Business Resources

General Business Information: A wealth of business information is available on the Internet. Information on various aspects, such as starting, growing, managing and financing your business are available on the following websites:

• Learning Center of the National SCORE Organization


• Small Business Planner of SBA (the Small Business Administration)


• SBA offers many self guided courses including on Starting, Planning and Managing a Business, on Marketing and Advertising, and on Financing and Accounting, and Federal Taxes. You can take these courses at home on your computer. It will take you about 30 minutes for each one of these many courses.


• The Business Owner’s Toolkit – Small Business Guide

The mass of available information may seem overwhelming especially when contemplating the start of a new business. That suggests focusing on your goals by initially having a SCORE counseling session. The SCORE counselor can then suggest specific items for you to study. After having read such material you may want to make an additional counseling appointment. Thus your progress can be guided by the SCORE counselor.

Additional Information including from local Connecticut sources:

• The CT Dept of Revenue Services publication "Getting Started in Business" It explains business structure, Connecticut tax filing and registration and information about sales and us tax
  


• Connecticut Licensing Information Center CT-CLIC.com Provides advice and information about starting and running your specific type of business. It identifies further sources of information, e.g. on requirements, such as insurance, necessary permits and licenses. You an also call their Business Licensing Specialists at 1-800-392-2122


• The "Connecticut Small Business Resource" an annual printed publication of the Connecticut District Office of the Small Business Administration ("SBA"). If not available from your SCORE counselor it can be obtained from the SBA (860) 240-470. It contains unique and valuable information on starting a business, regulations and financing, including on SBA loan guarantees


• IRS Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource provides federal tax information

Every business needs a Business Plan. Your SCORE counselor can best help you to write a plan that is oriented to your type of business. However, there is information available on the Internet to get you started:

• The Business Owner’s Toolkit – Planning your Business




• SBA "Write a Business Plan". Also the above referenced SBA self guided courses under the heading “Starting a Business” has brief courses on Business Plans, including one on Franchising.




• National SCORE Organizations "Templates for your Business" contains a detailed workbook for writing a business plan and templates for various financial charts.




• Business Plan Pro, sellers of a computer program that assists the preparation of business plans, offers a few free sample plans.

Financials: The key to business success is to make a sufficient profit and to have enough available funds to pay your bills. That is why every business owner should have some understanding of finances. Here again your SCORE counselor can help. He may provide you with instructional material. Good finance information is available from the websites of SBA’s “Finance-Startup”, National SCORE (see “Business Tools” and under “How To” see “Financing your Business”) and “The Business Owner’s Toolkit – Business Tools”. SCORE’s “Template Gallery” and also Toolkit’s “Business Tools” contains explanations, templates and worksheets. With these you can learn how to use financial instruments such as Cash Flow Statements, Breakeven Analysis etc. The above referenced SBA self guided courses under the heading “Financing & Accounting” provide information on borrowing, SBA Loan guaranties and on accounting fundamentals.