business resources
 

I am thinking about starting a small business (probably either a small restaurant, coffeehouse or boutique). I have a LOT to learn first, though, and so I'm trying to get my hands on everything I can.

My questions:

Is there anyone here who has started a business? Do you have any tips or ideas to share? What worked for you? What kind of business do/did you have, and for how long? What do you like best about having your own business? Least?

For those of you in school -- if you have studied business, do you have any good resources you could share? I am particularly interested in learning more about writing a business plan and financing. Especially financing, lol. ;)

I'd appreciate any words of wisdom here from anyone who knows anything about starting a business. I really hope to get this thing off the ground within the next year. :D

inc.com

http://web.mit.edu/entforum/www/Busi...ns/bplans.html

http://www.bplans.com/

http://www.sba.gov/starting/indexbusplans.html

http://www.vfinance.com/

http://www.entrepreneur.com/Your_Bus...07,141,00.html

http://www.ecommerce-digest.com/writ...ss-plan-r.html


http://www.bcg.com/publications/publications_splash.asp has some good articles and papers that will help you think about other things possibly.

-Rudey
--Be careful...and I want a free cookie or something :)

Thank you, Rudey! As soon as this gets off the ground, you can have all the free cookies you want! :)

This link is for the Small Business Owner's Toolkit. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/botoc.asp
Check out your local community college for seminars and classes on entrepreneurship. Stop in and talk to some of the business owners in towns around you. Many will be more than willing to chat about their trials and tribulations. (Be very wary of talking to anyone you will be directly competing with, like someone in the neighborhood where you will be opening your business. The owners might get really defensive and you don't want to start your venture out on the wrong foot.)