| Vol.
I, No. 7 | May
Day / Mother's Day | Apr.
20th, 2001 |
Business
& Finance
Links to Business & Finance On-Line . Links
to Business & Finance On-Line
The amount of info on the web is enormous, as anyone who's ever tried to run a
search can attest to. And, to put it all in context, best estimates say
that only a fraction, maybe 20 - 40 % of what's out there is actually making its
way to the search engines.
Well ...
Here at DownStreet, we'd like to try to help. So each issue, we
post a few links in Business & Finance to sites that might interest
you. Sometimes the links will be related to one another ...
sometimes we'll just offer up a somewhat random sampling. In either case,
we think we might be able to help you find the kind of site you've been looking
for.
Of course, while we can't vouch for the fact that
every link we provide will be of interest to everyone, we do our best to filter
out the noise and the bustle. ... Vermont
Small Business Resources On-Line
Tax Day is still months away, but
there's no time like the present to keep from having to rush out to the Post
Office at the last minute, even if, since the 15th falls on a Sunday, you do get
an extra day this year. In that spirit, we're devoting this month's links
to Small Business tax info straight from the horse's mouth. That's
right: The IRS. ... And there's plenty of it. So,
without further ado ... Micro
Business Development Program
This
site is the home of the Micro Business Development Program of the Vermont
Community Action Agencies. As they note on their home page, since 1989
they have "helped over 4000 people with their plans to start or expand
a micro business."
.
The main sections here include info on
Starting a Business and on Running a Business. The Start-Up section is
divided into three sub-sections -- Evaluation, Research, and Funding.
Among the topics covered: Defining Your Business Idea, Setting Goals,
Budgeting & Financial Planning, Research Tools, Looking at the
Industry & Looking at Your Market, Choosing a Legal Structure, Writing a
Business Plan, Sources of Money, Loan Considerations, The Application
Process, and Credit Repair. The section on Running a Business is not
as strong, with an FAQ that may nonetheless prove helpful to some. But
there's also a page devoted to related Resource Links that offers up a
wealth of useful on-line info.
.
Vermont's Micro Business Development
Program has been an invaluable resource for lots of folks looking to start
up. But even if you're already going, and going strong, the Resource
Links page alone makes it worth a visit.
Rating: **** [4 stars]
. Vermonter's
Guide to Doing Business
The
old Department of Community Affairs [DCA] has undergone a few facelifts over
the past few years, and the results seem to be to the benefit of the
business community.
.
This portion of the DCA website contains tons of
invaluable info on a wide variety of topics, including: Business
Technical Assistance, International Trade And Export Assistance, Workforce
Development And Training Programs, Business Financing Programs, Business
Financing Incentives, Marketing Assistance, Business Licensing &
Registration, State Business Permits & Regulations, Infrastructure
Development, and, as if that weren't enough, Additional Resources.
.
The
State isn't always ahead of the curve when it comes to on-line
resources. But when one of the departments does break away from the
pack, it does so with impressive results. This is one of those
cases. ... Check it out.
Rating: ****1/2 [4-1/2 stars]
. Dobiz:
Doing Business in Vermont
This
is the Secretary of State's contribution to business info resources
on-line. It's relatively basic in layout and navigation, but it gets
the job done.
.
What'll you find here? ... Among other
things, the more useful include a comprehensive section on Choosing A
Business Form, info on Partnerships, Limited Liability Partnerships, and
Limited Liability Companies, Trademarks, and all you need to know if you're
planning a 501(c)3/Title 11B V.S.A., non-profit corporation. You can
search databases of existing businesses and trade names. And you can
also check out the requirements for post-incorporation matters, like Annual
Reports, Corrected Documents, Amendment of Articles of Incorporation,
Restated Articles of Incorporation, Merger or Share Exchanges, and Articles
of Dissolution. Most of the necessary forms are also available
on-line.
The info here is critical, and available. ...
What more do we need to say?
Rating: ***1/2 [3-1/2 stars]
..
. *******
******* If you know of any
links that you think are worthwhile, why not send them along to ...
links@downstreetmagazine.com
... If we agree, we'll be happy to include
them in an upcoming issue to pass the word along. ...
Thanks. *******
******* .
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