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How to Start a Business in GA
Brought to you by the Athens Regional Library System
Brought to you by the Athens Regional Library System
This Guide was created because many people are interested in starting their own businesses and do not know where to begin. If you are one of these, this Guide should help you locate both basic information and more specific information to learn what is involved in starting a business and running it. You can find sources for information about topics like business plans, marketing plans, and legal issues. These are things that a prospective business owner needs to be aware of. Hopefully, this guide should help you gain a clear understanding of what is involved before you get started.
BASICS
Web Sites
Business Dictionaries from Your Dictionary.com
Business dictionaries containing information ranging from bankruptcy to commercial fraud. Over fifteen different dictionaries to choose from. The quick and easy way to find the correct meanings of terms as they pertain to business.
Business N@tion
"Small business center: how-to advice & ideas for starting a small business, 350,000+ web site links; 2,500+ small business articles, forms & letters, resources...." Read about business opportunities, news, polls, and additional resources.
Small Business Administration - Starting Your Business
Contains start-up basics, planning, financing, marketing, and employing. Also contains legal aspects and tax information.
Books
How to Start A Business in Georgia: With Forms, 2nd ed. Naperville: Sphinx Pub., 2001.
Call No.: BREF 346.758 ROBERTSO
This is a helpful book to use in getting started. It tells you what the State expects and where to get information within Georgia. There is also a circulating copy that can be checked out.
Inc. Yourself: How to Profit by Setting up Your Own Corporation, 9th ed. New York: Broadway Books, 1999.
Call No.: 658.1145 MCQUOWN
This book gives you a broader perspective on incorporation than individual state guides. McQuown explains basic law in plain language so it is easier to read and to understand than many other sources.
Small Business Sourcebook: the entrepreneur's resource, 14th ed. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001.
Call No.: BREF 658.022 Small (2 vols)
This 2 volume set provides 97 chapters dealing with specific types of small business. Each topical chapter contains associations and organizations, educational programs, reference works, sources of supply, statistical sources, trade periodicals, videocassettes and audiocassettes, trade shows and conventions, consultants, computerized databases, computer systems software, internet databases, libraries, research centers and incubators related to that business. There is also a state directory.
OWNERSHIP
Web Sites
Business Owner's Toolkit- Do You Have What It Takes?
Designed to make prospective business owners think through the process and the consequences of starting their own business. Includes an online small business advice column, links to tools including downloadable forms, checklists, model business plans, and a bookstore.
TYPES OF BUSINESSES
Web Sites
Startup Journal- Wall Street Journal Center for Entrepreneurs
Articles on franchising to assist in finding a fit between the franchise and prospective owner. The Franchises for Sale section has a brief description of a variety of franchising opportunities and one can click to request more information via e-mail.
START UP KITS & MANUALS
Web Sites
Start-Up Kits
Easy to read guides on how to start and run more than 40 different types of businesses. Follow links to the SmallBizBooks.com bookstore to order additional materials.
Books & Magazines
The Small Business Start-up Kit. Berkeley: Nolo, 2001.
Call No.: 658.022 Pakroo
Forms in this book are also on computer optical laser disk (CD) so you can print them out as needed.
Entrepreneur Magazine. Irvine: Entrepreneur Media Inc., 2001.
Publisher of a number of start-up guides to specific businesses such as automobile detailing, consignment clothing stores, herb farming, family hair salons, etc.
FINANCING
Books & Magazines
Entrepreneur Magazine's Financing Your Small Business: How to Raise the Money You Need. Irvine: Entrepreneur Media Inc., 2001.
Call No.: BREF 658.02 Entre No. 1806
One of Entrepreneur Magazine's Business Management Series. Chapters cover topics such as start-up financing, various types of loans and financing, writing a business plan, equipment leasing and incubators. Appendices are directories by state of places to get more information.
LEGAL ISSUES
Web Sites
FindLaw for Business
This site provides online articles and guides to all kinds of business information from finding space for an office to intellectual property issues. There are links to search a legal dictionary and for all sorts of legal forms, contracts, and cases and codes. In addition, you can register for a free newsletter.
Books & Magazines
Legal Forms for Starting and Running a Small Business, 2nd ed. Berkeley: Nolo, 2001.
Call No.: 346.7306
Provides a variety of basic business forms needed by small business. A computer laser optical disk makes it easy to print out nice looking forms.
Legal Guide for Starting and Running a Small Business. Berkeley: Nolo, 2001.
Call No.: 346.73
MARKET ANALYSIS & MARKETING PLANS
Web Sites
Georgia Community Indicators
"This is an interactive on-line resource where users can get information about their communities. The database for Community Indicators includes data for more than 450 Georgia communities. The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has developed Community Indicators to assist users with understanding and assessing the quality of life in the State's communities."
Georgia 2000 Information System
"Georgia 2000 [is] a powerful decision-support tool geared for business owners, consultants, community planners, educators and researchers. This site for demographic and statistical information on Georgia is developed by the Office of Information Technology Outreach Services (ITOS)." Registration is FREE. Reports are available by counties, municipalities, states and other geographies. Report information includes education, rent, housing value, income, industry, mortgage status, and occupation.
SCORE - Counselors to America's Small Business
". . . a nonprofit association dedicated to providing entrepreneurs with free, confidential face-to-face and email business counseling .... From marketing advice to finances, sales and operations, SCORE counselors will help you find the answers. Just as important, counselors will help you develop and think through your business plan to make sure you’re asking the right questions."
SCORE Atlanta
These web pages provide information on the national organization, contact information for the Atlanta chapter of SCORE, and gives the satellite branches for counseling throughout Georgia. (One is listed in Athens)
Books & Magazines
Georgia County Guide. Tifton: Rural Development Center, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georgia, 1981- .
Call No.: RREF317.58
The current issue of this annual publication is kept at Ready Reference in the Reference Area. The back issues are shelved in The Heritage Room.
Georgia Statistical Abstract. Athens: University of Georgia, Terry College of Business, Selig Center for Economic Growth, 1990- .
Call No.: RREF317.58
The 2000-2001 issue has a CD that makes searching much easier and the data can be copied and pasted, downloaded, or e-mailed.
The current issue of this annual publication is kept at Ready Reference in the Reference Area. The back issues are shelved in The Heritage Room.
Marketing Research, 7th ed. New York: Wiley, 2001.
Call No.: BREF 658.83
Basically a textbook, this source will help the novice in marketing to understand marketing research and how and why to do it. There is an excellent table of contents and a good index that make it easy to use to find specific information.
Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide. Rand McNally & Co., c2001.
Call No.: REF 911
Revised annually this detailed, accurate and comprehensive tool has a wealth of information on the United States. The colored state maps are large and show both political and physical features. Statistics are given for counties and for MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Areas). For the currency and quality of geographic information this tool is hard to beat.
BUSINESS PLANS
Web Sites
The Simon Selig Center, University of Georgia
This research division of the Terry College of Business at UGA, publishes a variety of information with some of the most valuable being major economic impact studies, economic forecasts, and data products, like the Georgia Statistical Abstract. The purpose is to help guide business decisions and public policy directions by making accurate information available for decision makers.
Small Business Administration- Business Plan Basics
Learn how to write a business plan and view examples. A breakdown of the business plan includes description, marketing, finances, and management. Available in Spanish.
Writing a Business Plan
Small Business Development Center, Georgia State University. This document clearly spells out why you do a business plan and even tells you how long each section should be and how to make it look good. The author of this document stresses the fact that a business plan should be developed unemotionally.
INCUBATORS
Web Sites
National Business Incubation Association
"The National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) is the world's leading organization advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship. It provides thousands of professionals with the information, education, advocacy and networking resources to bring excellence to the process of assisting early-stage companies worldwide."
WOMEN & MINORITIES
Web Sites
Georgia Women ENtrepreneurs (GWEN)
"In 1999, the GSBDC began a statewide initiative for women business owners called Georgia Women Entrepreneurs (GWEN) that operates as part of the Georgia SBDC Network. This initiative has two major goals: to provide technical assistance needed to help women-owned businesses grow and become an even greater economic force in Georgia, and to provide sharing and networking opportunities among Georgia women business owners."
National Women Business Owners Corporation
"The National Women Business Owners Corporation TM, a national 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, was established to increase competition for corporate and government contracts through implementation of a pioneering economic development strategy for women business owners. NWBOC is a sister organization to the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and the Center for Women's Business Research (CWBR)."
GEORGIA & ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY RESOURCES
Web Sites
georgia.gov- Business Services and Employment
Includes information about starting and operating a business, doing business with the state, employment, licensing, industry, and consumer protection.
State Business Information - Georgia
Part of the Bankrate.com web site that includes business, consumer and financial information for each state.
Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County
"The Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County's Home on the Internet." Links to the Code of Athens-Clarke County, purchasing and bid requirements and procedures, and information on business workshops and other programs(under Human and Economic Development).