Sign-posting for Action
Now you have been through BITE the key thing is to take action. We have compiled a list of external resources that may help.
Sign-posting to fellow entrepreneurs who have dealt with similar issues.
Academy for Chief Executives provides various methods of meeting and discussing issues with fellow CEOs and entrepreneurs
British Chambers of Commerce (UK) have branches all over the UK where you can meet fellow business people.
Inside UK Enterprise is a DTI sponsored scheme that recruits companies with a track record of business excellence. Once recruited, these organisations host a series of scheduled visits, at which they share and exchange their expertise with visitor groups - up to 15 each time (UK) (added under institutes).
Institute of Business Advisors provides business mentors and coaches.
The Prince's Trust provides access to a experienced business mentors and also to financial help for younger entrepreneurs that fit their criteria.
Women Into the Network is a North East-based networking initiative which aims to facilitate women's entrepreneurship by signposting them to new clients, customers, support, etc. The project is hosted by The Foundation for SME Development at the University of Durham and partially financed by the European Regional Development Fund.
Courses aimed at dealing with the problem area and more general courses
Association of Business Schools and BizEd database of management courses in the UK.
Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI) (UK) works 'with practitioners in small-business training, education and advice'. They offer a range of standards for SMEs and business support personnel.
Internet based courses on the problem area.
Learndirect-business provides access to a range of internet based courses aimed at small businesses.
Business professionals who specialise in the problem area.
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK)
Bannock Consulting for SMEs (UK)
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK)
Institute of Business Advisers (UK)
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (UK)
Non-executive directors who specialise in small businesses.
Beyond Bricks Ecademy provide a practical overview of non-executive directors.
Realbusiness.co.uk provides a helpful article on non-executives with the links to registers that are provided below.
Global Consulting Group provides a register of non-executive directors.
Indep register of independent directors.
Kingston-Smith Gro-ned register of non-executive directors.
Nednet.com helps businesses find non-executive directors.
Fact-sheets on the problem areas.
Allsmallbiz provides a search engine aimed at small business issues.
Business Bureau-UK Small Business Information Resource provides information and resources for start-up and more established businesses. There is a helpful list of guidance links at the left of the page.
Businessedge is a NatWest bank service that provides details of its key services for small business owners. It has also developed a series of other sites, which give more detailed information including: Start-Up Centre that provides support to help the process of starting a new business and Legal Centre that looks at the Legal Issues.
BusinessEurope is a business service that addresses the issues and needs of European small and medium sized businesses. They gather and filter news that focuses on events relevant to SMEs. They provide information and advice to help SMEs make decisions and compile guides for the management of new or unfamiliar events, legal and tax issues, finance and operational elements.
Business Link (UK) is provided by the Small Business Service the central government agency for SMEs in the UK. It is aimed at small business owners and provides access to practical advice.
Business Owner's Toolkit as the name suggests offers a range of tools and services for small business owners.
Entrepreneurs' Help Page (known as tannedfeet.com) provides a range of information and checklists for entrepreneurs. Resources include: checklist for starting a business, purchasing a business, insurance, tips from a angel investor, venture capital and legal forms.
Knowbiz provides practical information on setting up and administering a company. The webmaster introduces the site as coming "about as a result of the research we needed to do in order to set up and administer our company. At the time we were unable to find a UK site containing this information, although there are considerable resources on the internet, if you know where to look. To help others in our situation, we have attempted to collate what we consider to be particularly useful information into one site."
National Federation of Independent Business provides a range of helpful resources including: tips and advice, MyBusiness Magazine and an emailed Newsletter (US)
NewBusiness provides owner-managers with information and guidance through its web service and also their quarterly magazine. The website also has on-line services like banking, patenting, a list of suppliers and a list of HMI Custom and Excise business advice sessions.
Smallbusinessadvice.org.uk is provided by the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies and provides businesses with under ten-employees with a range of fact sheets and also the option to submit individual questions.
Small Business Gateway provides Scottish SMEs with advice on business start-up, business growth and high-growth. The website has information on business plans, finance, training, legislation, factsheets, freebies, case-studies and links. The Small Business Gateway has branches across Scotland.
SmallBizManager provides an online magazine to help individuals start and grow their businesses (US)
Small Business Survival Centre in association with The Business Journal provides owner-manager focused articles that cover topics such as advertising and sales, starting a business, buying products and services, finance and employee issues. The articles are rather short but worth a visit.
Smallbusinesstown.com provides access to 91 online guidebooks on entrepreneurial topics, a list of related links and various other resources. Their mission is described as: "the Entrepreneur's Guidebook Series is dedicated to providing you with concise, easy-to-read information and ideas to help you understand the essentials of entrepreneurship."
Startups.co.uk is a free of charge website to help entrepreneurs start and grow successful businesses. It provides some briefing sheets on start-up issues, finance, franchising, technology, premises, working at home, employment and marketing.
Women in Small Business Information Site provides information for women small business owners/managers including: business tools, chat groups, courses, exporting, grants, GST, industrial relations, professional organisations, management, finance, marketing, networking, occupational health and safety, quality assurance, risk analysis, self assessment skills tests, technology, teleworking, training, venture capital and women's organisations (AU).
Share ideas with fellow entrepreneurs using the Internet.
Askamentor allows you to pose specific questions to a mentor.
BusinessEurope.com provide a forum for entrepreneurs to share ideas.
National Federation of Independent Business offer forums for discussing a range of issues.
Small Business Survival Centre along with a frequently asked question section, also provides the opportunity to ask specific questions via email.
Smallbusinesstown.com provides a discussion forum for entrepreneurs.
Business Link Advisors who are knowledgeable about other services in your area.
Business Link provide a database of their local offices.
Other useful contacts and some of the links above rovided from links at the Small Business Research Portal.
Addto.com provides advice on e-commerce solutions, small business startup and development, website development, website promotion and web-based affiliate programmes. The emphasis is on internet entrepreneurs, although some of the information will be relevant to other small business owners.
Allabusinessneeds.com provides a list of services for small businesses including: "online stationery catalogue; Financial Advice, Mortgages, Accountancy, Training and Corporate Finance."
Biz Office provides practitioners with small and home based business links to reference, financing, services, news and franchises.Small and Home Business Links.
Bizweb guide to over 40000 companies.
Brain is a website that offers business information and referrals for small businesses in South Africa.
British Franchise Association is described as "the single regulatory body for franchising in the UK. The BFA is a non-profit making body responsible for developing and promoting fair and ethical franchising through its member franchisor companies."
BT GetStarted provides start-up information for would be entrepreneurs. The site offers advice on business communications, obtaining funds, starting on the Internet, tips and hints, and local advertising suggestions.
Business Angels Network has the aim 'to increase the sources of financing for unlisted SME, start-ups and projects of business creation. Indeed, these companies suffer from the structure of the market, which is reluctant to invest in risky operations.' The site matches financing requests for projects/companies with investors.
Business in the Community (UK)
Centre for Enterprise is a joint venture company originally created by the three university business schools in Leicestershire, Leicestershire business support organisations, the Chamber of Commerce and Further Education Sector. Its goal is to ' inspire excellence in entrepreneurial management and leadership development through: challenging and applicable research, innovative product and curricula development, informing regional and national policy and practice'.
Centre for Family Enterprise, Glasgow Caledonian University. They describe their aim "to provide practical support, education and development for family businesses throughout Scotland. In the autumn each year we hold our Annual Family Business Conference and this is followed by our Family Business Executive Programme. We also work closely with family firms on a one-to-one basis on bespoke consulting projects."
Clearlybusiness provides information and resources for people running a business or dreaming of setting one up. The site was launched in June 2000 and is 60% owned by Freeserve and 40% by Barclays Bank. The site provides the following links to services: accounting, auctions, banking, building a web site, managing people, sales and marketing.
Click2think provides access to research links on Cambridge's and other high-technology clusters, the internet, venture capital, entrepreneurship and business academia.
Cobweb is
a provider of business information for advisers and
intermediaries working with start ups businesses and entrepreneurs. A
free service
providing business information factsheets, newsletters and free bespoke
research.
Company Leader provides articles aimed at owner-managers of start-up and growing businesses. The site is published by Express Digital Media, part of Express Newspapers. Many of the articles are from the Daily Express's Enterprise pages.
Disabled Entrepreneurs Network is run by the Association of Disabled Professionals and supported by a Phoenix Award. It "aims to provide networking opportunities and information services for self-employed disabled people... The DEN will provide a variety of information for disabled entrepreneurs such as the provision of sign posting to other support, finance and training. We have identified a number of useful sites, but if you know of any others we would be grateful to hear about them."
Enterprise Insight (UK) is a business-led and government-backed initiative to promote opportunities for younger people (5 to 30 years) to find out what enterprise is about and to develop entrepreneurial skills. It will promote existing initiatives, create a network of business ambassadors, provide resources and commission research to measure the UK's Entrepreneurial capacity against the world.
Enterprise Zone (Gateway to Business Information) (UK)
Entrepreneurmag.com provides a topical online magazine for entrepreneurs with access to tools, message boards etc. (US)
Entrepreneurs.com is a practitioner based site that provides access to news, links and interesting information on the history of the term "entrepreneurship". The site also reports on what it describes as a legal battle over the term "entrepreneur."
Enterweb provides a comprehensive set of links for entrepreneurs to internet sites across the world (Canada)
Entreworld Resources for Entrepreneurs provided by the Kauffman Centre (US)
Equality North East is a one-stop source of equal opportunities employment information relating to race, gender and disability and related issues such as Work-Life Balance, Recruitment and selection and Harassment and Bullying. It provides fact sheets, a search facility, news items, best practice examples and signposting to other relevant organizations both regional and national.
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® award. They explain that "In 21 countries around the world, Ernst & Young offers its Entrepreneur Of The Year® award to those who are the most successful and innovative. The winners are selected by an independent judging panel in each country."
Field of Dreams offers a website designed for women who create, promote and develop successful businesses. It offers sections on tips to start a business, why do I work from home, technical help and telecommuting
Federation of Small Businesses (UK)
Fit for the Future is a CBI-led, DTI-backed campaign that promotes successful best practice by linking those with experience with those who want to learn more.
Forum for Private Business (UK)
Franco-British Club was established by the Franco-British Task Force in 1998 to promote entrepreneurship between Britain and France. The website provides an overview of entrepreneurship courses and activities to stimulate more connection between Higher Education and entrepreneurs. The site provides details of how to join the club, latest news, links, courses and a discussion forum.
Gorbals Initiative is a Local Development Company based in the Gorbals area of Glasgow, Scotland. Associated with the Small Business Gateway Scotland.
Global Entrepreneurship Institute. This is a non-profit educational organisation that provides a digital think tank for global entrepreneurs. The Virtual Library provides helpful links to relevant articles around the web and there is also a free weekly email newsletter.
Homebizbuzz is a "New Zealand home business portal crammed with information, advice, resources and tools to make your home business fun, easy and successful. Free directory listing. Free business tips e-letter. Active community. Survey opportunities."
HomeBusiness Journal provides news and articles aimed at owner-managers running their businesses from home. There is also a useful set of home business tools and a search engine.
Home Business Research online magazine and links (US)
Idealab! creates, launches and operates Internet businesses. It was founded in March 1996 by Bill Gross and currently has approximately 50 businesses in various stages of development. Idealab! states that 'in addition to capital it provides a full range of resources to infuse startup companies with the development strategies and financial support needed to rapidly introduce innovative products and services. Resources include office space and the accompanying network infrastructure, consulting and services relating to development and technology, graphic design, marketing, competitive research, legal, accounting and business development support and services.'
Institute of Small Business Affairs (UK) This is a UK based institute that promotes research dissemination. This site provides details of current research in the UK, forthcoming coming events and publications.
Institute of Training and Occupational Learning (ITOL) is described as existing "to promote the development and professional standing of those engaged in the fields of training, assessment and vocational education. ITOL was launched in February 2000 and received approval to the title ‘Institute’ from the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in July 2000."
J4b is a business grant database providing free access to information on grants and soft loans available to businesses.(UK)
LocalBusiness.com provides small businesses in the US with a local business news service. Local businesses are provided with access to small business tools, resources and e-commerce activity in each local market. The network is expected to grow to over 38 cities by December 2000.
More Business online news and advice for entrepreneurs (US).
NewsDirectory list of Small Business Magazines available online.
NFIB Small Business is a small business advice site provided by National Federation of Independent Business (US). This site allows small business related questions and answers to be posted by users.
Project North East (Enterprise and Economic Development Consultancy) (UK)
Real Deal website is provided by the Channel 4 to support the television programme of the same name. It has a self administered questionnaire to check whether 'you have got what it takes' and a section to 'road test' entrepreneurial ideas.
Regulatory information provided by Northumberland Business Alliance. NBA "is a partnership of regulatory bodies, business support organisations and Local Authorities in Northumberland". The site provides information on current UK regulatory advice, for example, a search on the term National Insurance provided a helpful link to relevant Inland Revenue Information. In their own words they "are actively working to improve relationships between regulators and local businesses and to help businesses access advice and information regarding regulations affecting them."
Relatedmatters, newsletters on family business from University of Massachusetts (Amherst), Family Business Centre.
Shell Livewire SME Programme for business support (UK)
Small Busines Administration’s Women’s Business Centers is a network of more than 80 Women’s Business Centers (WBC) that provide a range of services to women entrepreneurs across the US at all stages of business development. The website offers information on starting and growing a business, management, finance, marketing and technology
Small Business Info Centre is described as a "one- stop small business portal, we, in conjunction with the Electronic Commerce Centre (Saint John, NB), aim to attract a large international customer base due to our extensive SME information database. The user can get quick answers to specific questions or learn more on the topics involved in the upkeep or process of starting or running a SME. "
Smart Business Network provides industry-filtered news pages for senior decision makers of middle-market companies.
Smallbusiness.com connects entrepreneurs with advice and experiences of other small businesses to help them with decision-making. It offers advice on start-up, marketing, sales, accounting and tax.
Small Biz Planet. Provides links to practical articles on small business management issues e.g. accounting, finance, home business, human resources, marketing, sales and start-up. This service is associated with the Small Business Focus service detailed above.
SMEnet provides information on export, law, training and consulting for Vietnam's small and medium-scaled enterprises by GTZ, German Development Co-operation. Click at top right of page for English version of the site.
Startbusiness.co.uk provides information for the new and would-be self-employed. It includes sections on business planning, checklists, scary start-up tales, start-up statistics, classifieds, business names and a newsletter.
Startup2002 are providing a "series of exhibitions for new businesses and people thinking of starting their own companies. Free information and advice from support agencies, companies, business associations and suppliers."
Surfs-up has been developed by the Scottish Enterprise Network (UK) to help small businesses take advantage of new technology. The site provides information on a range of SME internet issues including: why go online, getting started, choosing suppliers, marketing your site, design and security.
Tomorrow's Company is a movement of companies with a vision of a world in which business success is spoken about and measured in inclusive terms which means looking at the quality of leadership and relationships
Training and Enterprise Councils (UK)
TradeUK is Trade Partners UK's Internet service that offers a matching service for international buyers and UK exporters.
The Biz is a UK Business-to-Business information resource that is designed to help owner-managers find, ask about and buy goods and services. They also offer three information zones: events, training and online forums.
UK homepage of the Global Information Network for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. This provides some links to government websites and the Confederation of British Industry.
UK Online for business (UK) is the Department for Trade and Industry's portal for providing small businesses with advice on using Information and Communications Technologies.
United Kingdom Science Park Association aims to be 'the authoritative body on the planning, development and creation of science parks that are for facilitating the development and management of innovation, high growth, knowledge based organisations'. The site provides news on the organisation, membership details and a bookshop.
Usecolor.com is a small business information service. They offer free 30 day access to what they describe as all their "money and time saving business services".
United States Postal Service provides a set of 'tools' for Small Business Owners including: "Get more Customers", "Meet Customer Demands" and "Keep Your Customers". Follow the link from the front page.
US Small Business Administration's extensive series of articles on small business management and related issues.
Venture Dome is an online news and information service for the European private equity industry- it provides information, comment and analysis of the UK venture capital industry. Registered users can post press releases, case studies and other information to the site and can search a database of funders and other advisers. There is also a email newsletter service.
Wahmpreneur is "the news magazine for women who work where they live". The site offers news, a business directory and discussion forum. The editor Dawn Rivers Baker describes the inception of the site "As I continued to explore the web in search of sites for WAHMs, I noticed something else. There were certainly websites out there for us, places dedicated to the praise and encouragement of work-at-home moms. But they all seemed to consist of celebrations of WAHMhood -- isn't it wonderful that we are staying home for our children, because naturally our children come first. I didn't even have any quarrel with that sentiment, but it did not help my dilemma. I was looking for information, hard news, the kind of news one would expect a businesswoman to require in order to run her business, written with the special circumstances of the home-based working mother in mind. I couldn't find it anywhere. And thus was WAHMPRENEUR born."
Disclaimer: It is hoped that these pages are helpful to those visiting our site, but the Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership and all those associated with the BITE project are not recommending the links nor can they be held responsible for the accuracy of their content or for the actions that people may take having visited the links.
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