Entrepreneurship Resources: Getting Started

As you begin your research, ask yourself:

• What do you already know?
• What do you NEED to know?
• Do you need to identify companies and competitors?
• Do you need to understand an industry?
• Do you need background information on a product or service?
• What specific terms and/or phrases are unique to the industry?

Think about "who cares" enough to compile, analyze and publish data on a particular business topic. Library databases contain articles from trade publications, peer-reviewed contents, analyst reports, and other value-added or vetted information. In addition, consider the following sources:
 

• Trade associations
• Government agencies at the Federal, State and Local levels
• Market research firms/consulting firms
• Local media

This guide includes resources for doing research in entrepreneurship classes, especially ENTR 100: Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

Use the tabs to navigate through the guide.
 

• Industry overviews - look for basic information on how an industry operates
• Industry classification - learn how industry information is organized (which can help you search for it)
• Company overviews - search for company overviews & directory information
• Finding articles - search for articles, business news, & product announcements
• Associations - investigate trade associations for information on the industry
• Demographics & customer segments - look for demographic data & customer information
• Distribution channels - see how goods and services get to customers in an industry
• Citing sources - here's information on how to cite your sources
• Related guides - lists other guides that can help you with your research
• Feedback for us - give us feedback

Small businesses are usually private companies. A private company is a company that's not traded on any stock exchange. Generally, private companies do not have to file documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC.)

Finding information on private companies can be quite challenging. If the company is very small and/or private, it may be necessary to piece the information together from many sources.