These are freely available online sources provided by government agencies, trade publications, and organizations.
Similar to other startup questions, these five prompts ask you to consider your basic needs and brainstorm the resources you have access to.
A list of nine basic questions is presented by SCORE, the non-profit business mentoring partner of the Small Business Administration.
The U.S. Small Business Administration provides a guide to all aspects of setting up a business. Browse to see what you will need to do before you even get started.
This one-stop site to federal government resources provides information on how to start a small business, get financing help from the government, tax information, federal contracting, and more.
What is you company
Why do customers need your product or service?
What is your business concept or business model?
Market Analysis
What are the conditions and overview of your industry?
Who is your target market / customer?
Who is your competition?
Is your competition local or national?
Are there many or few competitors?
What is your Marketing Plan?
Describe your target market.
What is your product strategy?
What is your pricing strategy?
What is your distribution strategy?
How will you advertise or promote your product or service?
What is your sales forecast?
How will your company operate?
Location and facilities
How will you grow your business?
Development strategy
Who is the Management Team?
Resumes
What risks does your business face?
Risks from competitors
Risks from changes in the marketplace or economy
Changing consumer needs or tastes
What type of financing and how much will you need?
Venture capital
Loan
What is your financial plan?
Gross and operating margins
Balance sheets
