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Business Plan Basics

There are two main reasons for developing YOUR business plan. The most COMMON is to provide a lender with detailed information on all aspects of your current or proposed business so they can determine whether you are a viable candidate for a loan. The most IMPORTANT is to develop a guide to be used throughout the lifetime of your business. It is your road map to success.

Visit the following web sites as you prepare to write your business plan.

• SBA - Small Business Administration
  Starting your business. This site has information for the start-up and several links to programs that the SBA has to assist entrepreneurs. There are FAQs about start-ups as well as a kit for new business owners. The First Steps page takes the potential entrepreneur through the steps necessary to start a business.
• Entrepreneur.com
  Very comprehensive site offering a variety of topics and suggestions.
• Online Women's Business Center
  SBA-sponsored site offers a walk-through discussion of many aspects of the entrepreneurial decision-making process, from self-assessment guides to start-up checklists and business plan discussions.
• The Greater Syracuse Economic Growth Council
  A local link that shows entrepreneurs that there are agencies and incubators in Central New York. Some of these resources can be linked to from this site.
• Small Business Development Center
  This site has a risk assessment and links to state and local regulations. An entrepreneur readiness quiz allows visitors to check their capacity for the start-up life.
• Empire State Development
  The New York State sponsored Small Business site. This site has checklists, links and information for the entrepreneur who is interested in starting a business in New York State.
• SCORE - "Counselors to America's Small Business"
  Tips on a wide variety of small business topics including Business Planning, eBusiness, Finance & Capital, Legal, and Tax.
• Benefit Specialists
  For over two decades, Benefit Specialists of NY has been that partner to our business community. As part of the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce, we've served the employee benefit needs of businesses throughout the region with unsurpassed commitment, products and guidance.
• Economic Development
  Our diverse business economy has enabled the Central New York community to fare better than most of our upstate neighbors. Although a significant number of manufacturing jobs have been lost, the services industry continues to grow stronger. Syracuse has crossed a threshold, making the transition away from the manufacturing-centered economy of yesterday to high-valued, knowledge-intensive businesses and industry.