Researching companies from the past

Best sources for researching past companies:

• ABI/Inform Global

Under the advanced search options try the following:

1) ‘business failure’ or ‘bankruptcy’ as a subject term
2) the industry you are interested in
3) and 9110 in the classification code field

• Business Source Premier
• Factiva
• Lexis Nexis Academic

• Ghostsites – tracks websites which are ‘dead’

Journals & Magazines

• ABI/Inform Global
• ABI/Inform Trade & Industry
• Business Source Premier
• Factiva
• Lexis Nexis Academic

Magazines & journals focused on entrepreneurship…

• Creativity & Innovation Management
• Economics of Innovation & Technology
• Entrepreneurship & Regional Development (1 yr embargo)
• Inc Magazine
• International Journal of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Journal of Small Business Management

Components for Developing a Business Plan: Support & Guidance

Where to go for more help…

• Small Business Development Centers
• Economic Development Centers Directory
  • Greater Lafayette Progress
• Business.gov – Patents & Trademarks
• US Code of Federal Regulations
• Occupational Safety & Health Administration

Components for Developing a Business Plan: Financing

Where to go to find money…

• Small Business Administration – Financial Assistance
• BusinessFinance.com
• Angel Capital Association
• American Venture Capital Exchange
• National Venture Capital Association

Components for Developing a Business Plan: Competitors & Suppliers

Who are you competing with and who are you partnering with?

• ReferenceUSA
• CatalogXpress
• Thomas Register
• LexisNexis Company Dossier

Components for Developing a Business Plan: Location, location, location

Gather information on where you will be located…do you have customers there?…what are they like?

• BizMiner – Local Business Summaries
• CFED – Development Report Card for States
• U.S. Census: American Factfinder
• Bureau of Economic Analysis – Regional Economic Accounts
• U.S. Chambers of Commerce

Components for Developing a Business Plan: Market Research

Review market research reports for details and projections.

• BizMiner – Market Research Profiles
• IBIS World
  – Industry Profiles
• Mintel – Consumer Market Research Reports
• MarketResearch.com Academic – Market Research Reports
• Plunkett’s Online Research – Industry Profiles
• Associations Unlimited (Trade Associations)

Components for Developing a Business Plan: Industry Analysis

Analyze the industry and market you will be in…

• Industry Classifications
• Industry Ratios
  • Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios (book)
  • Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios (book)
  • Key Business Ratios (database)
  • e-Statement Studies (database)
    
• Current Industrial Reports(CIR)
• BizMiner – Financial Analysis Profiles
  • BizStats – Summary data from BizMiner
• NetAdvantage (Industry Surveys)
• Marketline Business Information Center (5 Forces Models)
  
• Industry Handbook – Investopedia
  (5 Forces Model on selected industries)
• QuickMBA – Strategy
  (Business strategies & analysis techniques)

Business Plans

Sources for sample business plans and tools to create a business plan.

• Business Plans Handbook
• Entrepreneur.com: Business Plans
• Bplans.com: Sample Plans
• NEBS Business Plan Tool
• Agricultural Innovation & Commercialization Center: INVenture Business Planning Tool

Introduction to Entrepreneurship

Excellent resources to learn the basics of entrepreneurship.

• Small Business Administration: Small Business Planner
• Kaufmann – eVenturing
• QuickMBA: Entrepreneurship