Research Guides: Business Planning: Start-Up

Business Planning

Planning is an important part of starting and expanding a business. This guide provides starting points for gathering information about starting a business, business plans, market demographics, industry data, and more.

Start-up Information

Guide to Starting and Operating a Small Business
by the Michigan Small Business Development Center
Small Business Sourcebook
Call Number: REF HD 2346 .U5 S66
Covers small business profiles and small business topics, small business programs and assistance programs, and U.S. federal government agencies and offices specializing in small business issues, programs, and assistance.
State License Search (Michigan)
Find out if your new venture could require a state license.
Encyclopedia of Small Business
Call Number: e-book and REF HD 62.7 .H553

A.I Tools to Test a Business Idea

Validator AI
Input your startup idea and our AI startup mentor will analyze it for free. You can talk with our AI mentor chatbot as much as you want, and learn anything you need to know about launching a startup!
Slide Bean
Pitch Deck Software
Stratup AI
Explore 75,000 Start Up Ideas
Company Craft AI
Take the guesswork out of entrepreneurship with custom business ideas tailored to you, and an A.I. boosted business plan.

Small Business Reference Center

Small Business Source This link opens in a new window
Covers all aspects of starting and operating a business. Includes information on accounting, finance, human resources, management, marketing, tax, and more. State-specific information included. Access Tip: Also available at mel.org
Entrepreneurial Studies Source This link opens in a new window
Resource for business students and researchers. It provides insights on entrepreneurship and small businesses topics. Offers full text business journals, magazines, reference books, case studies, and company profiles. Access Tip: Also available at mel.org

Start-Up & Expansion Assistance

Michigan Small Business Development Center
Promotes economic development by assisting in the creation of new small business and the retention and expansion of existing small businesses.
U.S. Small Business Administration
Programs and services to help you start, grow and succeed.

Videos

Business Case Studies Videos
Watch documentaries about start-ups, entrepreneurs, marketing, business practices, and more.
Startup Kids
The Startup Kids is a documentary about young web entrepreneurs in the U.S. and Europe. It contains interviews with the founders of Vimeo, Soundcloud, Kiip, InDinero, Dropbox, Foodspotting and many others who talk about how they started their company and their lives as an entrepreneur.

Ebooks for Start Ups

The Women's Small Business Start-Up Kit by Peri Pakroo
ISBN: 9781413327595
Publication Date: 2020-06-03
The award-winning guide for any woman starting or running a business Have an idea or skill that you're ready to turn into a business? Want to expand or improve your current business operations? This book is for you!

Ebooks

Use OneSearch to find e-books from multiple databases.

Advantages of ebooks include:

accessible 24/7 from anywhere with your username and password
can search the text of the book to find information
never any library fines

Help with eBooks

Entrepreneur Business Guide Series

Entrepreneur Magazine's Start-up
Start-up guides for a variety of types of businesses.