This year, National Small Business Week (NSBW) is May 1 to May 7. At Bplans, we’re happy to participate in National Small Business Week by giving you access to the best resources and advice we have for small businesses and startups.
Whether you’re thinking about starting a business or are an already established business owner looking to grow, there’s bound to be something useful for you.
If you’d like to learn more about National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration has a lot of great information for you on the event. They also offer video highlights from years past.
Our list of resources below will help your business take advantage of National Small Business Week this year. To make it easier for you to read, we’ve grouped the resources by whether you’re planning, funding, starting, or growing your business.
Planning your business:
Free resources:
- Business Plan Template »
- One Page Business Pitch Template »
- 550+ Sample Business Plans »
- Business Calculators »
- Business Term Glossary »
Great reads:
- What Is a Business Plan? Don’t swallow the obsolete idea that the business plan must be a long, formal document, like the term papers you had to write. That’s not true anymore.
- The Standard Business Plan Outline: To make the best impression on banks and investors, your business plan should be presented in the standard business plan format.
- How to Write a Business Plan in Under an Hour: Most people think that writing a business plan has to be hard; Palo Alto Software COO Noah Parsons shows that it doesn’t have to be.
- How Business Planning Makes You More Successful: There’s a reason you should take the time to plan. Don’t believe us? Here’s the research.
From the small business toolkit:
- LivePlan: Our business planning software can help you when you’re starting out, and when you’re up and running, LivePlan will continue to help you keep track of your business.
- Business Plan Writers: If you need a little more help, there are people that do it for a living.
You might also enjoy these business planning resources:
- Our podcast, The Bcast, has wrapped up its first season and is available on Soundcloud and iTunes. Hosted by team members Peter Thorsson and Jonathan Michael, you’ll find each episode features business experts who discuss the latest trends in marketing, sales, and entrepreneurship. Skip the stuffy MBA classroom and get information and advice that will actually help you grow your business today. Here’s a great episode to start with:
- 25 Mission Statements from the World’s Most Valuable Brands (SlideShare)
- What Is a Business Plan? (Video)
- Writing a Business Plan (Pinterest)
Funding your business:
Free resources:
Great reads:
- How to Get Your Business Funded: Six different types of investment and lending to help you get your business funded.
- The Complete Guide to SBA Loans: While the SBA offers a number of loan programs, broadly speaking they are divided into four main categories. This is a great place to start and to get an overview of what is out there.
- 35 Ways to Fund Your Business: Depending on where you’re at in your business, what type of funding you are seeking, and the amount you need, where you’ll look can vary widely.
- 7 Key Components of a Perfect Elevator Pitch: Think of the elevator pitch as an executive summary that provides a quick overview of your business, and that details why you are going to be successful.
- The 10 Best Side Businesses to Fund Your Startup (Plus One Unexpected Suggestion): Go beyond the traditional funding sources—it is possible to fund your startup idea by operating a successful side business.
From the small business toolkit:
You might also enjoy these funding resources:
- Follow Bplans on Pinterest! We’ve got boards covering everything from specific industries to infographics and free resources.
- Impress the Angels (SlideShare)
- How to Pitch Your Business (The Bcast)
- How to Fund Your Business (Pinterest)
Starting your business:
Free resources:
- Business Startup Checklist »
- Startup Guide eBook »
- “Start, Run & Grow Your Business” eBook »
- Brand Checklist »
- Subscription Sales Forecast Template »
Great reads:
- 7 Steps to Starting Your Own Business: The key, regardless of what type of business you’re starting, is to be flexible!
- How to Start a Business in 30 Days: As with anything, learning to manage, be the boss, and run a business are just things that happen over time and with practice.
- The 3 Essentials for Startup Success: The truth is, you already possess some of the most important assets you’ll need to achieve success.
- How to Come up with a Business Idea That Caters to Your Strengths: How do you come up with a really good business idea? If you have no ideas, this is a good place to start!
From the small business toolkit:
You might also enjoy these resources on starting a business:
- Subscribe to the Bplans Youtube channel, and check out the Bplans Explains Everything series. Here’s a great video about writing mission statements:
- 30 Reasons to Start a Business (SlideShare)
- Episode 12: How to Define Your Target Market (The Bcast)
- Starting a Business (Pinterest)
Growing your business:
Free resources:
- Business Proposal Template »
- SWOT Analysis Template »
- Cash Flow 101 eBook »
- “SWOT Analysis: The Ultimate Guide” eBook »
Great reads:
- How to Make Sense of Your Financial Statements: Here’s an overview of the three key financial statements, and how they can help you keep your finger on the pulse of your business’s fiscal position.
- The 7 Key Metrics Every Business Owner Should Monitor: If you don’t understand your key financial metrics, you have no way of monitoring your business’s health.
- What Metrics to Track (and What Not to Track): Business owners who succeed at meeting their goals all have one thing in common: They all track their progress toward their goals.
- The 22 Best Blogs to Help You Grow Your Business: Find lesser-known blogs that do a great job of providing actionable advice that you can follow to grow your business.
From the small business toolkit:
You might also enjoy these resources for growth:
- 6 Reasons Your Small Business Will Fail (and How to Avoid Them) (SlideShare)
- Episode 13: How to Solve Problems in Your Business (The Bcast)
- The Entrepreneur’s Accounting Cheat Sheet
- The LivePlan Blog
Jonathan is the Engagement Marketing Manager for Palo Alto Software, and has spent the last 9 years developing and implementing digital marketing strategies. During that time, he has learned that empathy and authenticity are strengths by which companies can effectively engage with individuals at every point throughout the customer journey.
