2006-07-17 06:50:20 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Small Business
You can check out the following websites and learn from their contents:
Entrepreneur http://www.entrepreneur.com
Inc.com http://www.inc.com
SBA http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/
Or you can read books on starting a business. Here are some good ones:
- What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business : Real Life Start-Up Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs
- Starting From Scratch: How To Start A Business When You Don't Have Money
- If You're Clueless About Starting Your Own Business and Want to Know More
- On the Move : How to Succeed and Survive As an Entrepreneur
- How to Make 1000 Mistakes in Business and Still Succeed
You can also get business advice from organizations that offer small business mentorship programs. There are several places where you may be able to find a mentor:
- Government Mentoring Programs such as SBDCs, which works with community colleges and local business development councils to offer mentoring programs http://www.sba.gov/sbdc/sbdcnear.html ; or the Women's Network for Entrepreneurial Training http://www.sba.gov/womeninbusiness/wnet_roundtables.html
- Volunteer programs such as SCORE http://www.score.org which is composed of mostly retired executives and entrepreneurs
- Formal mentoring programs such as Athena Foundation http://www.athenafoundation.org/programs/globallinks.html , Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program http://www.helzbergmentoring.org/HEMP/ , or The Aspen Institute MicroMentor Program http://www.micromentor.org
- Professional organizations such as the National Women’s Business Council http://www.nwbc.gov/Mentoring/programs.html
- Industry and trade associations
- Local business groups, such as the chamber of commerce
- Local chapters of business groups
I suggest when you research about the business you are planning or has already started, you learn as much as you can from all the resources available to you. Read books, check websites online, network and talk to other entrepreneurs.
2006-07-17 07:18:43 · answer #1 · answered by imisidro 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋
Depending on your location try Business-eye, the local authority normally have an economic regeneration department, it is often staid and unimaginative.
Check all "business advisers" you are recommended to are registered with the Institute of Business Advisers, the professional body, if not get another.
Banks are limited by the lack of knowledge of their staffs' training, it is to sell their product not make you rich!
Websites give some advice and Companies House is quite good but it is all generic.
If you have special requirements such as mobility try the jobcentre they have god signposting services.
If there is a lead body, particularly a training lead body, e.g. CITB in building, contact them for signposting. If they offer the service beware they are accredited with a NVQ4 Business Adviser, an MBA mean regurgitate information at an exam, not experience.
Talk to someone in that business, if you know someone, if not go introduce yourself, most will talk particularly if you are no threat, i.e. in a different area.
2006-07-18 12:06:27 · answer #2 · answered by Robert M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you're in the UK try your bank first, they usually have an abundance of information and useful contact details for organisations, both public and private, that specialise in all sorts of small business information such as start-up assistance, venture capital etc. You don't even have to open an account!
2006-07-17 13:57:26 · answer #3 · answered by jjuerss 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the business and the advise you are looking for. You could ask a CPA for financial advise, a banking on loans etc, a lawyer on legal issues. You will tend to get better answers when your questions are more specific.
2006-07-17 13:54:43 · answer #4 · answered by extra_37 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In england try your nearest enterprise agency for (mostly free) professional business advice and help (at ww.nfea.com)
or online help, link as below.
Good Luck
Robert
2006-07-18 03:48:33 · answer #5 · answered by robert m 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
all depends what you want to do ...
but in any business just remember .. the golden rule is
you cost your goods at a penny and sell it for two pence
2006-07-17 13:58:38 · answer #6 · answered by JJ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
online try
http://www.startups.co.uk/
your local bank eg lloyds or barclays have buiness advisers and packs
this website has all the info you need and you can get local branches too just enter you postcode for your nearest office
www.businesslink.gov.uk
2006-07-17 13:58:50 · answer #7 · answered by kichuna1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Business Link, they are free, it's what they are there for.
2006-07-17 16:31:05 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋