Missouri Business Resource Library:
Management and leadership

Environmental issues

• Can We Green Our Way Out of a Recession? - Learn how possible new federal loans, grants and incentives will be applied for training and hiring people in green jobs and clean energy.
• Five steps to hire an energy auditor - An energy audit can yield big savings ... with the right audit and auditor. Here are 5 steps to guide you in doing it properly.
• Greener Choices - A website from Consumer Reports that offers reliable and practical information on green products, including a toolkit with a toxics search and electronics recycling.
• Green Business Guide - Section of SBA's website with information about green marketing, regulations, grants/loans, product development and more.
• Green Government Opportunities for Small Business - The federal government supports small businesses that are looking to develop and sell green technologies. Government agencies offer resources for small businesses at every stage. This search engine (a section of SBA's website) pulls data from across the government into one easy-to-search portal.
• Green Resources: Organizations, Publications, and Job Banks - Compilation of state and national sources from which to learn about clean energy. Green economy in Missouri.
• Growing Businesses on 'Leftovers' - Missouri entrepreneurs are looking at food waste as an opportunity. This article profiles three examples.
• Making Your Business Greener Workbook - checklists to guide through decisions for implementing initiatives to make operations environmentally "greener;" by the New Hampshire Dept. of Environmental Services.
• Missouri Environmental Assistance Center - One-stop resource for pollution prevention and environmental compliance assistance for Missouri small businesses.
• Missouri Green Opportunities Guide - potential green job opportunities in Missouri across six sectors. From Missouri DED and MERIC.
• Missouri Stands to Benefit Environmentally, Economically at a Green Crossroads - A review of a paper from the Missouri Division of Workforce Development, How Green Jobs are Connected to Workforce Development, discussing the directions where the intersection could lead.
• Small Business Owners Willing to Pay More for Green Products - This Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index survey reveals that small business owners are environmentally savvy, want to help reduce greenhouse effects.
• Twenty opportunities for small business energy savings - Twenty things businesses can do to reduce energy use and increase profits.

Market development

• Missouri Market Development Program - Helps Missouri manufacturers find and use recycled materials in producing new products.

Recycling

• Center for Environmental Science and Technology - Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla). Assists industries in identifying and solving environmental problems and concerns related to cloud and aerosol sciences, materials research and recycling, environmental trace analysis, materials characterization, toxicology, coatings technology and environmental monitoring.
• GRN - Global Recycling Network - Dedicated to recycling-related information.
• Pollution Prevention: Health Care Facilities - Measures, resources and a detailed list of strategies and benefits for implementing a pollution prevention and recycling plan for businesses providing health care services. Part of the Missouri Environmental Assistance Center's section on health care facilities.
• Pollution Prevention: Hospitality Industry - Measures, resources and a detailed list of strategies and benefits for implementing a pollution prevention and recycling plan for establishments providing hospitality services. Part of the Missouri Environmental Assistance Center's section on the hospitality industry.

Human resource management

• Circadian: 24/7 Workforce Solutions - Resources and tools to help 24/7 operations and employees.
• ERISA Industry Committee - ERIC - Association of America's largest employers committed to the advancement of voluntary retirement, healthcare coverage and other employee benefit plans.
• Society for Human Resource Management - Provides education and information services to human resource professionals and business owners.
• Workforce Management - Comprehensive directory of human resource topics, products, services and tools to implement human resources.

Behavior management

• Avoiding Burnout Blues - Tips for recognizing job burnout and steps to take to get back on track.
• Changing the Culture in your Business - To respond effectively to ever-changing demands, organizations must be prepared to change constantly. One key to successful organizational change is to involve employees in the process.
• Employees from Heaven or Hell? - A discussion of the factors influencing employee theft with tips for discouraging and managing the problem (from America's Best Business Practices blog).
• How Can I Communicate the Customer Service Message to My Employees? - Training employees to follow the steps of service and credo of the Ritz-Carlton could help any business desiring to excel at customer service
• How to Avoid Burnout and Improve Time Management - Specific tips to help business owners and managers avoid burnout with strategies for self-management.
• Ignoring Employee Conflicts Can be Dangerous - Work conflicts can damage careers and interfere with teams if left unresolved. Acknowledging and addressing the conflict effectively is part of a manager's responsibility and duty.
• Making the Exceptional Normal: Dealing with Difficult Employees - Methods for recognizing and dealing with overly optimistic, excessively cautious or consistently poor employees
• Preventing Employee Theft - Training the Internal Watchdog - Theft prevention in six steps
• The Problem of Employee Theft - Employee theft can take many forms. Proper processes and procedures can help prevent problems and manage them if theft is suspected.
• Taking Care of Your Internal Customers - When employees recognize who they serve within the organization, and treat them as a high priority like an external customer, performance improves, along with employee satisfaction and loyalty.
• 13 steps to more productive employees - Tips for happier and more productive employees.
• Tips for entrepreneurs: Establish realistic, measureable, time-sensitive goals
• What Me Worry? - A discussion of job stressors, working conditions that can cause stress and remedies management can take advantage of to boost employee morale and productivity.
• Where Does the Time Go? - Tips for making best use of your time.
• Why Training Doesn't Fix Performance Problems - Training is only part of the performance picture. How the Performance Pyramid© can foster conversations between trainers, supervisors and managers about the variety of elements that affect worker performance.

Benefits and compensation packages

• 401khelpcenter.com - Updates on 401k trends, legislation, discussions, opinion, news, products and events. Includes information on small business retirement plans in the "Small Business Channel."
• BenefitsLink - Employee benefits compliance information and tools. Site includes "benefits buzz" with links to hundreds of articles and "Q&A Columns"
• Benefit News.com - Comprehensive resource for benefits professionals and business owners.
• Controlling Workers' Compensation Costs - To control workers' compensation costs businesses must instill a safety consciousness within their culture. This article includes tips that can help create this awareness.
• Does Your Benefit Package Meet the Needs of Employees? - What's the secret to creating a benefit package that meets the needs of employees? How about asking them what's important.
• Employee Wage Laws - Is Your Small Business Compliant - Summary of recent changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) laws affecting most small businesses.
• Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses - Human resources section from the Department of Labor's elaws Advisors site helping employers and workers understand rights and responsibilities relative to wages, retirement, health and other benefits
• freeERISA.com - Provides the latest available pension and benefit information for U.S. employers. Contains information on retirement and welfare benefits of groups as the data appear on Form 5500 and/or 5500 C/R.
• PSCA.org-Profit Sharing/401K Council of America - Offers practical, cost-effective assistance with profit sharing and 401(k) plan design, administration, investment, compliance and communication.
• Salary Guides & Guidance - The Riley Guide's links to a variety of industry specific salary information sources and surveys
• Using Employee Benefits to Attract, Retain Employees - More and more businesses are offering unique collections of stress reducers and workplace enhancements to retain hard-to-replace staff.

Contractors vs. employees

• Ask a Specialist: Independent contractor vs. employee - Q&A covering guidelines determining whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor and the difference in rules surrounding each, including minimum wage.
• Employee or Contractor: 20 Tests - 20 factors or "tests" used by the IRS when determining whether a person is an employee or an independent contractor
• Employee or Contractor (What is the difference?) - If the IRS determines a person is an employee and they have been treated as an independent contractor, you may be liable for back taxes. Learn how the IRS determines if a person is an independent contractor or employee.
• Employee vs. independent contractor: seven tips for business owners - Rules from the IRS that will help you determine how to classify the people you hire

Employment law

• ADA Highlights for Small Businesses - What business owners need to know about ADA requirements to avoid penalties and litigation. Includes references and links to aid in gathering more detailed information.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Questions and Answers - Explains how the ADA protects the civil rights of persons with disabilities at work and in public places. From the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
• Avoid Legal Trouble with Employees - Tips for properly handling employee problems to keep your business protected legally while retaining high morale and productivity among workers.
• BenefitsLink - Employee benefits compliance information and tools. Site includes "benefits buzz" with links to hundreds of articles and "Q&A Columns"
• Businesses with Employees - Part of the IRS site providing information and tax legalities for hiring, recordkeeping and other critical issues for small businesses with employees.
• Discrimination in Employment - Part of the Missouri Department of Labor's website.
• Drug-Free Workplace - Dept. of Labor site that provides drug-free workplace information, fact sheets and policy development.
• elaws - Part of the Department of Labor's website including employment laws assistance for workers and small business. Includes interactive tools and forms.
• Employee Wage Laws - Is Your Small Business Compliant - Summary of recent changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) laws affecting most small businesses.
• Employer W-2 Reporting Instructions and Information - Part of the Social Security Administration's website. Provides forms and instructions for payroll reporting.
• Employment Law Guide - Part of the U.S. Department of Labor website. Laws, regulations and technical assistance services.
• Hiring Employees - Fifth section of "Doing Business in Missouri". Provides information on the requirements involved in hiring and paying employees.
• Missouri Business Links - Links to state agencies that answer common questions that startups and business owners have concerning state permits, regulatory requirements, forms, fees and contact information for their particular business.
• Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations - Main page for Department of Labor. Addresses workplace needs of employers and employees.
• Resource Guide for Employers - Provided by the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Questions and answers about Missouri regulations and responsibilities under unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, discrimination, safety and more.
• Social Media Lawyers blog - social networking and the workplace (by Spencer Fane Bitt & Browne, LLP)

Employee handbooks and forms

• The Employee Handbook - a Necessary Evil for Small Companies - A discussion of the benefits and key reasons why small businesses need a handbook.
• Presentation Skills Evaluation Form - A sample form for attendees to complete to help gauge a seminar or a meeting: Word
• Sample Application Forms -
  - A brief, simple job application form: Word
  - Three page, customized form: Word
• Sample General Employee Performance Review -
  - A brief, sample general employee performance review form: Word
  - Three page appraisal with action plan: Word
• Sample Seminar Checklist - A simple checklist for the event coordinator's use to help plan training events or meetings: Word

Employee reviews

• Build or Buy a 360 Assessment: Seven Keys to Success - Nothing improves employee performance like specific, credible feedback. Tips for using and sourcing a 360 degree evaluation for employee reviews.
• Presentation Skills Evaluation Form - A sample form for attendees to complete to help gauge a seminar or a meeting: Word
• Sample General Employee Performance Review -
  - A brief, sample general employee performance review form: Word
  - Three page appraisal with action plan: Word
• Take the Pain out of Performance Evaluation - Make the transition from a traditional performance-appraisal system to one based on the principles of performance management.
• 360° Performance Evaluation - If you think that traditional evaluation methods are not providing you with sufficient input by which to guide employee performance, take a look at the benefits that utilizing 360-degree evaluation can provide.

Hiring, retaining and firing

• Avoid Legal Trouble with Employees - Tips for properly handling employee problems to keep your business protected legally while retaining high morale and productivity among workers.
• Behavioral Interviewing - Asking the right questions is an art and a science.
• Build a Social Media Hiring Strategy - Use online networking tools (Linkedln, Facebook, Twitter) to lure quality talent (from Entrepreneur).
• Developing Skills Needed to do the Job - When assessing an employee's fit for a specific position, your first step should be to define exactly what skills are needed.
• Drafting Quality Players - Hiring choices are crucial to building a winning team. Tips to hiring for the right traits, proper screening, interviewing skills and not settling are included.
• Expanding Your Circle: Hiring Employees - Compliance rules and regulations plus costs to be aware of when you hire employees.
• Finding and Keeping Good Employees - Considerations for finding employees that are a good fit for your business plus tips for retaining them.
• Hiring Employees - Fifth section of "Doing Business in Missouri". Provides information on the requirements involved in hiring and paying employees.
• How Can I Retain Good Employees? - Once you've found good workers in a tight employment marketplace, what can you do to ensure they don't venture elsewhere?
• How Do I Cover All the Bases with Fewer Personnel? - Time must be spent wisely by working smarter not harder. The four basic principles of time management are planning, organizing, directing and controlling.
• Looking for the perfect match for your firm? Don't overlook our nation's veterans - A summary of the attributes veterans have that make them a great candidate for a job.
• New Employee Orientation Programs Key to Starting Employees Off Right - An effective orientation, involving the employee as a team player, is key to productivity and retention.
• New Hire Reporting - Missouri Dept. of Social Services's section on legal steps to take when hiring a new employee in Missouri.
• Reducing Employee Turnover - Causes for turnover and strategies to retain good employees.
• Sample Application Forms -
  - A brief, simple job application form: Word
  - Three page, customized form: Word
• Ten reasons why you should appreciate your employees - The ten top reasons to appreciate your employees about that work effectively are summarized.
• Ten Steps to Hiring Your First Employee - Provides information to new employers on how to comply with federal and state labor laws (from Business.gov).
• Using Employee Benefits to Attract, Retain Employees - More and more businesses are offering unique collections of stress reducers and workplace enhancements to retain hard-to-replace staff.
• Wanted: Top-Notch Employees - Five steps to improve the interview process, from preparing a good job description to checking references

Retirement plans

• 401khelpcenter.com - Updates on 401k trends, legislation, discussions, opinion, news, products and events. Includes information on small business retirement plans in the "Small Business Channel."
• freeERISA.com - Provides the latest available pension and benefit information for U.S. employers. Contains information on retirement and welfare benefits of groups as the data appear on Form 5500 and/or 5500 C/R.
• Understanding Solo 401(K) Plans - An individual, or solo, 401(k) plan may offer a better combination of benefits for a small business setting up an initial retirement plan or switching to a different plan.

Safety and health

• ADA Highlights for Small Businesses - What business owners need to know about ADA requirements to avoid penalties and litigation. Includes references and links to aid in gathering more detailed information.
• Drug-Free Workplace - Provides drug-free workplace information, fact sheets and policy development.
• Establish a Workplace Safety Policy - Not only do you owe your workers a safe workplace, it just makes good business sense (from Entrepreneur).
• WorkWell Missouri Tool Kit - A kit to help businesses start, add to or maintain a wellness program for staff. This step-by-step guide helps employers assessing their worksite, identify types of programs to implement, implement wellness program and determine effectiveness. (University of Missouri Extension publication; 92 pages)

Sexual harassment

• Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policies - It's imperative that you provide a safe and comfortable working environment for your employees (from Entrepreneur).
• Monica, Paula and You - Sexual harassment can be an issue in any work setting. This article defines the types of sexual harassment, describes harassing behaviors and discusses prevention and liability issues.
• Sexual Harassment - Section of the the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) website defining sexual harassment with links to enforcement guidance and policy documents for employers and employees.

Supervisory training

• HR for Small Businesses: Avoiding the Landmines - A MO SBTDC class designed for small businesses on the complicated topic of human resources management. This workshop covers the soft skills needed to effectively manage people, regulatory compliance issues and establishing policies/procedures.
• Leadership Coaching: The 360 Degree Review Process - A multi-source feedback or peer evaluation provide a panoramic view of leadership capabilities (from Fast Company).
• Supervisory Skills 101 - Sharpening supervisory skills is one of the most effective investments you can make in your company, resulting in better performance, greater employee satisfaction and, ultimately, an improvement to the bottom line.

Leadership

• Do You Really Have What It Takes to be an Effective Leader? - Insight into what those who attain the highest level of leadership effectiveness do.
• From Management to Leadership: A new perspective - On making a successful transition from manager to leader; different skills sets and perspectives may be required.
• Lead - A series of articles on leadership from SBA's Small Business Planner
• Leadership - Inc.com's "how-to-guide" with articles on assessing/improving leadership skills, employee communication and delegating.

Communication

• 5 Leadership Questions Every Boss Should Ask - Your employees need you most when times are tough. Know how to talk to them, whether the news is good or bad (from Entrepreneur).
• The Communication Circle - Make communication a priority within your business by securing tips on how to improve quality, flow and understanding.
• How Can I Communicate the Customer Service Message to My Employees? - Training employees to follow the steps of service and credo of the Ritz-Carlton could help any business desiring to excel at customer service
• How Well is Your "Open Door" Policy Working? - Good communication is a never-ending job that takes just as much effort as any other aspect of running your business, but the payoff is just as great.
• How to Make Vacations Benefit Your Business - Steps to release you and your staff for vacations while keeping your business running smoothly
• New Employee Orientation Programs Key to Starting Employees Off Right - An effective orientation, involving the employee as a team player, is key to productivity and retention.

Dealing with difficult people

• Ignoring Employee Conflicts can be Dangerous - Work conflicts can damage careers and interfere with teams if left unresolved. Acknowledging and addressing the conflict effectively is part of a manager's responsibility and duty.
• Making the Exceptional Normal: Dealing with Difficult Employees - Methods for recognizing and dealing with overly optimistic, excessively cautious or consistently poor employees
• Squelching Office Conflicts - Dealing with bickering staff that can kill workplace morale and productivity. From Inc.com.

Diversity

• American Institute for Managing Diversity - Nonprofit think tank dedicated to promoting and furthering the field of diversity management.
• Dealing with Diversity - Research shows that innovation won't happen without a diverse work force. Then why do so many CEOs clone themselves for every position?. From Inc.com.
• Diversifying Your Workforce - People with disabilities are resourceful and flexible and make excellent employees. This quick reference guide outlines the advantages of hiring people with disabilities and gives four simple steps to help you recruit, hire and retain them. U.S. Department of Labor publication.
• Diversity Central - Resources for cultural diversity at work.
• Missouri Business Leadership Network (MOBLN) - Champions opportunities to create productive and supportive partnerships among people with disabilities, private businesses and governmental and community agencies.
• Workforce Diversity Plan - Report from the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Loyalty

• Creating Loyal Employees - What you can do to create loyal staff (from Enterpreneur).

Motivation

• Motivated Workers: Is This Just a Dream? - Tips for creating a workplace environment where staff are excited to come to work each day.
• Reducing Employee Turnover - Causes for turnover and strategies to retain good employees.
• Seven Ways to Motivate and Energize Employees - Turn your employees into fans, starting on their very first day. From OPEN Forum.
• 13 steps to more productive employees - Tips for happier and more productive employees.
• Twenty Ways to Earn Employee Love - Great perks are a cheap, effective way to attract top talent and build staff loyalty. Here are 20 examples to try. From Inc.com.
• Using Employee Benefits to Attract, Retain Employees - More and more businesses are offering unique collections of stress reducers and workplace enhancements to retain hard-to-replace staff.

Morale

• How can I boost the morale of my employees without incurring huge expenses? - Q&A from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
• Trust is Key to Accomplishing Mission - Methods for developing trust, key in the workplace for high productivity, low turnover and to accomplish the mission, are discussed.
• What Me Worry? - A discussion of job stressors, working conditions that can cause stress and remedies management can take advantage of to boost employee morale and productivity.

Teamwork

• The ABCs of Managing a Team, Part I - Tips for promoting a successful team setting.
• Characteristics of an Effective Team - A dozen successful team characteristics.
• Cheap Ways to Motivate Your Team - In a recession, keeping morale high is essential (from Entrepreneur).
• New Employee Orientation Programs Key to Starting Employees Off Right - An effective orientation, involving the employee as a team player, is key to productivity and retention.
• Project Management - Strategies to use project management as an opportunity to refine leadership skills. With a sincere effort to communicate, motivate and celebrate, project managers can move teams to completion of even the most daunting tasks.
• Small Business Owners Often "Held Hostage" by Employees - It's possible to create a collegial work environment while protecting corporate assets. Employees will have a greater respect for your company if they see that it's worth protecting.

Visioning

• Keeping Your Eyes on the Prize - How to keep focus on the current year's goals while maintaining momentum to complete the current year's goals and initiatives (from Fast Company).

Management

• Management - Entrepreneur's section on management topics, steps and Q&As.

Assessment

• Balanced Scorecard: Putting strategy into action - Balanced scorecards provide business owners the ability to develop measures that accurately forecast the health and wealth of an organization.
• Balanced Scorecard: What gets measured gets done! - A measurement and management system allows a company to measure its performance in critical areas that are key to its success. This tool is available through MO SBTDC counselors.
• Improving the SWOT process can boost business planning - Using the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) methodology for strategic and annual planning, product introductions and competitive analysis.
• Is your business getting SMART? - A SMART assessment will help you get a holistic view of your business and gauge company performance.
• "Peak Performance" Assessment & strategies: How to survive in a slowing economy - A practical guide from SBA designed to help a business owner assess circumstances, frame new strategies and find appropriate resources.
• SMART Self-Assessment - Developed by the MO SBTDC, the Strategic Management Assessment Review Tool (SMART) is founded on world-class principles for performance excellence. Working with you and your management team, your MO SBTDC counselor will guide you through the SMART interview and work with you to chart a course toward long-term performance excellence.

Business plans

• See business plan section in start-up section.

Customer service

• 11 Strategies to Keep Customers Coming Back - The customers you need to grow your business may already be doing business with you. Great incentives used by successful businesses are reviewed in this article.
• 13 steps to better customer service - People don't buy products. They buy good experiences, good feelings, good solutions. The more you know about what pleases customers, the better you become at anticipating their needs.
• Connecting With Customers - This article highlights seven factors that tend to influence customer behavior and relationships, and includes eight tips for creating and solidifying customer relationships by delivering resources via e-mail.
• Creating Customer Loyalty and Longevity - Suggested tactics to use to retain customers and keep them for life.
• Customer Service Counts - Pointers for how to keep customers coming back by providing customer service that is better than that of your competition.
• Fostering Customer-focused Innovation - Can your business improve its bottom line by becoming more customer-focused?
• How Can I Communicate the Customer Service Message to My Employees? - Training employees to follow the steps of service and credo of the Ritz-Carlton could help any business desiring to excel at customer service.
• Love your customers (and get them to love you back!) guide - Easy-to-implement tips from Rhonda Abrams to build relationships to drive sales, with downloadeble checklists and worksheets (via VISA).
• Measuring customer satisfaction can help any business beat competitors during any economic climate - Understanding customer preferences, and pursuing a customer focus may increase retention and increase profits, even during the economic downturn.
• Successfully resolving customer complaints - No matter which type of business you own, there will be times when things go wrong and your customers complain. Here are nine tips for successfully dealing with customer complaints.
• Taking Care of Customers - A brief overview of the do's and don'ts of superior customer satisfaction.
• Taking Care of Your Internal Customers - When employees recognize who they serve within the organization, and treat them as a high priority like an external customer, performance improves, along with employee satisfaction and loyalty.

Downturn or recession

• Are You Operating Lean? - A brief overview of Lean Practices and the potential benefits of operating lean.
• Building Your Brand During a Downturn - Savvy marketers will use an economic downturn as a means of improving client relationships
• Business Management Veteran Offers Suggestions for Survival in Stormy Economy - Twelve tips for meeting the challenges created for businesses in a difficult economy.
• Business Survival Tips for a Tight Economy - Twelve survival tips to help businesses remain competitive during challenging economic times.
• Business Survivor's Checklist - Developed by the Washington and Arizona SBDCs, this self-assessment tool will help business owners and managers evaluate an operation's health during this time of economic uncertainty.
• Can We Green Our Way Out of a Recession? - Learn how possible new federal loans, grants and incentives will be applied for training and hiring people in green jobs and clean energy.
• Cost Saving Strategies for Small Business - Ideas for helping small business managers to reduce business costs and improve profits while conserving energy.
• Do You Have What It Takes to Handle Tough Times? - Nine characteristics of people who do well in tough times and refuse to quit
• Good Advice for a Bad Economy - Some actions a small business owner can take to improve the bottom line without risking more losses in the troubled economic times.
• Growing Businesses on 'Leftovers' - Missouri entrepreneurs are looking at food waste as an opportunity. This article profiles three examples.
• Marketing Relief for Recession Stressed Entrepreneurs - FAMEE Foundation offers free online training with marketing tips to survive a recession and maximize sales.
• "Peak Performance" Assessment & strategies: How to survive in a slowing economy - A practical guide from SBA designed to help a business owner assess circumstances, frame new strategies and find appropriate resources.
• Resources for These Tough Economic Times - MU Extension guide to resources for individuals, families, businesses and communities feeling the pressure of difficult times.
• The Small Business Owner's Guide to Living in Harmony with the Big Retailers - Learn how to compete with the big box retailers by differentiation, enhanced value proposition, unique products and a friendly atmosphere.
• Thriving in Tough Times - Survival guidance, including four mistakes that business owners and managers make and with suggestions to avoid those mistakes
• Where Have All the Customers Gone? - Utilizing the impact of the internet may help entrepreneurs experiencing the recent dip in sales.

Emergency management

• Disaster resources for Missouri - Links to disaster resource guide for small businesses plus help from SBA, IRS, more.
• Disaster-Proof Your Business - Preventive measures, in the form of business interruption insurance, can protect you and your business in case of disaster
• Expect the unexpected: Sudden disaster could be stalking your business - The future survival of your business depends upon your being informed of those unexpected difficulties that may arise and how you can deal with them effectively.
• Four ways to protect yourself against cyber attack - Cyber crime is increasingly targeting small business. Here are simple, practical tips to prevent problems.
• Open for Business - Property protection and recovery planning tool for businesses. Basic tools include forms to log equipment, software, critical business functions, vital records and more to help rebound from disaster, plus documents to assess vulnerabilities, supply chain risk, incident management/crisit communication.
• Prepare My Business - Disaster planning and preparedness via education, planning and testing. Partnership between SBA and Agility Recovery to help businesses keep up and running. Includes webinars and testing resources.
• The Necessary Crisis Management Plan? - Business crises can take many forms; is your business prepared?
• When Disaster Strikes - Disaster recovery planning may be the most important decision a small business makes. Podcast from the Georgia SBDC.
• Where to begin? Information to help you recover and rebuild after a disaster - Tips to help you decide how to begin the process of rebuilding your life and your business following a disaster.
• See Weather extremes and emergency planning

Exit strategies

Bankruptcy:

• IRS/SBA Small Business Resource Guide: Declaring Bankruptcy - Part of "Getting Out of Business" section that provides tax legalities that apply to bankruptcy with links to relevant publications.
• InterNet Bankruptcy Library - Bankruptcy and insolvency resource materials.
• Secrets of Surviving Bankruptcy - How three women discovered they could reinvent themselves and be entrepreneurs again.
  
  Selling Your Business
• BusinessTown.com: Selling a Business - Tips on selling a business and related web resources.
• Closing a Business Checklist - Find forms and information with regard to filing an annual tax return for the year you go out of business, reporting the disposal of business property, and other actions you will need to take (from the IRS website).
• Ending a Business - Steps to follow and required forms when closing a business (from the state of Missouri's website).
• Exit Strategies - There may come a time when a business needs to be closed, but this doesn't necessarily need to be a negative experience. A variety of positive strategies for planning to exit a business are presented.
• How to Make the Decision to Keep or Sell Your Business - Q&A from American Small Business News.
• IRS/SBA Small Business Resource Guide: Selling Your Business - Part of "Changing Your Business" section that highlights administrative matters and tax laws that apply to sale of a business with links to pertinent forms and publications.
• Sales Agreement - Checklist of items that must be on the written sales agreement (from SBA's Small Business Planner series).
• What are some financing options for selling my business? - Q&A from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants on financing ideas for transferring or selling a business.
• What is My Business Worth? - Ways to decide what your business' market value or worth is when you are trying to sell it.
• What's Your Company Really Worth? - Knowing your company's range of value is important. Several options for determining fair value, along with equations for calculating value, are included. From The Edward Lowe Report

Facilities

• Relocation - Inc.com's "how-to-guide" on moving or relocating a business.
• Lease Equipment - SBA's article on buying vs. leasing business equipment.
• Lease vs. Purchase - Before making a decision whether to lease or purchase capital equipment, you may want to perform some calculations. Intelligent cost analysis can help lead to sound decisions.
• Look Before You Lease - The hidden costs of a commercial lease might be more than you can afford to pay (from Entrepreneur).
• Pick a Location - SBA's article on commercial leasing

Family businesses

• Becoming a Family-friendly Business - Businesses can help employees deal with the potentially conflicting demands of work and home by becoming a "family-friendly business" and looking beyond the benefits traditionally provided to the workforce.
• Family Firm Institute - Professional membership organization providing interdisciplinary education and networking opportunities for family business advisors.
• Hire Your Spouse and Save - Employing a spouse, or a child, can be a great way to save on health benefits and taxes. Learn about benefits and what's involved.
• Family Help - Section from the IRS website explaining tax requirements for family employee vs. others.
• Husband and Wife Business - Tax considerations when operating a husband and wife business (from the IRS).
• Transferring Your Family Business - Tips on estate planning tools that ensure the continuity of the business with the smallest possible tax consequences (from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants).

Growth strategies

• Business Growth Services - The Missouri SBTDC is offering a unique process to help businesses grow, providing Fortune 500 level research that most companies would never be able to conduct by themselves.
• Can I put this on my account? - Having a clearly defined policy extending credit to customers under terms and conditions, with qualifications, is an easy way to grow a business at a faster rate.
• Chasing Cheetahs - Lessons from Missouri's fastest growing businesses. Collected data on the needs of fast-growth firms and what it takes to achieve an envioronment where more Missouri Cheetahs can roam.
• Expanding with a second location - Five things to help make your decision easier if you're considering business expansion (from Entrepreneur).
• Finance Growth - A series of articles on sources of capital to grow a business from SBA's Small Business Planner
• Franchise your business - Interested in turning your business into the next Subway or Curves? Find out if your company, and you, are cut out for franchising.
• Grow Your Business - Section on small business growth strategies from Entrepreneur.
• How can I recognize a growth opportunity? - When is a good time to grow your business and what is the best way to go about it? Q&A from Entrepreneur.
• 9 ways to prepare for growth and success - The economy taught you to expect the worst, but have you ever prepared for the best? (from Entrepreneur.com)
• Planning for growth: Critical element to success - Tips to help business owners and operations managers forge a clear plan for growth and change management.
• Relocate your business - Running out of space? Need an upgrade? It might be time to move your business to another location (from Entrepreneur).
• Using professional service providers to grow your business - Focus on your core abilities by hiring experts to help you with tasks like law, accounting and marketing (from Entrepreneur).
  
  
Franchises:

• See franchising section in industry section.

Risk management, insurance and security

• Better Business Bureau's Security & Privacy - Made Simpler - Toolkit to help small business owners manage security and privacy challenges. Includes tips for preventing hacking, phishing, data theft and employee theft. Offers guidance on whom to notify in the event of data infringement.
• Business Insurance: The Basics - Types of insurance every business owner should consider; article includes a section on coverages often overlooked
• Business Plan ... Marketing Plan ... Security Plan - Tips for keeping your workplace safe, with a focus on home office security.
• Business Protection - "Open for Business Continuity Planning Tools" free online training from DisasterSafety.org. Provides a toolkit to help business owners assess risk for a variety of natural disasters, conduct a business impact analysis and develop a recovery plan.
• The Consumer's Guide to Small Business Insurance - Guide developed by the Independent Insurance Agents of America
• Controlling Workers' Compensation Costs - To control workers' compensation costs businesses must instill a safety consciousness within their culture. This article includes tips that can help create this awareness.
• Curtailing Crime — Inside and Out - Part of SBA's Crime Prevention Series providing entrepreneurs with measures to safeguard against employee dishonesty, shoplifting, bad check passing, burglary and robbery.
• Disaster Preparedness for Business Owners - SBA podcast. Business disasters can occur at any time and any place. Put your emergency plan in place before the disaster hits.  or Word
• Disaster-proof Your Business - Preventive measures, in the form of business interruption insurance, can protect you and your business in case of disaster
• Employees from Heaven or Hell? - A discussion of the factors influencing employee theft with tips for discouraging and managing the problem.
• Four ways to protect yourself against cyber attack - Cyber crime is increasingly targeting small business. Here are simple, practical tips to prevent problems.
• Hometown Business: We All Pay the Cost - Stop the Shoplifters - Suggestions for managing retail theft. (Note: University of Missouri Extension guidesheet.)
• How Small Businesses Can Protect and Secure Customer Information - Tips to help protect both your business records and your customers' sensitive data (from Business.gov).
• Insurance Options for Business Continuation - Part of SBA's Management and Planning Series discussing the life insurance needs of a small business owner and how important business life insurance is when planning for the future of business.
• Is Your Business Flirting with Disaster? - It is possible to limit the business hardships that follow natural disasters by being prepared and having a known plan.
• Is Your Workplace Safe? - A sound safety and security program requires a commitment by management. Effective programs include an assessment of the workplace, a proposal for correcting deficiencies, employee education and training, recordkeeping and evaluation.
• Keeping Insurance Costs Down - Tips for selecting an insurance company or agent, types of coverage and methods for reducing costs
• Making Sure Your Home Base is Covered - Home-based businesses require a distinct type of insurance coverage
• Missouri Department of Insurance - Workers' Compensation Questions - Provides answers to questions employers ask most often.
• Missouri Statute Chapter 287: Workers' Compensation Law - Citation of law.
• The Necessary Crisis Management Plan - The need for a business to have a crisis management plan is vital to its future well-being and productivity. Five key steps to implementing a crisis management plan are discussed.
• Preventing Business Theft - Accounting safeguards, check and balances. Podcast from the Georgia SBDC.
• Preventing Employee Theft - Training the Internal Watchdog - Theft prevention in six steps
• The Problem of Employee Theft - Employee theft can take many forms. Proper processes and procedures can help prevent problems and manage them if theft is suspected.
• Q & A's for Small Business Employers - Use this guide to develop an effective safety and health program, identify safety hazards, reduce injuries, and more. From the U.S. Dept. of Labor.
• Repel Electronic Thieves - Take proper steps to protect computer data
• Small Business Insurance and Risk Management Guide (Word document) - Part of SBA's Management Planning Series providing entrepreneurs with help in strengthening insurance programs by identifying, minimizing and eliminating business risks.
• Working Without a Net Can Be Bad for Your Health - A review of health insurance for the business owner

Strategic and business planning

• Five mobile trends for 2013 - Mobile technology has irreversibly changed our lives on nearly every level. What does the mobile trend mean for your small business? Here are five trends to watch in 2013.
• 10 Rules for Effective Strategic Planning - Strategic planning is the critical process where you step back, assess the situation and change strategy. It can be complex and challenging because the experience and ability to develop and manage it is hard to find.
• Business Week: Small Business Legal Guide - Legal information on starting, financing and managing a small business.
• Developing strategic business relationships is critical to business health - Use a systematic approach to build business relationships that will help to increase profitability.
• Edward Lowe Resource Center - Articles with solutions gleaned from CEOs and business owners. Includes perspectives on managing growth in key areas such as communication, finance, marketing and sales, HR management, legal issues/taxes and technology.
• Entrepreneur.com - Information for starting and growing a business. Includes free business forms and agreements.
• Improving the SWOT Process Can Boost Business Planning - Using the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) methodology for strategic and annual planning, product introductions and competitive analysis.
• Knowledge is the Key - An overview of the use of technology by manufacturers to enhance knowledge management.
• Tips for entrepreneurs: Determine your competitive advantage - A process of gathering competitive intelligence will help you determine the strengths and weaknesses of your company in comparison to your competition.

Supply chain management

• 6 Ways To Protect Your Business Against Supply Chain Interruptions - With the world experiencing increasing natural and man-made disasters, contingency plans for coping with breaks in deliveries of parts or goods are important.
• Big Business Supply Chain Management: A Small Business Option? - Advice for managing the business owner's time by managing the number of vendors (from the Small Business Trends blog).
• How to Find and Work With Suppliers - Whether you're looking for raw materials for manufacturing or finished products to resell, this guide will help you find and forge great relationships with suppliers (from Entrepreneur).
• Supply Chain Management Definition and Solutions - SCM topics covering definition, components, objectives and solutions.