Business Resources
Contemplating your next business move and need a little help? Check out these Web sites chock full of economic indicators, trend data, venture capital information and more.
Industry Association Sites
Industry data Sites
Public Company Information Sites
Public Policy
Funding for Business
Information You Can Use
Industry Association Sites [top]
Not sure where to go first? Many industry associations provide information, surveys and outlooks for their particular industry, and can help keep you on top of changes or challenges.
http://dmoz.org/Business/Associations/By_Industry/ Open Directory project list of industry associations sorted by industry
http://www.asaecenter.org/ (people & groups>directories>gateway to associations) Association of Association Executives
http://www.businessfinance.com/Trade-Associations.htm
Search for industry specific trade associations in your area, by zip code search functionality.
Still can't find what you're looking for? Call or email Investment Resources for the specific information you need for your business.
Industry data Sites [top]
Whether you are looking at targeting a new market, or getting to know your own a little better, these sites can provide the gamut from overviews - to in depth knowledge.
www.industrylink.com This site provides a directory of typical industrial industries and associations and firms that are relevant to that industry. Also includes telecom and wireless.
www.kc.frb.org Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City provides information and educational resources that includes community economic development initiatives, funding sources and economic data.
www.ny.frb.org/index.html Federal Reserve Bank of New York provides regional, national and international economic data, including research form industry periodicals. Their economists produce publications and working papers of interest to policymakers, academics, business and banking professionals, and the general public.
www.firstgov.gov Government Servers on the Web Your tax dollars at work! This site is a central location for many government agency websites, such as OSHA, the census bureau, etc.
www.bizminer.com/index.asp?aid=38# Low priced market research studies for many industries. Reports include data on firm size, market segmentation, and financial benchmarking.
www.corporateinformation.com/home.asp Corporate Information provides industry overviews, information by state or by country, and company information for 20,000 public companies. Registration is required for some parts of the site, searches are free, and the site can be a launching point for an expanded search.
valuationresources.com/default.htm
Industry overviews and reports on various industries. Industry Resources Reports list resources available from trade associations, industry publications, and research firms which address subjects such as industry overview, issues, trends, and outlook, financial benchmarking, compensation surveys, and valuation resources.
www.harrisinteractive.com
Harris poll site- while the site does not provide free access to poll results, you can subscribe to or download newsletters with that provide insights on various markets and industries.
All of this is great, but what do I do next? If information overload is getting you swamped, contact Investment Resources.
Public Company Information Sites [top]
Even if you're a small business, information about the performance, financial results and achievements of the publicly traded firms in your marketplace can provide valuable insight.
www.10Kwizard.com This site is the best search tool for looking for detail in public company filings. You can search for a specific word or phrase, and limit by dates. Cost is $175 for a year or $25 per month.
www.secinfo.com This site is currently free, but registration is required. It provides an excellent search engine for looking through the filings.
www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml This is the complete database of all company SEC filings, and is free to all users. However, the search engine is less than reliable and may require some patience to find what you are looking for.
finance.yahoo.com/ While there are dozens of sites that provide quotes, Yahoo Finance is still the best place to find a wide variety of information about a public company, and it's much less populated by ads and pop-ups than other free sites.
Not sure which companies to review? Don't want to pay for a database you'll only use once? Investment Resources can save you time and money.
Public Policy [top]
Part of knowing your industry and your marketplace is understanding the public sector issues that can and will impact your bottom line. Here are some links to help you see what the government is (or isn't) doing on your behalf.
www.compete.org This site is devoted to keeping policymakers and business leaders informed about issues related to national competitiveness. This site offers a wealth of economic data.
www.accesskansas.org/index.html Central clearinghouse for information on Kansas programs, business information and business incentives in the state.
www.ecodev.state.mo.us Central site for Missouri information for business owners, including statistical and employment information.
www.publicforuminstitute.org/nde/ Research and information on entrepreneurship.
www.mep.nist.gov National site for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a nationwide network of not-for-profit centers in over 400 locations nationwide, whose sole purpose is to provide small and medium sized manufacturers with the help they need to succeed.
www.thomas.gov In the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, this site provides legislative information from the Library of Congress. Great for researching bills, laws and testimony pertinent to your industry.
Sure there are dozens of great websites that provide information, and reams of printouts, but what if you want to talk to a REAL PERSON? Give Investment Resources a call to cut through the confusion.
Funding for Business [top]
Show me the money! In over ten years of working with small business, finding and securing financing is always one of the top 3 concerns I hear from small business owners.
www.pwcmoneytree.com/moneytree/index.jsp The Money Tree Who's getting funded? The MoneyTree Survey is a quarterly study of venture capital investment activity in the United States.
foundationcenter.org
The Foundation Center's Web site offers some of the best general and specialized information retrieval tools on the Internet. If you're looking for information about foundations, you've come to the right place! Includes grant search feature, formerly free, now fee-based.
www.nvst.com/pnvHome.asp
NVST is an Internet hub (or portal) for the worldwide private equity and finance community. The NVST.com website provides online access to Venture Capital or Merger & Acquisition investment opportunities, professional journals, research databases and educational resources for professional training. NVST.com is the only company providing this broad range of private equity investment resources.
www.sba.gov/gopher/Local-Information/Small-Business-Investment-Companies/
List of Small Business Investment Companies (SBIC's) by state.
www.businessfinance.com/default.asp
This site provides a free directory of funding sources based on your area, business size and funding needs. It also provides links to business resources in your area such as Small Business Development Centers, and Economic Development centers, and has some great downloadable guides to business funding options.
www.sba.gov/financing/sbaloan/snapshot.html
SBA Loan programs described.
www.angelcapitalassociation.org/
This site is the most complete source I have found for identifying Angel investors, includes a directory of members investor groups.
www.zyn.com/sbir Gateway to SBIR funding solicitations. SBIR funds small business innovation and research. Various government agencies will post solicitations for the kind of research they are willing to fund.
What kind of funding is right for me? What will the bank expect when they want a forecast? If you need answers Investment Resources can help.
Information You Can Use [top]
www.dinkytown.net/investment.html The largest collection of financial calculators on one site that I have found . return on investment, loan calculators, etc.
www.sba.gov/starting_business/index.html SBA guide to starting a business, including information on business plans and online business planning workshops.
www.irs.gov/businesses/small/ Free business help from the IRS! The Small Business Resource Guide CD-ROM includes all of the business tax forms, instructions and publications along with the new tax law changes for the year. Also on this site: information on starting and structuring your business.
www.semaphorecorp.com/cgi/form.html Address and Zip+4 lookup
www.zoominfo.com A directory site for people, businesses and job searches. This site distinguishes itself by being the most complete search site, and can find information that does not always come up on the search engines. Originally free, now charges for in-depth searches but worth a look.
www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/SearchEngines.html
Current guide on HOW to search not just WHERE to search
If this still isn't enough information for you, Investment Resources will find what you are looking for.
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