The University of St. Thomas

Entrepreneurship and Small Business: Selected Resources

Entrepreneurship and Small Business: Selected Resources

Resources listed below are available at both the Keffer and O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library unless only one library is listed.

Establishing a new venture

  • Encyclopedia of Small Business. (e-book)
    Detailed articles and overviews of key information for small business users, including financing, financial planning, business plan creation, market analysis, sales strategy, tax planning, and more.
  • U.S. Small Business Administration.
    Downloadable pamphlets and software, as well as SBA contact and program information.
  • Business.gov.
    "One-stop shop" for compliance documents and other resources. From the U.S. Small Business Administration, in partnership with 21 other federal agencies.
  • Oxford Handbook of Entrepreneurship. Keffer Library Ref. HB 615 .O94
  • Financial Studies of the Small Business. Annual. Ref. HD 2346 .U5 F55
    Industry/financial ratios for smaller companies.
  • Harvard Business Essentials: Entrepreneur's Toolkit: Tools and Techniques to Launch and Grow Your New Business. Keffer Library HD 62.5 .H37378
  • How to Set Up Your Own Small Business. OSF Library Ref. HD 62.7 .H683
  • Small Business Sourcebook. 2 vols. Ref. HD 2346 .U5 S66
    Information sources and assistance for over 300 small business types, 95 small business topics, and small business programs and assistance in the U.S. and Canada. Includes startup information, trade associations, statistical sources, trade journals, trade shows and conventions, consultants, franchise opportunities, and computer software.

For additional books on Entrepreneurship, search CLICnet for "Entrepreneurship," "New Business Enterprises," and "Small Business." 

Business plans

Company/competitor information

  • Reference USA. (UST subscription database)
    Current directory information for millions of U.S. businesses.
  • Business and Company Resource Center. (UST subscription database)
    Full-text articles and abstracts covering all aspects of business and management, including company and industry information. Research reports on individual companies can also provide information on industries.
  • Business Decisions Academic. (UST subscription database)
    Demographic data and maps for business, marketing, sales, and strategic planning. Evaluate potential new sites, analyze market penetration and trade areas, perform competitive analyses, and more.  Business Decisions manual.

See also Research a Company.

Industry information: SIC Codes and NAICS Codes


Industry information is often organized by SIC and NAICS codes.

Industry overviews and surveys

  • IBISWorld Industry Intelligence.  (UST subscription database)
    Covers over 700 industries at the 5-digit NAICS code level.
  • Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys. (UST subscription database)
    Full-text overviews of major U.S. industries; covers trends & forecasts, major players & market share data, key ratios & statistics, comparative analysis & other information; available in both HTML & PDF; includes 12 months S&P investment reports.
  • Business Source Premier.  (UST subscription database)
    Industry profiles, market research reports, and more. 

See also Research an Industry.

Product and industry trade news

  • ABI/Inform Trade & Industry. (UST subscription database)
    Full-text articles covering the latest industry news, product and competitive information, and marketing trends about specific industries.
  • Business Source Premier.  (UST subscription database)
    Choose Trade Journals. 

Trade and professional associations

For marketing and demographic information, see Selected Resources for Marketing. For Minnesota demographics and information, see Minnesota Business. 

Financing

  • U.S. Small Business Administration: Finance Startup.
    Part of the U.S. Small Business Administration's Small Business Planner.
  • ActiveCapital.org.
    Conducts networking, educational, training, and research activities that would provide assistance to both investors and entrepreneurs. mmm It helps individual accredited investors, SBICs, and institutional venture capitalists to find small, growing companies through a secure Internet database, and it provides ongoing training and research to enhance the business skills of entrepreneurs and small investors.
  • National Business Incubation Association.
    Lists incubator developers and managers, economic development professionals, and venture capital investors.
  • How to Raise Capital: Techniques and Strategies for Financing and Valuing Your Small Business. HG 4027.7 .T55
  • Venture Capital Funding: A Practical Guide to Raising Finance. Keffer Library HG 4751 .B557 
  • Venture Capital: The Definitive Guide for Entrepreneurs, Investors, and Practitioners. Keffer Library HG 4751 .V463
  • Business Finance.com.
    "America's Business Funding Directory." Free advice, information, and matchmaking network; assists businesses to obtain capital, find government programs, get expert help, and more.
  • Prosper.com.
    Peer-to-peer online community for lending and borrowing money. 
  • VFinance.com.
    Listings of venture capital and angel investors.  The site also allows new business owners to post business plans.

Franchises

  • Franchising.com.
    Bills itself as the world's most comprehensive directory of franchising opportunities, featuring over 5300 listings with links to websites and email addresses.  Listing arranged alphabetically, by category or country, and by investment level.
  • FranchiseWorks.
    Directory of franchise opportunities with additional information on businesses for sale, trade shows, financing, and more.
  • Franchise Bible. Ref. HF 5429.235 .U5 K478
    Information and sample franchise documents for those contemplating buying a business, or in franchising one's own business.
  • Franchise 500. (from Entrepreneur magazine)
  • Franchise Handbook Online.
    Features franchise opportunities listed by category.

Small business advisors

  • U.S. Small Business Administration.
    Downloadable pamphlets and software, as well as SBA contact and program information.
  • Allbusiness.com.
    This site has nearly 1,500 articles on issues essential to running a business, over 200 business forms and agreements, calculators for estimating costs, checklists for decisions, and information in a variety of categories including human resources, insurance, legal, etc.
  • Business.gov.
    Created for the small business owner, this site brings together information from over 40 federal agencies covering business development, financial assistance, laws and regulations, international trade, workplace issues, buying and selling, and taxes.
  • Edward Lowe Foundation.
    Information for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
  • Kauffman eVenturing. (Kauffman Foundation for Entrepreneurship)
    Resources for starting and supporting businesses. Links on entry strategies, business plans, and more. (Formerly Entreworld.)
  • Minnesota Small Business Development Centers.
    Assistance, consulting, and resources for Minnesota business owners and those just starting out.
  • SCORE: Counselors to America's Small Business.
    SCORE is the Service Corps of Retired Executives, which works in cooperation with the U.S. Small Business Administration to advise and assist small business.

Research consultations


Professional reference service is available at both the St. Paul and Minneapolis campus libraries. While walk-in service is often available, appointments should be made for lengthy reference consultations or tutorials. If you are interested in a research consultation, contact:

Updated August 2008 mdh"