Published January
2006
There’s
a wealth of Web sites
for entrepreneurs
Dear
BizBest: I’m kind of an Internet junkie, so when I need something, I usually
turn to the Web. Now I’m gearing up to start my own business and would
like to know about the best sites for entrepreneurs. I tried a Google
search, but there are so many useless sites on this topic, it’s hard to
find the good stuff. Can you help? — Stymied Web Junkie
Dear Stymied:
The volume of products, services, information and advice targeting
small business on the Web is indeed staggering. The Internet is choked
with Web sites catering to the millions of existing business owners and
entrepreneurs as well as millions more who are thinking about starting
a business.
Many sites have come
and gone over the past several years. And among the survivors, most are
basically just fronts to sell you products and services of one kind or
another.
But there are some
great sites geared to startups as well as growing and established businesses
that can be tremendously helpful to any business owner, anywhere in America.
Here are some of the best:
- eVenturing (www.eVenturing.org)
is brand new and packs a lot of promise for aspiring entrepreneurs.
This site is the latest creation of the Kansas City-based Kauffman Foundation,
a private, nonpartisan group whose mission is to advance entrepreneurship
in America. The great part about eVenturing is that it’s nonprofit,
so the site is free of ads and hype. eVenturing is aimed at entrepreneurs
seeking to build innovative, high-growth companies. The site delivers
original articles, many written by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs,
and also collections of content from elsewhere related to starting and
running high-impact companies. The Kauffman site also dives headlong
into the latest interactive devices, offering RSS (really simple syndication)
feeds and blogs. You’ll find it a vibrant place to make connections,
tap helpful information and find practical tools for starting your business.
The site is organized around six main subjects: finance, human resources,
sales/marketing, products/services, operations and “the entrepreneur”
(which includes strategy, culture, leadership, etc.).
- StartupNation
(www.startupnation.com),
a relative newcomer as well, offers a wealth of information not only
about starting a new business, but also growing a successful one. This
is the brainchild of entrepreneurial brothers Rich and Jeff Sloan, who
also do a syndicated radio show, Web-based seminars and speaking engagements
across the country. Check out the site’s “10 Steps to Open for Business,”
which offers a step-by-step process with templates, tools and audio
highlights.
- StartupJournal
(www.startupjournal.com),
from The Wall Street Journal, is a first-rate site that targets entrepreneurs
seeking to start or buy a business or franchise. With the resources
of WSJ publisher Dow Jones & Co. behind this site, you can count on
information being thoroughly researched and well written. The site is
always rich in real-life case studies and examples. You’ll find a long
list of regular columnists, how-to articles on just about every topic
and a strong section on e-commerce. A proliferation of ads and pop-ups
for other Dow Jones publications is a bit annoying, however, and the
site does not do a very good job of archiving articles by specific topics,
so you might have to wade through a long list of headlines to find what
you want.
- Small Business
Computing (www.smallbusinesscomputing.com)
and Small Biz Technology (www.smallbiztechnology.com)
are two excellent specialized sites for staying abreast of the latest
in computers, software, Web applications and other technology for small
business. Both sites offer in-depth analysis and reviews that are essential
reading before you spend your money on technology.
- SCORE (www.score.org)
is another essential site for startups. Here, you can submit specific
questions to SCORE counselors via e-mail and receive individualized
advice at no charge.
Daniel Kehrer (dan@bizbest.com)
is founder of BizBest (www.bizbest.com),
which publishes “The 100 Best Resources for Small Business.”
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