Resource Library: Start-up

Missouri Small Business Start-Up Kit - Essential resource packed with information to help entrepreneurs start and manage a business in Missouri. This CD-ROM contains hundreds of pages of information to assist you in starting your business in Missouri.
Order Startup Kit here

Starting a Business in Missouri - Materials on this site to help new business owners navigate a path through a variety of state and federal programs and services, as well as financial, licensing and workforce resources.

A Walk Through The Commercialization Process - A review of the product development process, including creation, testing, production, licensing, launch, marketing and sales.
Licenses and Registration Checklist - A guide to help you with the licensing and registration requirements for starting your new business.
Choosing a Business Location - In addition to location, several other considerations are important when choosing a retail site
Doing Business in Missouri - Designed to provide information to new or existing business owners; includes sections covering basics, business plan, legal info, taxes and hiring employees.
Don't Commit a Foul in the Business Name Game - Cover all the legal bases when deciding what to call your business.
How to Start and Manage a Home-based Business - Discussion of the marketing and management skills necessary to succeed in operating a home-based business, plus information on licenses, regulations, legal structure, taxes, insurance, recordkeeping and business plans.
Is There A Would-Be Business Owner In There? - Do a little self-study if you want to start a business but are unsure of the course to take
Legal Structures, Licenses and Taxes - This document will help you determine which form of business organization or legal structure to use for your new business.
Missouri Business Portal - Single point of entry for business registration, filings, licenses, and permits for doing business in the State of Missouri.
Starting a Business in Missouri (en Espanol) - Start-up guide in Spanish.
Starting a New Business in Missouri - A quick reference guide on the basic requirements to start and operate a business in Missouri.

Start-up and Annual Expense Worksheets - Worksheets for estimating start-up costs and annual sales and earnings. Forms can be filled out online using the free version of Adobe Reader 4.0 or above.
StartupJournal - The Wall Street Journal's "Center for Entrepreneurs" resource that includes timely articles on starting a business, financing, franchises, technology and growth, plus tool kits and a searchable database of thousands of business for sale.
What Makes an Entrepreneur? - A fresh look at what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

BizPlanIt's Virtual Business Plan - Step-by-step walkthrough of business plan sections including basics and mistakes to avoida.
Business Owner's Toolkit - Downloadable business plan for manufacturer, service and retailer businesses.
Business Plan - Overview and suggested outline of the material that should be included in your business plan
The Business Plan - Second section of "Doing Business in Missouri". Provides information on how to put together the written expression of your business idea and market projections, the business plan.
Business Plan Archive - A collection of (primarily dot com) business plans archived by the University of Maryland.
Bplans.com - Find, view, download and edit sample business plans.
Business 2.0 - Use search engine to find "Business Plans." Listing of various sites that provide tools and resources to write and improve your business plan, plus more than 15 business plan competitions. (subscription required)
BizPrimer.com - Online Business Counselor - web site setup in the order a novice should follow before starting a new business.
Center for Business Planning - Includes a collection of resources for planning your business, documenting your plan and evaluating your strategy.
Guide to Writing a Business Plan - Helps new or existing business owners take an objective look at their business, identify areas of strength and weakness, pinpoint needs that otherwise might be overlooked, spot opportunities early, and begin planning how best to achieve their goals.
INVenture Business Planner - Free, online business planning tool with a self-assessment that asks key questions and produces a downloadable, personalized business plan. A tutorial provides a helpful walkthrough.
Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Fisheries - Government of British Columbia site offering nine commodity-specific business plans providing business organization, financial, production, marketing and human resource information for planning within the context of the agricultural business.
The Plan - A Step-By-Step Business Plan Workbook - Mastercard's Working for Small Business user-friendly workbook.
Plan the Path to Success for Your Business - Planning can be a powerful tool for you, your business, and your team.
vFinance - Offers business plan services and sample business plan templates.
Virtual Restaurant - Provides a business plan outline and a sample business plan for a family restaurant. A set of 22 linked Excel spreadsheets that do financial modeling for restaurant venture business plans are viewable and available for purchase.
Write a Business Plan that Works - Step by step guide on how to write a valuable business plan that can actually guide your business success.
A Written Business Plan Keys Entrepreneurial Success - A good business plan is a living document that is updated regularly and measures performance relative to specific goals. This article describes the categories of the business plan.
see Developing a Business Plan section (pg 6) of "Starting a New Business in Missouri"

Buying and Selling a Business

Buy, Build or Franchise - Choosing the right way to go into business.
Buying Existing Business May Bring Profit, or Loss - Tips for purchasing an existing business.
Business Book Press - Resource center for buying, selling or valuing a business; includes many relevant guides and articles.
California Small Business Opportunities - Businesses and franchisess for sale, resources to sell and buy, businesses wanted to buy and links to "Top 100 Businesses For Sale" web sites.
U.S. Businesses For Sale - Links to "rated" web sites that list available businesses for sale across the United States.
USA Today's Franchise Solutions - Leading online provider of franchise and business opportunity content.
What is My Business Worth? - How to determine a selling price for your business and tips for selling it

The Entrepreneur's Reference Guide to Small Business Information

- Part of the Library of Congress' web site. List of printed library resources to help beginners (and established business owners who keep meeting new problems) find sources that can guide them to the right questions and the best answers.

Evaluating Your Business Idea -

Examine your business idea and determine your potential for success before you spend time and money developing a business plan. Honest answers to this feasibility study will identify areas of strength and concern and provide insight into your market, competitors, start-up costs, sales and financing to help you make an educated decision about moving forward. (Note: Online form filler requires Adobe Reader.)

Federal Citizen Information Center

- Contains information on laws and federal regulations that affect small business owners. Order publications online.

Finance - Links to grants/loans/capital, recordkeeping/accounting and tax information.

Inc.com

- Collection of articles and tools to start and run a small business.

IRS/SBA Small Business Resource Guide - Product from the Internal Revenue Service. Contains more than 70,000 pages of information to help entrepreneurs navigate the vast array of federal, state and local tax rules and regulatory requirements that impact small businesses.

IRS Small Business and Self Employed

- Part of the Internal Revenue Service web site. Contains small business related information. Links to electronic tax filing sites; forms and publications; tax library and electronic services offered by the IRS.

KCSourceLink

- KCSourceLink connects a network of resource providers in the Kansas City region that offer business-building services for small business success. KCSourceLink makes it easy for aspiring, emerging and existing small business owners to find the right resource at the right time.

Legal/Regulatory - Includes forms of business organization, patent and trademark information and links to OSHA, EPA and other government agencies.

Marketing - Includes market research aids and sales / advertising information.

Merchant Account Tools and Calculators

- Three tools to help you calculate your estimated monthly costs to process credit cards. These tools help the small business owner estimate and budget monthly merchant account fees for handling credit cards.

Missouri Business Links

- Links to helpful organizations and government agencies that answer common questions that start-ups and business owners have concerning state permits, regulatory requirements, forms, fees and contact information for their particular business.

Missouri Forms

- Forms available on the Missouri Secretary of State's web site for corporations and other business entities.

MoreBusiness.com

- Business "How To's;" templates for business plans, marketing plans, contracts and agreements; checklists; financial calculators; articles and newsletters.

Signage for Your Business

- Part of the Small Business Administration's (SBA) web site. Provides information and tools about developing effective signage to communicate information about your products/services.

StartupNation

- Advice on starting a business with "how-to" articles and an entrepreneur forum.

Thinking Like An Entrepreneur

- State-by-state startup resources, small business links and an online guide to starting a business.

U.S. Business Advisor

- Provides businesses with one-stop electronic access to more than 60 different federal government organizations, information, services and transactions

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

- Web site for small businesses created by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Provides articles and information on management practices, laws, regulations and other matters affecting entrepreneurs.

Business Resource Library: Start-up

Business Resource Library:
Start-up