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Entrepreneurship Resources

Library Databases for Entrepreneurs

While the library’s catalog does offer access to thousands of entrepreneurship related e-books, journals, articles and videos, there are times when it is more accurate to search for content within the Munday Library’s specialized databases. These links should take you directly to the specific database (if you are off-campus you will need to log in with your St. Edward’s University ID and password). If you have problems connecting, e-mail library@stedwards.edu. (For a complete list of all recommended business databases, click on this link).

The following library databases (not found in Google) will help you find the research reports and data you need.

• PitchBook Users must create an account with their SEU email address to use the PitchBook platform. No downloading capabilities for patrons. Search thousands of private equity and venture capital deals by hundreds of criteria. Use PitchBook to establish benchmarks, find real time data on deals, identify and analyze comparables, and search investor details. For training, consult the videos available under the “help” option on the top menu, consult the Guide for Getting the Most out of the Pitchbook Platform, or attend a Pitchbook Webinar.
• Reference USA  (Video Tutorial: Reference USA from Info Group You Tube Channel)
• IBISWorld  Contains hundreds of industry analysis reports, both current and historical, with economic, demographic and government information compiled by economists and industry experts; features Industry Research Reports, Industry Risk Rating Reports, Global Industry Research Reports, and Business Environment Reports. ”The World’s largest provider of industry-based research.”
• Mintel Market research reports covering the US marketplace. Each report combines data & analysis of the competitive landscape, market-share analysis, and consumer profiles.
• Hoover’s Hoover’s contains business information on public, private, and international companies.
• Statista (Video Tutorial: Welcome to Statista ) Provides access to statistical data on over 60,000 topics from more than 18,000 sources, including market researchers, trade organizations, scientific journals, and government databases. Much of the data is related to marketing, demographic, government and industry information. Data can be downloaded in JPG, PowerPoint and Excel.
• LinkedIn Learning  Provides access to videos about entrepreneurship.
• Small Business Reference Center The Small Business Reference Center provides up-to-date information on relevant topics, including starting a company, operations management, sales, and growing or rescuing a business.
• Data – Planet Datasets Provides access to statistics produced by U.S. federal agencies, states, private organizations, and major intergovernmental organizations with capabilities to compare & contrast multiple data series, perform statistical calculations on the data, and customize output views.
• Bloomberg – Real-time financial market data, news, and price quotes including derivatives and many other types of data. Access Bloomberg from the designated terminal in Trustee Hall 316.  Be sure to reserve your session.    *First-time users, choose “Create a New Login” from the start page.  Follow the steps, making sure you complete each field – a text message with your pass code will be sent to you.  Remember your username and password for future use.  Watch Introduction to Bloomberg (1:07) and Bloomberg Training – Industry Analysis from Fintute (5:28)
• Texas Reference Center Includes full text journals and books about Texas history, ethnic & cultural diversity, gender studies, literature, public health, business, biographies of famous Texas. Also available in the Texas Reference Center is the Spanish-language newspaper El Sol de Texas with Texas and national news coverage.

see also Industry Information

Web Sites

• Census Business & Industry Data A portal for all Census research on economic aspects, most based on NAICS codes.
  Includes the Economic Census, County Business Patterns, Retail Trade, the Annual Survey of Manufactures, and other reports.
• Red Herring Top Start-ups
•  Google for Startups “We bring together startup communities and create spaces for entrepreneurs to learn and work.”
• USA.gov Resources, events, and training that will help the user improve or develop a business.
• Social Science Research Network Check out their Entrepreneurship Research & Policy Network 
• Score: Run & Grow a Business On this site you will find articles from experts in many different business areas to help you make the best decision. See also Free Small Business Advice | How-to-Resources | Tools 
• Free Management Library Online articles to develop yourself, other individuals, groups and organizations (whether the organization is for-profit or nonprofit). Over the past 15 years, the Library has grown to be one of the world’s largest well-organized collections of these types of articles and resources.
• Forbes: 100 Best Websites For Entrepreneurs “We’ve searched high and low to bring you the first annual list of FORBES 100 Best Websites For Entrepreneurs. Whether you’re seeking advice on raising capital, scaling your business or looking for general industry insight, these sites are worth reading.”
• Entrepreneurship.org: For People Growing Great Ideas “Information about all aspects of starting and growing a business. Designed with entrepreneurs, policy makers, investors, mentors and academics in mind, our resource center allows you to rate and comment on the materials posted by the community.”
• Entrepreneur.com “Advice, insight, profiles and guides for established and aspiring entrepreneurs worldwide. Home of Entrepreneur magazine.”
• Springwise Discovering Innovation Since 2002 “Our team of over 18,000 Springspotters sources the latest innovation, startup, and new business ideas from around the world.”
• Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Scroll down the page to see lists of free articles and other publications.
• Harvard Business School Working Knowledge Articles and features on Entrepreneurship, some available at no cost.
• Babson College Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship Search for their annual Entrepreneurship Monitor reports.
• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation “We focus our grant making and operations on two areas — educational achievement and entrepreneurial success — which our founder, Ewing Kauffman, believed were critical in developing self-sufficient people and a vibrant economy and society.”
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council “Protecting small business, promoting entrepreneurship.  Publish the “Best to Worst State Tax Systems for Entrepreneurship and Small Business.”
• Encyclopedia of Small Business
• U.S. Small Business Administration Business Guides by Industry & info for running a small business.
• National Venture Capital Association “NVCA underwrites, encourages and publicizes research on issues important to venture capital and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Research Guide, Harvard University
• The Conference Board Business cycles, consumer measures, CEO confidence data, corporate intelligence, economic data/analysis, global economic outlook, insights from economists, labor market info & more.
• USPTO: Search for Patents Find existing patents, published patent applications and other published patent data.

• U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics on Business Costs The Bureau of Labor Statistics has a variety of numbers that can be used to gauge movements in business costs. Some of them measure labor costs, while others measure the prices of goods and services.

• U.S. Small Business Administration Business guides by industry and information for running a small business.
• Export.gov (U.S. Commercial Service)
• EO Global Entrepreneur Indicator “Taps into the minds of the world’s leading business owners to identify trends in the world economy.”
• What is Customer Acquisition? is a Zendesk blog post that explores strategies to grow a customer base.

Austin Resources

• Austin Business Journal  Source for Austin related news.  “Regularly produces special events to recognize industry leaders and facilitate professional networking.” Available in print, 1st floor, Munday Library.
• Capital Factory Austin’s center of gravity for entrepreneurs.
• Entrepreneur Center of Austin A modern training facility where the Small Business Program conducts regular classes, workshops and other small business related training.
• TechRanch An Austin organization built to help entrepreneurs to find the right people, information and tools to start their business.

Business and Marketing Plans

Library Resources

• Small Business Reference Center The Small Business Reference Center provides up-to-date information on relevant topics, including starting a company, operations management, sales, and growing or rescuing a business.
•  Business Plans Handbook  “a compilation of actual business plans developed by businesses throughout North America”
• Writing a Business Plan: A Practical Guide, by Ignatius Ekanem, 2017
• Business Plans Kit for Dummies, by Steven Peterson, 2016

Business Plan Web Sites

• Business Plans and Profiles Index, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh “The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh maintains an index of free sample business plans to serve as guides for a wide range of startups and established businesses.”
• Business Plans Handbook “Composed of actual business plans written by entrepreneurs in North America who are seeking financing for their businesses.”
• Business Plan Workbook Helpful information on Business Descriptions, Managers & Employees, Operations & Location, Marketing, Buying a Business, Buying a Franchise, Loan Request , Personal Finances, Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow, Ratios & Formulas.
• Bplans.com Provides some sample start-up business plans in as many as 60 different industries.
• Business Planning Templates Business planning guidance from The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) Counselors to America’s Small Business.
• Simplify LLC has a collection of business plan templates

Marketing Plan Web Sites

• U.S. Small Business Administration – Developing a Marketing Plan Article on developing a marketing plan.