Small Business & Entrepreneurship
Table of Contents:
Government Business Development Sites
U.S. Small Business Administration
Get support for your small business venture from the SBA. See especially their Office of Advocacy site which covers topics such as competition & mergers, environmental issues, finance, procurement, safety, labor & health, state & local issues, taxes, telecommunications, e-commerce, women & minorities.
Wisconsin Department of Commerce
If you are starting a business in Wisconsin, this site offers assistance in many forms. Whether you are just investigating the possibilities or in the midst of starting your own business, this is an invaluable source of information and assistance.
Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (Univ. of Wisconsin-Extension)
This organization supports Wisconsin businesses by offering entrepreneurs educational opportunities in the form of workshops, programs and individualized counseling.
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater SBDC (Wisconsin Small Business Development Center)
Find courses and programs offered to entrepreneurs through the UW-W Small Business Development Center.
Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (UW-W, UW-Extension Small Business Development Centers, and the U.S. Small Business Administration)
This non-profit program specializes in assessing new products, inventions and market expansion opportunities for inventors, manufacturers and technology businesses. This is a fee-based service.
Wisconsin Entrepreneurs ' Network
WEN works to help jump start new ventures and grow existing businesses in the state of Wisconsin. Their website has tons of useful resources about entrepreneurship and opportunities near you.
General Entrepreneurship Sites
The Entrepreneurs ' Help Page (TannedFeet.com)
This site offers plenty of advice to entrepreneurs on topics ranging from angel investors to public relations to taxation.
Starting a Business (Inc.com)
Inc., the self-styled "magazine for growth companies," has a helpful guide for starting a business that covers all the territory from start-up funding to marketing to managing employees.
Startup Journal.com (Wall Street Journal Center for Entrepreneurs)
The Wall Street Journal has put together a first-rate site for entrepreneurs that has great advice and helpful tools.
Competitive Landscape - Background & Analysis of Companies, Industries and Markets
Note: Some of the EBSCO and ProQuest databases are available remotely to Wisconsin residents via BadgerLink, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction site. See the BadgerLink site for more information on their services.
ABI/Inform Complete (ProQuest) 
Consists of ABI/INFORM Global, Trade & Industry, and Dateline and indexes more than 4975 business publications. Many international resources are included and coverage is global in scope.
Business Full Text (WilsonWeb: 1982- )
Indexes and abstracts articles from more than 345 English-language periodicals published in the United States and elsewhere, including the leading business magazines and trade and research journals, plus the partial/full text of over 160 of those periodicals. Partial/full text coverage begins in January 1995.
Business Source Elite (EBSCOhost)
Provides comprehensive access to abstracts and indexing for over 1500 titles, plus searchable full text for more than 750 business periodicals.
EntreWorld (Kauffman Foundation)
This site provides access to 1,000 articles, audio clips, event listings and other tools useful to entrepreneurs. Use the keyword search or browse through the topical sections.
LexisNexis Academic (LexisNexis)
Choose News or Business to search for news and articles about companies and industries from business magazines, industry trade journals, newspapers and newswires.
TableBase is a database comprised of tables providing information such as: market share, market size, capacity, production, imports, exports, sales, product and brand rankings, forecasts, healthcare statistics and demographics. Tables are drawn from the more than 1000 sources including business and trade journals, statistical annuals, brokerage reports, trade association reports, and governmental reports.
Competitive Landscape - Demographics & Market Research
Demographics and Consumer Research (Andersen Library)
Find sources of demographic information on the Web and in the Library.
The Gallup Organization
The Gallup Organization, one of the most established polling institutions in the US, features their analysis of politics, business, social issues, and Americans ' lifestyles in three publications available through LexisNexis Academic (): Gallup Poll News Service, news centered on public opinion and updated every business day and Gallup Tuesday Briefing, in-depth articles based on Gallup 's current investigations.
How Market Research Works (HowBizWorks.com)
A spin-off of the popular HowStuffWorks site, this explains the basics of the various market research tools and offers advice on other aspects of market research.
New Strategist Publications (UW-W Library Catalog search)
Use this link to search the Library catalog for titles such as Generation X, Millennials, Wise Up to Teens, American Women, American Attitudes, etc. These books help entrepreneurs understand potential customers by learning who they are, what they like, how they think and how they spend.
Population Reference Bureau (Population Reference Bureau)
Data and trends on the world population, arranged by topic, region and country.
TableBase (RDS)
restricted to 2 users at a time
TableBase is a database comprised of tables providing information such as: market share, market size, capacity, production, imports, exports, sales, product and brand rankings, forecasts, healthcare statistics and demographics. Tables are drawn from the more than 1000 sources including business and trade journals, statistical annuals, brokerage reports, trade association reports, and governmental reports.
U.S. Census Bureau (some data available at the UW-W Library as well)
The Census of Population, Census of Housing, Census of Population and Housing, Economic Census and other data from the Census Bureau provide valuable information for entrepreneurs on their customers. The American FactFinder and State & County QuickFacts sections are particularly helpful for locating data quickly.
Competitive Landscape - Analysis of Specific Industries
Associations Unlimited (Gale Group)
Business & industry as well as professional associations can be rich sources for industry information. If you don 't find your industry covered in the other sources in this section, try finding the key organizations in your industry. Find addresses, Web sites and detailed descriptions of 158,000 regional, national and international associations including business and trade organizations. Search by industry, keyword and location.
Industry Overviews (Andersen Library)
Find sources of Industry Overviews available in Andersen Library. These sources provide 5-35 page detailed analyses of various industries, outlining the structure of the industry, current trends, market size, market share, and key players in the industry.
Financial Studies of the Small Business (Financial Research Associates) Ref HG4027.7 .F55 2003 (Reference Desk)
This guide is based on the financial statements of 30,000 U.S. companies with capitalization under $2 million. Industries as specific as Plumbing and A/C or Beauty Salon are listed within broad categories (contractors, services, wholesalers,etc.) and include common-size balance sheets and income statements as well as solvency, efficiency and profitability ratios. Perfect benchmarks for small start-ups.
Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios (Dun & Bradstreet) Ref HF 5681 .R25 I53 (Reference Desk)
This guide is based on the financial statements of 1 million U.S. companies (public, private, corporations, partnerships and proprietorships of all sizes). Each industry, arranged by Standard Industrial Classification code (look up SIC codes here), includes common-size balance sheets and income statements as well as solvency, efficiency and profitability ratios.
Mergent's Industry Review Ref HG 4501 .M665x (Reference Desk)
Arranged alphabetically by industry, this semi-annual publication lists companies within an industry and gives comparative statistics for each company. Then it ranks the companies by sales, net income, various financial ratios and growth rates.
RMA Annual Statement Studies Ref HF5681.B2 R6 (Reference Desk)
This guide is based on financial statements of customers of RMA 's member banks. Each industry, arranged by Standard Industrial Classification code (look up SIC codes here), includes data for various company sizes within the industry (based on sales) and also historical data. Includes common-size balance sheets and income statements as well as 16 financial ratios.
Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage
Standard & Poor 's NetAdvantage is a comprehensive source of business and investment information, offering access to Standard & Poor 's research products such as the Industry Surveys. These lengthy surveys cover about 50 broad industry groups. Each survey contains a section on "How to Analyze a Company" in that industry. All the major players in the industry are included in the comparative company analysis tables that cover financial statements and key ratios.
WetFeet Industries (WetFeet.com)
Want the inside scoop on an industry? WetFeet Press has a series of career-related guides to a number of industries popular with recent college graduates. Although the profiles are career-oriented, they often give valuable insight not found in traditional business reference sources.
Competitive Landscape - Current News
See Databases Listed in Background & Analysis Section
The article databases listed in the Competitive Landscape - Background & Analysis section of this guide provide current and past news from business and trade journals, newspapers and newswires.
Business & Your Money (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online)
The business section of the Journal Sentinel Online covers the local and international economy and business climate.
The Business Journal Serving Greater Milwaukee (American City Business Journals)
Find the latest Milwaukee-area business news. American City Business Journals publishes business journals in dozens of cities across the U.S. so this site is also good for keeping abreast of national trends.
Entrepreneur.com
This site includes current issues of Entrepreneur Magazine, Business Start-Ups Magazine, Entrepreneur 's HomeOffice, and Entrepreneur International.
Competitive Landscape - Company Directories
Advertising Redbooks (National Register Publishing)
Search by brand name or company name. Serves as a directory of major U.S. companies (large advertisers) as well as a directory of advertising agencies. Provides basic company information such as web page address, SIC codes, sales figures, year founded, key personnel and a list of company brands.
Business Filings Databases (LLRX.com)
Link to business filings databases for most U.S. states, provided by Secretary of State offices (or equivalent). Find incorporation information and brief annual reports for public and private corporations. Although you won 't find lots of financial data for private companies, this can be a great way to find information on small, privately-held companies.
Corporate Affiliations (National Register Publishing)
Search for companies by name, industry, geography or size. Includes 174,000 U.S. and international parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, and divisions - all the way down to the seventh level of reporting relationships. All domestic and foreign subsidiaries are included.
LexisNexis Academic (LexisNexis)
Choose Business, then you can search for millions of U.S., international, public and private companies. To screen for companies by industry and location, use the SIC code instead of Company Name search (look up SIC codes here). Be sure to truncate the SIC code with the exclamation point (e.g., 5812!) because LexisNexis uses 6-digit codes. In the State search box, select Wisconsin. In the Narrow search box, type the city (e.g., Whitewater). In the Source box, choose a source to search (e.g., All Sources, U.S. Public Companies, U.S. Private Companies) and choose a date range (at least 1 year).
Corporate Information (Wright Investors ' Service)
This site searches a variety of online directories for more than 20,000 company profiles. Free registration is required.
Corporate Registration Information System (CRIS) (State of Wisconsin)
The CRIS database allows searching by company name so you can find a unique name for your business.
EdgarScan (PricewaterhouseCoopers)
Find important facts about publicly-traded companies from their filings to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the 10-K is the annual report to the SEC).
Europages.com
Search for information on 50,000 companies in 30 European countries by industry, country, region, and size.
Hoover 's Company Records (Hoovers via ProQuest)
Find company descriptions, financials and top competitors. A limited Hoover 's records are available at Hoover 's Online, although much of the information on this site requires a subscription.
Kompass.com
Addresses and phone numbers of 1.6 million companies in more than 70 countries.
Switchboard.com
Online yellow pages for millions of U.S. companies. Search by type of business and location to identify competitors.
Thomas Global Register (Thomas Publishing Company)
Directory of American suppliers and exporters. Search by product/service or by company name.
Thomas Register of American Manufacturers (Thomas Publishing Company)
Search the directory of 170,000 U.S. manufacturer by state, product, brand or company name. Also includes listings from the Thomas Regional Directories.
Yahoo! Companies
Links to company home pages arranged by industry. Use the ticker symbol lookup, select Stock from the Security Type menu. When the search is completed, select Profile from the More Info column to find information on publicly-traded companies.
Entrepreneur 's Toolbox - Business Plans
Books on Business Plans (UW-W Library Catalog search)
Struggling with your business plan? Andersen Library has many books to guide you through this process.
The Business Plan Road Map to Success (U.S. Small Business Administration)
The U.S. SBA has a well-organized no-nonsense workshop approach to developing the business plan.
How Business Plans Work (Lee Ann Obringer, howstuffworks.com)
Get a detailed description of how business plans work, how they are structured and what they should include.
So You Wanna Write a Business Plan? (SoYouWanna.com)
Although annoyingly full of advertising, this site has a folksy tone and gives helpful tips on writing a business plan.
Templates for Your Business (SCORE)
The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers a number of different templates for businesses, including business plans for start-ups and for established companies.
Writing a Business Plan (Bplans.com)
Practical advice on business plans including 60 free sample business plans on products and services ranging from automotive parts manufacturer to horse reseller to wedding consultants.
Entrepreneur 's Toolbox - Inventor 's Corner
US Patent & Trademark Office (U.S. Dept. of Commerce)
Everything the inventor needs to register a patent or a trademark. Includes searchable databases of U.S. patents and trademarks. Research US Patents on the Web, from the Univ. of Central Florida Libraries, offers helpful advice on conducting a patent search through the USPTO.
Inventor 's Digest Online (Inventor 's Digest)
Provides news, legislative and regulatory updates, expert advice, lists of trade shows and other tools for the inventor.
PatentCafe (PatentCafe.com, Inc.)
Includes a handy tutorial on inventing, beginning with how to invent and concluding with marketing and licensing inventions.
Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (UW-W, UW-Extension Small Business Development Centers, and the U.S. Small Business Administration)
This non-profit program specializes in assessing new products, inventions and market expansion opportunities for inventors, manufacturers and technology businesses. This is a fee-based service.
Entrepreneur 's Toolbox - Marketing & Marketing Plans
Books on Marketing Plans (UW-W Library Catalog search)
Need to draft a marketing plan for a product or service? Andersen Library has many books to guide you through this process.
How to Write a Marketing Plan (The Write Market)
A well-organized site that provides advice on issues relating to the marketing plan.
The Marketing Your Business For Success Workbook (U.S. Small Business Administration)
The U.S. SBA has a well-organized no-nonsense workshop approach to developing marketing plans and marketing strategy.
Marketing For Small Business: An Overview (U.S. Small Business Administration)
The U.S. SBA offers an overview of marketing concepts along with a bibliography. The document is available in several online formats.
Media: Ad Rates, Audience & Circulation (UW-W Library Guide)
Need an idea of how much it will cost you to advertise locally and nationally? Andersen Library Media guide lists sources of advertising rates, magazine circulation and audience size.
Entrepreneur 's Toolbox - Starting & Financing a Business
America's Business Funding Directory (BusinessFinance.com)
Search more than 78,000 sources of capital including commercial and government lenders, venture capitalists and angel investors.
Books on Starting a Business (UW-W Library Catalog search)
If you are thinking of starting a business, Andersen Library has many books to guide you through the process.
Business Services (State of Wisconsin)
Everything you need to know about doing business in Wisconsin.
CCH Business Owner 's Toolkit (Commerce Clearing House)
Advice on all aspects of business ownership, from starting, financing and marketing to getting out (selling or planning for succession).
The Financing Options: All You Should Know Workbook (U.S. Small Business Administration)
The U.S. SBA has a well-organized no-nonsense workshop approach to learning about financing your business.
Incorporating Your Business (Entrepreneur Media)
Addresses the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating businesses and explains the various types of corporations (such as S corporations and LLCs).
Industry Statistics and Ratios (from UW-W Library Guide: Market Research: Demographics)
Sources such as the Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios and RMA Annual Statement Studies are available in Andersen Library and provide financial benchmarks (typical financial statements and financial ratios) categorized by industry.
Naming Your Business (State of Wisconsin)
Learn everything you need to know about naming a business in Wisconsin. The Corporate Registration Information System (CRIS) database allows searching by company name so you can find a unique name for your business.
Wisconsin Department of Revenue
Link to business and tax forms and publications, including corporation and partnership registration forms, income tax forms, sales and use tax forms, excise tax forms, unemployment insurance and much more.
Entrepreneur's Toolbox - Salary Information
Career Journal Salary & Hiring Info (Wall Street Journal)
Find salary information by industry, job function, and geographic location.
Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Search for salary and employment information by keyword or broad functional categories.
Profession-Specific Salary Surveys (JobStar Central)
Find more than 300 salary surveys for specific professions and job functions.
Wages & Trends (America 's Career InfoNet)
What are your employees worth? Search by keyword or category to find salary data for hundreds of job titles in the U.S. and Wisconsin.
WageWeb.com (Human Resources Programs Development and Improvement)
Find basic salary information for various positions within general administrative support, sales & marketing, finance, human resources, manufacturing, engineering, information technology, and health care.
Entrepreneur 's Toolbox - Franchising
Franchise Handbook: On-Line (Enterprise Magazines, Inc.)
Includes a franchise directory, an international directory of franchise trade associations as well as articles on franchising topics.
Franchise Opportunities.com (Franchise Opportunities LLC)
Find franchise opportunities by industry or size of investment.
Franchise Registry (FRANDATA)
Includes a Registry of available franchises, Worksheets for potential franchisors to register a franchise program. Learn more about the partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration and FRANDATA (the Registry operator).
Franchise Zone (Entrepreneur Media)
An extensive listing of franchisers by category as well as the Franchise 500 (largest franchises in the U.S. and Canada).
International Franchise Association (Franchise.org)
The website for this international trade organization offers resources for franchisers including a directory of suppliers, news, and educational opportunities. Some information is for members only.
The Is Franchising For Me? Workbook (U.S. Small Business Administration)
The U.S. SBA has a well-organized no-nonsense workshop approach to helping entrepreneurs determine whether franchising is their best option.
Business Opportunities: Franchising (Best of the Web)
Directory of websites that offer franchising opportunities by geography, investment level and other criteria.
Small Business Rankings
America 's 150 Largest Family Businesses (Family Business)
Although these companies are far from small (e.g., Wal-Mart), they are still dominated by the founding families. See additional family business lists on the Family Business Magazine site.
The FSB 100 (Fortune Magazine via ABI/Inform)
These companies have been publicly-traded for at least 3 years, have revenues and market capitalization of at least $50 million with sizzling sales and earnings per share growth rates.
Franchise 500 (Entrepreneur Media)
The largest franchises in the U.S. and Canada based on financial strength and stability, growth rate and size.
Inc. 500 (Inc.com)
The Inc. 500: America 's Fastest Growing Private Companies ranks companies on their 5-year annual growth rate.
Associations, Trade Shows & Additional Small Business Resources
Associations Unlimited (Gale Group)
Listings for 158,000 regional, national and international associations including business and trade organizations. Search by industry, keyword and location.
Entrepreneur 's Reference Guide to Small Business Information, 3rd ed. (Robert M. Jackson, Library of Congress)
This guide lists books on small business available at the Library of Congress.
Federal Business Opportunities (U.S. Department of Commerce)
The successor to Commerce Business Daily, this source lists U.S. Government contracting opportunities. Federal Business Opportunities is also available via LexisNexis ().
State Procurement Web Sites (National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.)
Find out how to do business with state governments by linking to state procurement sites.
VendorNet System (State of Wisconsin, Bureau of Procurement)
Find out how to do business with state and local governments in Wisconsin. Includes information on contacting state agency procurement staff. This service allows you to register your company in a statewide government procurement database.
TSNN.com: The Ultimate Trade Show Resource (TSNN.com)
Searchable listing of more than 30,000 trade events. Search by industry, date, title of event, city, state or country.
