Web Sites
You can find Free Business Tools on the Internet - just use Google or Yahoo Search and you will be presented with many sites.  The question is which ones are worth opening up?  All we are trying to do on this page is help you with sites other clients have found useful.  If you have good ones to suggest please let us know!
Twin Cities sites - This document lists many contacts in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area with worthwhile information for startups
Internet Links - This document lists websites referred to by many SCORE counselors.  Print it out and use as a starting point in your research
Request for Counseling - Fill out this form to set an appointment.  You can use any counselor available. If you want me, I am available to counsel face-to-face on Thursday mornings with my co-counselor Bill Richardson.  I have Service industry and he has Manufacturing industry backgrounds.  
AllBusiness.com -   This is one of those sites you will want in your Favorites.  It covers a host of                            topics - finance, legal, technology, expert advice, online tools, forms, videos, 
                           find vendors, etc.
Business Plans - Many new companies will need a business plan to attract investors or get bank  financing.  This site sponsored by Palo Alto Software (marketer of Business Plan Pro) offers over 500 "sample plans" by almost any type or category of business you may be considering. It is worth looking at the Financials and Marketing parts of these 'real life' plans.
Laws & Regulations - this site provides help to the Self-Employed and Home Business.  You can tailor your request by state to see the license, legal and other topics.
Special Interest Networking Groups: These two sites offer an opportunity to find people with the same business issues as you are facing. 
Meetup is for people who want to attend training or meet people with the same 
technical or skill interes, like Quickbooks..
PartnerUp is for people who are seeking a vendor, a business 
location or opportunity or to meet special skilled people.
Technology Research - ZDNet provides research and news by hardware/software
                    vendors, mobile phones and research papers on new technology.  I will rarely use a
                    new product without checking this site's technical analysis before going to a local
                    retail store.
Hennepin County Library - This public service has much to offer a startup business who is researching competitors, customer demographics and general information.  It can be accessed from home with a library card.  Under Databases look for "Reference USA" for data by corporate or residential criteria you prescribe.  You can use "Ask a Librarian" from home.  The RMA - Risk Management Association studies of ratios by NAICS code is invaluable to test your plan ratios.
Wikipedia - This encyclopedia                        created by the Internet Users offers a
broad perspective on any topic                          you can think of.   Use it for background
on say,  patents, or a unique                               product,  accounting systems, to give
you ideas or leads of addtional                           research  you may need to do before
opening your doors to the                                       public. 
 Internet Links
   Small Business Tools
         offering time saving Help!
Research Information
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