Where can I find resources in order to become an entrepeneur?

Question

I would like to start my own business. Anybody knows where I can find the best literature for this project? Like for example, which are the best magazines, books, websites on ideas and startup steps? I have heard of Entrepeneur and Small Biz Magazines, are there any others? That don't only focus on franchises?

Answer 1

I recommend that you read the following books:

- 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

As for magazines, it depends on what is the focus of your business but here are some general ones

Entrepreneur Magazine http://www.entrepreneur.com
Inc Magazine http://www.inc.com
Internet Retailer (if you're going to sell on the Web) http://www.internetretailer.com
Home Business Magazine http://www.homebusinessmag.com

If you need guidance in starting a business, there are several places that provide help to starting entrepreneurs. Here are 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

There is so much to learn about starting a business that it is hard to put everything here. I suggest that you to check out the following websites and learn from their content:

Entrepreneur http://www.entrepreneur.com
Inc.com http://www.inc.com
SBA http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/...

Answer 2

the book store or library is fine for almost anything to do with business, also going to the local Chamber of Commerce and talk to other business owners for ideas. considering that 75% of new business fail in the first 2 years, it pays to have a good business plan, getting funding from banks or family to start up and brown bagging your lunch and dinners for a long time until you start making money, but the sacrifices may very well be worth it. Lots of infomercials on tv about how to become independently wealthy but remember that only about 5% of the people trying them will make money and success stories are probably only a small percentage of that 5 %
Good luck

Answer 3

First and most important, you have to define the type of business you would like to start. For instance, ask yourself 3 basic questions: 1) What am I good at and/or what motivates me?; 2) Is there a need and a want for my skills out there?; 3) Would I be able to cope with uncerntainty?

Once you have answered these 3 basic questions, you'll have a better idea of what to search for. Not the other way around. However, below is a very good weblink for you to find the information you'll need:

http://entre.rso.wisc.edu/links.html

Check out the link and you can drop a line to the contacts in there too. Good luck and never give up your goal!