With the vast amount of information and resources available online it can be quite a challenge for entrepreneurs and small business owners to find the small business help they need.

1) has a variety of small business resources, advice, and business ideas for entrepreneurs and small businesses to start, manage, finance, and build a business.

2) offers free sample business plans, business plan software, business calculators, and articles on writing a business plan, starting a business, and other small business topics.

4) Business.gov

Business.gov helps small businesses understand their legal requirements and locate government services from federal, state and local agencies.

5) has been the go-to source for business credit information providing expert information about building business credit, business credit scoring, business credit reporting and business credit cards.

13) IRS.gov/businesses/small/index.html

The IRS Small Business Resource site covers a broad range of tax resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners including workshops, forms, and publications.

15) is filled with sample business plans, marketing plans, templates, sample contracts and business agreements to help entrepreneurs start and grow a small business.

The business section offers tips, tools, social media resources and guides you will find extremely helpful.

19) is an award-winning online publication for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

23) is a great site for business owners searching for sources of venture capital.

You have to identify your business prospect.

You have to build a business map.

You have to give a name for your business.

You have to choose a business configuration.

Look for the most appropriate ownership configuration for your business. You have to register your business.

Starting a small business requires the usual paperwork and regulations.

Most small businesses are not actually funded by venture capitalists, grants, and even banks. You have to determine your business location.

If home business is not your choice, survey on office spaces that are available. You have to get your business insurance.

You have to guard your business against litigation and/or disaster.

Marketing 101 – Basic Information on How to Start a Small Business

Find a way to get loans to small businesses that couldn’t get them through traditional channels. Bingo, there was invented the SBA guarantee fee.

SBA loan programs historically had guarantees of 85% for loans of $150,000 or less and 75% for loans greater than $150,000 (13 CFR Part 120). On the other hand, there are some programs that only go as high as 50%, including the Express Loan program (for those types of loans the new guarantee will not change).

Simple math tells us more guarantee, the greater the likelihood of the bank making the loan.

Now let us translate this into popular programs for small businesses. The Community Express Loan Program allows quick and reasonably priced SBA loans up to $250,000 (although most lenders are dispersing monies in the neighborhood of between $5,000 and $50,000 unsecured). They are now guaranteed to 90%. Banks that are already SBA lenders don’t have to do anything different in the loan process. Namely, there is no change to the submission process to get a SBA guarantee loan number.

So for the small business owner, this news of 90% guarantees is very favorable.

So the truth is that most small businesses are not eligible for grants. If you think your business may be eligible and you seek the help of a grant research or grant writing agency, proceed with caution.

Any agency that promises you grant money is fraudulent.

If your business is eligible for a grant, you should be able to read the grant announcement, look at the application, and contact the specific granting office.

Many legitimate grant writers and grant management companies will ask for a deposit upon the signing of a mutual contract agreement. If your business was actually eligible for grant money, the agency taking your money to help would need to know a lot about your business.

Grants for Small Businesses – Fraud Alert

• Immediately Meet with Lenders;– Before you formally submit your business plan and financials make a point to meet with your chosen lenders and begin to develop a relationship or at least a line of communication.
• Determine What is Important to the Lender;– This tip kind of coincides with #2.; Each bank is different; they each look for a different set of criteria when analyzing a business plan.; For some, collateral is a prerequisite.; Others may consider the loan with no collateral if the positive; can be reached in a short period of time.; Also, find out how the bank feels about your industry.; Have they approved loans for similar businesses in the past?; Do these process SBA loans?; Use this knowledge to alter you business plan.
• Have a Prototype;– If your business is product based, prepare a prototype to show to the bank.; This gives them a more realistic idea of what you are selling.; It also shows that you care enough about your project to put in the time, effort, and money to create a trial product.
• Work with the SBA;– The; can be very helpful in formulating your business plan and securing funding.; However, be aware, some banks don’t particularly like issuing SBA backed loans due to the added paperwork involved.

Here are some tips to apply for the Government loans ; grants to start a small business:

· Remember, the Federal Government is not giving any loans for small businesses directly. They have appointed SBA (Small Business Administration) for the work.

· Before approaching SBA, you must have your business plan intact.

· Work out the budget ; marketing of the business plan very properly.

· The Stimulus Package 2009 allows personal loans.

Small Business Government Loans – Tips to Apply For Government Loans to Start a Small Business

Your personal interests and hobbies drive small business success, as your business reflects who you are. The Small Business Cashmap package is based upon the fundamental principles of organization, advanced planning, and strategic planning. Planning your business is an interactive process requiring multiple written documents, comprising a “Business Plan.” This Cashmap package shows you how to document your business on paper, developing quantifiable, long and short term goals to ensure accountability.