Resource Guide: Small Business By Robbin Zirkle

Business Basics Small Business: Independent Publisher Location: Durham, NC Intended Market: North Carolina-based writers interested in publishing their own work on a small scale, specifically for nonfiction guides specific to the region. Such texts will be marketed to local small business.

Sources for Making Recommendations Business Link North Carolina | Planning Checklist | Tax Information These sources are tremendously useful for creating an outline of a small business plan. Information included on both the checklist and tax pages informed the inclusion of resources throughout this document. Durham Business Resources | Business Resources This page provides an overview of civil initiatives that control and assist business in Durham, NC. Reference for Business | Sample Plan Sample business plan for another publisher provided an example for what is required of a small business plan, in this case, another publisher.

Small Business Resources: General Overview Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics | Publishing Industry at a Glance This governmental guide provides an overview of publishing as an industry, analyzing workforce statistics, earnings, work-related maladies, prices, and trends. It also links out to related resources, including similar industries and a career guide.

United States Census Bureau | NAICS Code Provides indicator used nationally. Book publisher code is 511130. United States Department of Labor | SIC Code Provides indicator used nationally. Code for publishing and printing is 2731. State Business Link North Carolina | Planning Checklist|Business Structure These links provide comprehensive processes for starting a small business and link out to resources for small business plans. The Business Structure link provides examples for different methods of organizing the architecture of the business. North Carolina Small Business Center Network | Link Here Region-specific resource with information regarding training events, starting a business, understanding taxes, and many more areas. Includes information in regard to funding, research, legal requirements, and numerous other facets of business. Region-Specific Information Better Business Bureau | Eastern NC This BBB website is specific to Eastern North Carolina. The website provides guides for consumers, businesses and charities. It provides instructions for applying to be a part of the BBB, filing complaints, and a resource library among others. Business owners will find this useful for guiding the mission of the business. Business Link North Carolina | Link Here Business Link North Carolina includes extensive North Carolina-based guidance for businesses. Aside from an invaluable planning checklist, it also provides resources for entrepreneurs to file taxes, structure their businesses, and to run a business ethically. Office of Economic and Workforce Development | Resource Information This web page provides information that will guide the potential business owner to contacting the Office of Economic and Workforce Development to begin a business in Durham. While the website is not as interactive as that of the Durham Visitors Bureau and Durham Chamber of Commerce, it provides links to contact for different city administrators and offices that are important to contact during the startup process. Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) | Link Here This resource is valuable because it provides links to advice for business startup as well as suggesting professional development opportunities for prospective business owners. Specific to North Carolina, it presents a region-specific perspective and links to information about the state.

Sample Business Plans Bplans |Link Here Reference source for identifying sample small business plans and creating one on your own. Links out to numerous tools and articles. Resources include market research, business calculators, webinars, videos, and a business plan consultant. Premium services and software are included for an additional fee. Reference for Business | Publishing Sample small business plan from Infoguide, Inc. that provides a specific example for creating a plan within this industry. Is broken down into the standard sections for a business plan: executive summary, present situation, objectives, product/service description, market analysis, competition, risks, marketing strategy, pricing and profitability, selling tactics, assumptions, production/fulfillment, financial projections, and best/worst case analysis. Small Business Resources: Topical Financial Financing NC Rural Economic Development Center | Capital Access Business Capital web page provides information about the North Carolina Small Business Credit Initiative, an opportunity that should be considered during the financing process and in creating a financial prospectus. Small Business Administration | Finance Your Business | Loan Program This agencys web pages include information about how to finance a startup business as well loan programs available through the federal government. North Carolina Department of Commerce | Financing and Capital in North Carolina Resource links out to numerous North Carolina-based financing opportunities. Specific categories included grants, loans, and securities. Local banks First Citizens Bank Suntrust Bank Wells Fargo Bank BB&T Bank of America Fidelity Bank

Taxes Business Link North Carolina | Application for Employer Identification Number Application enables approved businesses to file taxes. Division of Employment Security | Durham County Website provides information about Durham Countys Division of Employment Security office. The website links to information regarding businesses burden for employment taxes. Public Records | Assessor and Property Tax Records in NC This resource may act as a point of reference for a small business owner to determine what their property tax responsibilities may be. It also provides a variety of other public records, including bankruptcies. Internal Revenue Service | Filing and Paying Business Taxes Provides an extensive guide to filing federal taxes on a business level. Also provides information regarding various tax credits and credentials necessary. Legal Insurance North Carolina Industrial Commission | Information for Employers Delineates the obligations of business owners to provide insurance to employees. Licensing and Registration Business Link North Carolina | Application for State Privilege License Application enables prospective business owner to apply for a license to operate within the state of North Carolina. Small Business Administration | Register Business Name | EIN Application | Licenses + Permits These links provide guides for registering and licensing a business nationally. Registering a business name and applying for an Employer Identification Number are necessary for fulfilling other federal requirements (taxes), while licenses and permits are necessary for operation. Durham County Environmental Health Services | Public Health This link provides access to the requirements for licensing a business within Durham County. Physical locations must be inspected by Health Services.

Labor + Labor Cost Hiring NC Department of Health and Human Services | New Hire Reporting Resource lists the requirements of employers to report and authorize new employees within a business. US Citizenship and Immigration Services | Employment Eligibility Verification This federal website outlines the requirements for employers to verify their employees eligibility to work in the United States. Forms are available for download, as are the handbook, and version in Spanish. Small Business Administration | Hire + Retain Employees Website provides a guide for different decisions to make within the hiring process. It includes suggested benefits, a guide for writing job descriptions and handbooks, and advice for different ways to check background and follow federal regulations. Labor Cost NC Department of Labor | Wage + Hour Bureau Provides North Carolina-specific information that outlines workweek, pay, and age requirements for employees. Also included are publications and statistics. Other Requirements NC Department of Labor | Occupational Safety and Health Division State-specific guide provides an overview of the five bureaus within OSH. It provides information that is specifically relevant for compliance to health standards. City of Durham | City Services Resource lists services provided to businesses within the Durham region. Management Business Source Complete | Link Here This database searches a large number of business journals and peer-reviewed journals within many categories, including country reports, trade journals, and SWOT analyses. Publication type and document type filters through the EBSCO interface are very useful for searches. Factiva | Link Here This guide provides information about existing industries and companies, but it also includes extensive information about current (and historical) news in the business world and numerous management topics. Its simple search feature is useful in pulling up information about top-tier

companies, but it includes extensive management information available through keyword search. Mornes Barnes-Brown Pendleton | Common Publising Legal Issues This article is excerpted from the 2005 book, Inside the Minds: Winning Legal Strategies for Publishing. It outlines common legal issues faced by publishers, and delineates an entire section for contracts. This article can inform the management model for a publishing company. Marketing Federal United States Census Bureau | American FactFinder Community Facts page provides information about specific regions. A search for Durham provides detailed breakdowns for populations, including age, business and industry, education, housing, income, origins and language, poverty, and veteran status. Bureau of Consumer Protection | Advertising and Marketing Online Guide provides an overview of best practices for using the Internet to market a business. It breaks down regulations in regard to offers and claims, products and services, and online privacy. All is provided with special attention to laws put forth by the publishing organization, the Federal Trade Commission. State Thrive North Carolina | Location Tools & Data This guide provides an overview of business in North Carolina, but it also links to finding available commercial properties as well as information about locations for businesses. Projects currently in progress are announced on the website, as is information about the Certified Sites program. A North Carolina Fact Sheet providing an executive overview of business in the commonwealth is available for download.