web site. A SCORE volunteer will
respond with suggestions and advice. The service is free and
confidential.
AllBusiness
This site offers extensive resources to support small
businesses, with advice on issues like setting up vacation
and sick leave policies or the best length for your business
plan.
Peerspectives
Sponsored by the Edward Lowe Foundation, this site contains
hundreds of articles designed to help the small business
owner who is past the start-up stage and ready to move to
the next level of operation.
Small Business Advisor
This site offers a combination of advice/tips and
advertising for business services offered. Use the contents
list at the left of the screen to browse through the useful
sections, such as "BIZ FAQ's" or "The Advisor."
Bookkeeping
Businesstown.com: Basic Accounting for Small Business
Owners
This web page offers explanations of small business
accounting principles, as well as links to articles on small
business accounting and accounting software.
Nolo Press - Bookkeeping and Accounting Basics
The Nolo Press publishing company has been in business for
over thirty years. Their goal is to publish reliable,
plain-English information on legal and business issues. This
link contains explanations of basic bookkeeping terms and
procedures. It is suitable for someone with no bookkeeping
background.
SBA's Women's Business Center
Bookkeeping and
Accounting
The Women's Business Center is part of the Small Business
Administration. This web link contains introductory
information on small business bookkeeping and accounting. It
is appropriate for any small business owner, not just women.
CCH Business Owner's Toolkit - Basic Bookkeeping
CCH is a well-known publisher of accounting, tax and
business information products. This web site provides an
overview of basic bookkeeping and how to keep good business
records.
Business Plans
Small Business Administration - The Business Plan The Small
Business Administration's web site contains an area called
"Starting Your Business". One of the topics covered is how
to create a business plan. There are two tutorials that
provide an overview of what is contained in a business plan
and how to put one together.
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Business Plan Basics
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SBA's Online Classroom - The Business Plan
University of Colorado Center for
Entrepreneurship
Business Plan Outline
Professor Stephen Lawrence at the University of Colorado at
Boulder created this online overview of business plans. It
contains explanations of all elements of a typical business
plan.
Bplans.com - Sample Business Plans
Palo Alto Software, the producer of Business Plan Pro
software, makes over 60 sample business plans available on
their web page. Sample business plans cover a wide variety
of areas, everything from salsa manufacturer to beauty salon
to sports bar. Note: The Business Plan Pro software is
available on computers at AERN member organizations.
CCH Business Owner's Toolkit - Planning Your Business
CCH is a well-known publisher of accounting, tax and
business information products. This web page discusses how
to prepare a business plan.
Taxation
IRS - Tax Information for Small Businesses
The Internal Revenue Service has created this web page in
order to provide easy access to a broad range of resources
across federal and state agencies. It also contains
industry/profession specific information for self-employed
entrepreneurs, employers and businesses.
IRS - Employer Identification Number
One of the first steps in operating a business is to obtain
an employer identification number ("EIN") from the Internal
Revenue Service. This web page provides instructions to
apply for an EIN.
Small Business Taxes & Management
This web page provides daily news and tips on small business
accounting and taxation issues. It also includes links to
other helpful tax and accounting web sites. A particularly
useful item is the glossary of business and tax terms,
located about halfway down the page.
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