25 Entrepreneur Resources To Amplify Your Business

25 Entrepreneur Resources To Amplify Your Business

Even if you're a serial entrepreneur, you're not expected to know every little detail about starting a business. That's why we've outlined the best 25 entrepreneur resources to help you along the way.

Follow these entrepreneur resource examples from business plans, mentorship, and marketing strategies to project management tools, legal topics, and funding outlets.

Business Plan Help for Entrepreneurs

Only some things about starting a business are common knowledge, so it's crucial to be aware of some of the ins and outs before starting, like creating a business plan and managing your income. These resources are a great place to start when you're beginning your entrepreneurial journey.

1. Small Business Administration: The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a federal agency designed to help entrepreneurs start, build, and grow their businesses. Its website provides information and support around business financing and government contracting while offering business analysis help, marketing advice, tax resources, and more.
2. Small Business Development Centers: The SBA operates 62 Small Business Development Centers (at least one in every state) that offer programs geared toward helping entrepreneurs succeed. You can get in-person support and advice on all business topics, such as accessing capital, improving your business plan, and managing your finances.
3. Women's Business Centers: Women’s Business Centers are another branch of SBA geared specifically toward helping women entrepreneurs launch their businesses. While they’re similar to the Small Business Development Centers, these centers focus on businesswomen as they advise them on ways to overcome the unique challenges they often face in the workplace.
4. U.S. Chamber of Commerce: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the largest business organization in the world, committed to advocating for and advising businesses in America. It hosts events, live speakers, and video series that offer business advice and insights. Moreover, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, an affiliate of the Chamber of Commerce, has an entire database dedicated to entrepreneurial subjects.
5. Bplans: Bplans is an online resource featuring a step-by-step guide on creating a business plan. In addition to providing business plan templates, it also includes tips and tricks on funding and growing businesses. You’ll find everything from SWOT analysis templates to cash flow statement examples to help get your business off the ground.
6. Incorporate.com: Deciding whether to incorporate your business is all part of the planning process. Incorporate.com outlines everything you need to know about incorporating and the perks of doing so (like tax advantages!). This online resource delivers all sorts of valuable information regarding incorporation, from industry-specific guides to state regulations.

Advice and Mentorship Resources for Entrepreneurs

It’s okay to turn to others for advice. We recommend it. Look for resources and outlets, like the following examples, where you can learn from other successful entrepreneurs.

1. SCORE: If you’re blindly going into your business endeavor, it might be time to turn to SCORE. Backed by the SBA, SCORE is a nonprofit organization offering business mentorship and workshops. This program will pair you up with a business expert who will help guide you through launching and expanding your business. You can also take advantage of its business training library, live webinars, courses, and workshops.
2. Foundr: Why not learn from the best? At Foundr, you’ll receive advice from successful entrepreneurs who have paved the way for you. A self-proclaimed global media and education company for entrepreneurs, Foundr features online courses, weekly podcasts, a monthly magazine, and free consultations to help you get your business on the right track.
3. Entrepreneur: As its name suggests, Entrepreneur is a magazine and website dedicated to entrepreneurship. The publication includes start-up-focused topics, such as money and finance, business news, and diversity, providing professional information, insights, and inspiration.

Marketing Resources for Entrepreneurs

From figuring out your brand image to attracting new customers, there’s a lot that goes into marketing your business. The following entrepreneurial resources will help guide you in the marketing world.

1. MarketingProfs: MarketingProfs is your go-to resource for all things marketing. This educational resource is committed to helping marketers create successful campaigns via online training programs, webinars, tutorials, and articles. It even hosts events like the annual B2B Conference Marketing Conference: MarketingProfs B2B Marketing Forum.
2. Noobpreneur: Noobpreneur provides information geared toward “newbie entrepreneurs.” It leverages small business trends and industry insights to encourage and educate those starting. While it covers all aspects of business, it has a niche focus on marketing, with content addressing all topics, from blogging to branding.
3. Crowdspring: Need help designing a logo? Or naming your business? Crowdspring is an online marketplace that crowdsources creative services for entrepreneurs. Its platform matches you with professional freelancers specializing in brand building, such as graphics, content, illustrations, and more.

Project Management Tools for Entrepreneurs

As an entrepreneur, you’ve got a lot on your plate, making it easy for things to slip under the radar. Check out these project management tools to help keep yourself on track and prevent missing important deadlines.

1. HootSuite: You’ve heard the phrase, “Work smarter, not harder,” and HootSuite helps you do that. This social media management platform lets you schedule your posts in advance, making it easier than ever to manage, track, and analyze them from one central source.
2. HubSpot: HubSpot is known for its robust CMS software, which includes marketing, sales, and service platforms. However, it also boasts countless other tools and resources, such as ebooks, webinars, courses, guides, and templates. Whether you want advice on customer retention, visual design, SEO, social media, lead generation, or other related topics, this resource has you covered.
3. Trello: Considered a visual work management tool, Trello lets you organize your projects into Kanban boards, seamlessly tracking and monitoring progress on your tasks and collaborating with your employees. Because things can get hectic as an entrepreneur, this software helps you keep all your ducks in a row.
4. Asana: Asana is another viable work management software that lets you monitor your ongoing projects and assignments. Because it's completely customizable, you can create and organize your tasks in one convenient place to best suit your business needs.

Legal Resources for Entrepreneurs

Not knowing the ins and outs of the law isn’t an excuse when it comes to running your business. Look into these resources to help you understand everything from trademark registration to workplace legalization.

1. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office oversees patent and trademark registration. Its website is an extensive resource with information regarding every stage of the registration process, from filing to maintaining patents, trademarks, and intellectual property. It covers all the basics, offers legal assistance, and answers FAQs.
2. Startup Lawyer: Understanding the legal obstacles of running your own business can be overwhelming, and that’s where this online resource can help. Startup Lawyer addresses legal topics that impact startups, such as advisory boards, capital interest, hedge funds, joint ventures, and more.
3. LegalZoom: LegalZoom pairs you with professional attorneys who will advise you on legal matters regarding your business. Whether you’re searching for help drafting your NDA or advice on forming an LLC, you can meet with an attorney and receive answers to all your legal questions.
4. Employment Law Information Network: As an entrepreneur, it's important to grasp workplace laws. The Employment Law Information Network is a resource for employment counsels, human resource professionals, and employment lawyers to receive up-to-date information on legal proceedings in the business world.
5. IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center: The thought of taxes can be daunting for business owners just starting, but the IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center can help. It provides all the tax-related information you need to ensure your business meets its tax obligations.

Funding Resources for Entrepreneurs

When starting a business, it’s normal not to have all your funding upfront. These entrepreneur resource examples provide ways to raise money and entice investors.

1. The Funded: The Funded is an online community facilitating discussions around fundraising in the business world. It encourages users to rate and review angel investors and venture capitalist firms, giving entrepreneurs insights into financial backing opportunities.
2. Go BIG Network: Go BIG Network can connect you with accredited lending sources if you want to secure business financing. This funding resource also includes business analysts who will review your business and help you reach your fundraising goals.
3. Gust: Gust is another avenue for raising capital. This platform helps you determine how much capital you can raise and which investors to approach. It lets you apply for accelerators and incubators and matches you with viable angel groups and venture capitalists.
4. YC Startup: YC Startup is best known for its crash course on starting a business, which offers an added perk of venture funding for each business enrolled. However, YC also curated an entire library of articles, essays, podcasts, and videos for entrepreneurs.

EZ Texting for Entrepreneurs

Once you’ve got your company off the ground, you can begin thinking about other ways to engage with your customers and attract new business, such as experimenting with SMS marketing strategies. Here at EZ Texting, we offer SMS marketing for small businesses that can help take your business to the next level. Contact us today!