Welcome to the Small Business Notes Business Planner, your gateway to thousands of pages of small business information on this site and links to valuable resources around the net.
A small business is multifaceted. Not only does it produce a product or service for sale, but there are a myriad of operational activities that must happen simply to keep the business functioning. In other words, there is far more under the surface of it than the particular item that a customer may wish to purchase. Somewhat like the proverbial iceberg, the majority of the business is hidden from view under the water.
When you choose to run a small business, you need to understand and build all the underlying components in addition to the product or service itself. The purpose of this planner is to help you set up all those underlying components in an effective way.
For simplicity, these components are divided into four categories:
Every business needs a plan. Here are the basics. Don't skip this step. You aren't going to be successful, however you define that, unless you set goals and figure out how you are going to get there.
There isn't just one way to run a business. Take a look at some of the varieties available to see what might work best for you.
There are literally thousands of businesses you can run. Here are lists of them organized alphabetically and by industry, along with information about what is entailed in running each of the businesses. If you are exploring what is right for you, this is a good place to start.
A worry for anyone starting a business is figuring out everything that needs to happen to get the business off to a successful start and where you find information about each of the steps that need to happen. Here is a comprehensive list of all the steps and articles about how to accomplish them.
There is no free money to help you start a business, but there are a variety of ways to get financing. Take a look at this list of possibilities and learn more about those that might be just the answer you are seeking.
The actual operation of the business doesn't need to be painful. It is important that all the bases are covered, however. Here is the big picture of what should be happening on a day-to-day basis.
