If you are trying to develop a business plan, then libraries are a great place to start this process. To get you started you can browse through the library’s collection of resources – lots have sample business plans. Many financial institutions provide advice for the entrepreneur looking to start a business. For example the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) provides business plan templates that can be used in MS Word and Excel, as well as sample plans. Similarly the Royal Bank has a Business Planning Guide that includes a step-by-step procedure for creating a business plan, along with examples of completed plans. Don’t forget about all of the services that government offers to business startups. The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) has an online document, Planning for Success – Your Guide to Preparing a Business Plan, that covers the key elements of a business plan – this is also available at your campus’ library. If you like online tools, then you may want to use the Interactive Business Planner. It is a free service from the Government of Canada and you need to register to use it. Registering allows you to create, store, print, download, etc. your business plan using the web.

Gale’s Business Plans Handbook is available online – all 11 volumes!! – and can be browsed or searched. Entrepreneur.com provides a number of startup kits for a variety of business senarios – from starting a child care service to opening a restaurant to starting a retail business and more.

Finally, don’t forget our very own “Best of the Web” guide for Business. It’s a great place to get your business started. Visit your local library to get help locating demographic information, finding out about your competition, using databases to dig for data, and more.

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