Horticulture 1130: Horticulture Business--Suggested Resources.

Getting Started

• Bplans.com
  http://www.bplans.com/sp/
  Sample business, marketing and web site plans for specific businesses.
• Business PlanPro - HD 30.28 .B87 (Ref) Contains business plans cited on the Bplans web site.
• Business Plans Handbook: A Compilation of Actual Business Plans - HD 62.7 .B865 (Ref/Gen)
• Encyclopedia of Associations- AS 22 .E5 (Ref)
• Entrepreneur Magazine's How To Start A Business in Illinois - HD 62.5 .H685 (Ref/Gen)
• Guide to Buying and Selling Small Businesses - HD 1393.4 .U6 .G85 (Ref)
• Guide to Start-Up Businesses - HD 62.5 .G92 (Ref)
• How to Start A Business in Illinois - KFI 1405 .Z9 G36 (Gen)
• Small Business Profiles - HD 62.7 .S62 (Ref)
• Small Business Sourcebook - HD 2346 .U5 S66 (Ref)
• Starting A Business in Illinois: Cutting Through the Red Tape for Small Business -
  HD62.5 .S725 (Ref/Gen)
• Step by Step Guide to Starting a Business in Illinois
  http://www.illinoisbiz.biz/bus/step_by_step.html
• Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies / Rhonda Abrams
  HD 62.5 .A344 (Ref/Gen)

Industry Analysis

• Use the Business databases for articles on the industry in which your business operates. Suggestions: Business and Company ASAP and Standard and Poors Industry Surveys.

• 1997 NAICS and 1987 SIC Correspondence Tables
  http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naicstab.htm
  

Competition

• Reference USA (database)

Target Market

• Lifestyle Market Analyst - HF 5415.33 .U65 L54 (Ref)
• Sourcebook of County Demographics - HA 203 .S65 (Ref)
• Sourcebook of Zip Code Demographics - HA 203 .S67 (Ref)
• Also see Reference USA (database)

Financials

• Industry financial ratios
  • Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios - HF 5681 .R25 A45 (Ref)
  • Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios - HF 5681 .R25 I54x (Ref)
  • RMA Annual Statement Studies - HF 5681 .B2 R6 (Ref)

Legal Information

• Complete Book of Small Business Legal Forms - KF 1659 .A65 S43 (Ref)

Management / Human Resources

• American Almanac of Jobs and Salaries - HD 8038 .U5 W74 (Ref)
• American Chamber of Commerce Publications
  
  • ADA: 10 STeps to Compliance - KF 3469 .A6 (Ref/Gen)
  • Employment Discrimination - KF 3464 .E44 (Ref/Gen)
  • Federal Employment Laws and Regulations:How to Comply - KF 3319 .F42 (Ref/Gen)
  • Illinois and Federal Employment Law Manual - KFI 1531 .I55 (Ref/Gen)
  • Illinois Employment Laws and Regulations:How to Comply - KFI 1531 .I5 (Ref/Gen)
  • Illinois Unemployment Insurance - KFI 1545 .I5 (Ref/Gen)
  • Wages and Hours: An Employer's Guide - KF 3489 .W32 (Ref/Gen)
• BLR Encyclopedia of Personnel Forms - HF 5549.17 .B18 (Ref)
• BLR's Job Descriptions Encyclopedia - HF 5549.5 .J613 B55 (Ref)
• Checklists and Operating Forms for Small Businesses - HD 62.7 .C456 (Ref)
• Corporate Statements: The Official Missions . . . of Over 900 Companies -
  HD 30.285 .H37 (Ref)
• Organization Charts: Structures of More Than 200 Businesses and Non-Profit Organizations - HD 58.65 .O74 (Ref)
• Personnel Manager's Encyclopedia of Prewritten Personnel Policies - HF 5549.17 .P47 (Ref)
• Riley Guide: Salary & Compensation Information
  http://www.rileyguide.com/salary.html
  

Marketing / Advertising

• Chicago Creative Directory - HF 5805 .C4 C4 (Ref)
• Direct Marketing Market Place - HF 5415.1 .D57 (Ref)
• Standard Rate & Data Service Directories (Business publications, consumer magazines, direct marketing, newspapers, radio, television and cable) Titles vary - HF 5905 (Ref)
• Standard Directory of Advertising Agencies - HF 5805 .S72 (Ref)

Internet Resources

• About Entrepreneurs & Entrepreneurship
  http://entrepreneurs.about.com
  Excellent 'how-to' resources for starting your own business.
• Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
  http://www.illinoisbiz.biz
  Information on locating, starting or expanding your business in Illinois. Obtain help with starting your business or determining what government requirements or permits apply to your business. Also contains resources on financial assistance, tax incentives, legislation and market research.
• Illinois Gateway: Department of Business Services
  http://www.sos.state.il.us
  Select "Services" > "For Business" for small business information. You are able to obtain business forms and fee information for registering with the Secretary of State's office. Also contains a Corporate Name Database that allows you to do a preliminary search on corporate name availability.
• Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC)
  http://www.nipc.cog.il.us
  NIPC is a planning agency for the six-county metropolitan Chicago area.
• SCORE / Counselors to America's Small Business
  http://www.score.org
  Contains useful guides and templates, particularly for financial planning.
• U.S. Census Bureau
  http://www.census.gov
  An excellent source for current U.S. social, demographic and economic statistics.
• FedStats
  http://www.fedstats.gov
  Gateway to federal statistics. Go to the MapStats section and search for census information by state, county or city.
• U.S. Small Business Administration
  http://www.sba.gov
  The U.S. Small Business Administration has gathered a wide variety of resources for starting, financing and expanding your business.