 |
Economic Development Association of Skagit County 204 West Montgomery Mount Vernon, Washington 98273 360-336-6114 tel. 360-336-6116 fax. |
Bookkeeping
- SBA - Financial Statements
The SBA offers a very thorough discussion of financial statements, how to use them and several templates for financial management. - Database of QuickBooks ProAdvisors
Is your QuickBooks a mess and in need of an overhaul? Input your zip code for a list of Intuit ProAdvisors in your area. Also, we recommend using the Search on the http://quickbooks.intuit.com/ website for FREE, on-line QuickBooks trouble-shooting. - IRS Recordkeeping
An IRS list of records to keep for your business and how to keep them. - Accounting and Bookkeeping Forum
Have a question about bookkeeping or accounting? Would you like to browse articles about accounting topics? Universal Accounting is for you! - QuickMBA Accounting Resources
QuickMBA is an online knowledge resource for business administration. This page details a variety of useful links to accounting and bookkeeping resources.
Helpful Internal Revenue Links
- IRS Employment Taxes
Answers to all your employment tax questions, including how to determine whether workers are independent contractors or employees. - Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center
- IRS Small Business & Self Employed Tax Center
This section offers a broad range of resources across federal and state agencies, as well as industry/profession specific information for self-employed entrepreneurs, employers and businesses. - IRS Small Business Video and Audio Presentations
The IRS Video portal contains video and audio presentations on topics of interest to small businesses, individuals and tax professionals. You will find video clips of tax topics, archived versions of live panel discussions and webinars, as well as audio archives of tax practitioner phone forums. In addition, please visit the Virtual Small Business Tax Workshop page for instructional, interactive lessons designed to help new small business owners learn their tax rights and responsibilities.
Business Plans
Downloadable Files (click to download the file)
- SBA - Business Planning
The SBA site with a good tutorial on writing a business plan, viewable or downloadable. It includes a detailed outline and definitions. - SBA - Business Plan Resources
A helpful site from the national SBDC with many links to business plan guides, planning tools, and specific business plan templates for a variety of industries. - Sample Business Plans Resource Center
This is an excellent site for anyone who needs to write a business plan. There are many sample plans, a starting cost calculator, and planning articles. - Sample Business Plan Components
The Business Owner´s Toolkit site with 5 general sample business plans, as well as related articles. The business plans are not complete but are instead a demonstration of the various components found in a business plans. - Will My Business Make Money
A step-by-step guide for conducting a break-even analysis.
Buying Or Selling A Business
- A Consumer Guide to Buying a Franchise
This site sponsered by the Federal Trade Commission has a useful article about buying a franchise. - Selling your Business
This free, membership-based website has tips and tools for selling your business. - Basic Deal Structures
Discusses the difference between an asset purchase and a stock purchase. - Top Ten Tips for New Small Businesses
Suggestions to help get your business off to a smooth start and keep it going! - Selling your business the smart way
How to think positively and devote resources to selling your business for the maximum price. - Business Valuation Guide
This valuation guide from Inc.com includes articles and valuation charts to help you determine your business´s market worth. Check it out!
Human Resources & Personnel
- Employee Handbook Guidelines
This is a great article from the SBA on what to include in an employee handbook. - Sample Employee Handbooks
This site provides a list of on-line employee handbooks- mostly universities. - Occupational Safety & Health Administration Homepage
Education, training information and safety standards for the workplace. - Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance Guide for Small Businesses
ADA Compliance Guide for Small Businesses, from the Department of Justice. - CCH Inc. Research Network
Human resource and employment law site. - Small Business Compliance
Searchable database from the Department of Labor for small business compliance publications. - Small Business Information
Employer information from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. - World at Work
Information central includes reports on attracting and retaining employees, outsourcing and workplace motivation. Membership is required. - The Pros and Cons of Independent Contractors
Should you hire an independent contractor? This article explains the benefits and disadvantages. - Workforce Management
Workforce Management analyzes the human resources (HR) trends and provides the tools that drive business results. The site contains links to a variety of articles that are updated monthly. A subscription is required to view some articles. - WorkForce Occuption Explorer
The best site for finding accurate salary information for the state of Washingtion or any of it´s counties. Descriptions of occupations are also available. - Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System
The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System is used by the - Health Savings Accounts
The Department of the Treasury explains Health Savings Accounts. - Guide to Health Insurance
This site allows you to enter in generic business information to find out about health insurance options. - Sample Job Description Form
A sample job description form and information about job descriptions from Office Depot. - Dept. of Labor and Industry
The Washington state Deptartment of Labor and Industry. L&I is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety, health and security of Washington´s nearly two million workers. They provide labor laws and regulations, help employers meet safety and health standards, inspect workplaces, and administrate of the state´s workers´ compensation system. - Washington State Workplace Rights
The Washington state Department of Labor and Industry site detailing workplace rights. - Employment Security Department
The Washington State Employment Security Department site. This sites offers a variety of services for businesses, including information on unemployment insurance taxes, finding workers and current wage rates, posting job openings and reporting new hires. - IRA Calculator
Calculate your IRA earnings and determine which type of IRA is right for you.
Leasing
- Negotiating Commercial Leases
Negotiating a good lease can save you money. Learn where landlords are willing to make concessions. - Understanding Commercial Leases
Before you rent space for your business, be sure you understand these basic facts about commercial leases. - Commercial Lease Checklist
The checklist includes many items that are often addressed in commercial leases. - Real Property Lease Checklist
The real property lease checklist addresses the most common issues that you need to consider when you negotiate a real property lease. This comprehensive checklist identifies the terms and clauses that need to be addressed in a real property lease. It also contains questions under each term or clause that flush out the most important issues pertaining to that term or clause. It´s a good tool to use when you have a real property lease in hand from the property owner and you want to know whether the lease covers all that it should cover so that you´re properly protected. - Landlord/Tenant Law
Contains a brief introduction to landlord tenant law from the Wasington State Attorney General´s Office. - Top Ten Tax Deductions for Landlords
Tax advantage of all the tax deductions for owning rental property!
- Idea Site for Business
Good site for advice from the marketing experts. Try the Idea-of-the-Day Online Newsletter. - The Small Business Marketing Letter
The Small Business Marketing Newsletter site, with a whole list of interesting reports such as "The Seven Biggest Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them". - Customer Satisfaction Survey Form
The Business Owners Toolkit is an excellent site for all small business information. This link is to a customer satisfaction survey that you can use yourself to see what your customers are thinking. - Catalog Production Tips
A brief article about basic considerations when producing a catalog - Sample Business Letters
This site contains over 500 different business letters. - Ultimate Trade Show Resource
Search for trade shows, suppliers or venues. - Marketing Plan for the Independent Inventor
This tutorial on writing a marketing plan covers topics such as understanding the purpose of a marketing plan, identify strategies for conducting market research, target markets, competition, pricing strategy, promotional strategy and advertising strategy. - American Marketing Association
Great site for marketing articles, links and templates. - Make the Most out of Trade Shows
This article defines some easy ways to make a good impression at trade shows. It is geared toward a company willing to spend time and plenty of money to make trade shows a worthwhile endeavor. - Follow-Up Marketing
A study done by the Association of Sales Executives revealed that 81% of all sales happens on or after the fifth contact. If you’re a small business owner and you’re only doing one or two follow-ups imagine all the business you’re losing. This article describes a follow-up system which details types of follow-ups and useful marketing tools. - Survey Information
A helpful resource on types of surveys and samples. - QuickMBA Marketing Resources
QuickMBA is an online knowledge resource for business administration. This page details a variety of useful links to marketing resources. - Hoover´s
Hoovers on-line delivers comprehensive company, industry, and market intelligence that drives business growth. This database consists of 12 million companies, with in-depth coverage of 40,000 of the world´s top business enterprises. - Public School Demographics
Demographics provided by the Superintendent of Public Schools. - Direct Mail Tips
Tips on how to conduct an effective direct mail campaign. - What´s Your Signage?
Good signs make good business, but what makes a good sign? Too often, signage is an afterthought. Visit this site and learn about how to create the most effective signs to help your bottom line, as well as enhance your community. See the many factors to be considered when making a sign that works for you.
Downloadable Files (click to download the file)