One definition of the American Dream is the freedom for anyone to create and run their own business. It’s a dream that’s alive for tens of thousands of people every year, but turning an idea into a thriving company takes vision, know-how, careful planning and plenty of hard work. Irving Public Library is here to help with the know-how part of the equation, offering books, market research, and resources to get you up-to-speed.
Evaluate and Develop a Business Concept
Before grand opening day, most entrepreneurs spend a big amount of time creating a Business Plan, a multi-page document that describes the business and plans for success. Most business plans are written to secure financing from a bank or investors, but they’re also useful for detailing financial goals for success, further define the business concept, and can keep the business on track in the early days. The library has books and eBooks on creating a business plan on the library’s Starting a Small Business page, including Business Plans Handbook Series, which provides real-world examples by a wide variety of businesses.
Market Research
A significant part of the business plan is detailing who your customers are, and the competitive environment. Just like there wouldn’t be much of a market for a surf shop in Omaha, business owners must make sure there are plenty of customers in the community who will want their goods or services. Reference USA is an online directory containing information about millions of U.S. and Canadian business and consumers. Imagine planning a new dog daycare service in the Las Colinas area. With Reference USA’s U.S. Consumers / Lifestyles Database, a business owner can find the names and addresses of 1,476 nearby residents who own dogs and earn over $80,000 a year, the most likely customer for their service. Another source for market research is Business Source Complete, an online service with articles from over eleven thousand business magazines, journals and newspapers. Find links to these and other online services on the library’s Business Research page.
Legal Matters
Setting up a sole proprietorship? Plan on taking aboard business partners? Maybe hiring staff? Many questions an entrepreneur must find answers to have a direct or indirect tax implications. There are also forms that must be filled out and filed with local and state agencies. Two library resources can help – the Nolo Press series of books and Gale Legal Forms. Nolo Press publishes books that answer the most common legal and tax questions, including patents, home-based businesses and buying a business, that are common to many start-ups. Besides checking Nolo Press books out at any of the four Irving libraries, many Nolo Press books are available online through the Small Business Reference Center. Need to file a legal document but don’t have a form? The Gale Legal Forms database has thousands of ready-made forms, including those specific to the state of Texas. This includes forms for incorporation, employment and insurance. The site also provides a legal dictionary, links to state tax forms and a directory of local attorneys.
Business Skills
One of the most difficult aspects of starting a business is learning new skills such as sales, accounting or operations management. Few people have the variety of experiences required to run a successful business, and entrepreneurs learn quickly where to find the best information. Making the right decision fast can speed up securing a bank loan, setting up a supplier agreement, or negotiate a building lease. That’s where EBSCO’s eBook Collection deliver, providing instant access to thousands of professional-level books, written by experts. Think of EBSCO eBooks as your ready-reference shelf, a place to turn to for great information when you only have a short time for research. These books can be checked out for 24 hours and require the creation of a free EBSCO account.
Beyond these many services, Irving Public Library provides research services by connecting you with one of our specialized librarians. If you can’t find the research you need, we can take a look and help get you pointed in the right direction.
