How To Open A Business In Downtown Natchez
Step 1. Develop A Business Plan
Among the various resources for preparing a business plan are the Small Business Administration (SBA), The Women’s Business Center at Alcorn State University, and Mississippi State University: Natural Resource Enterprises.
Small Business Administration (SBA)
This federal agency provides support to the country’s businesses. Below is an excerpt from their website on preparing business plans:
Business plans help you run your business
A good business plan guides you through each stage of starting and managing your business. You’ll use your business plan as a roadmap for how to structure, run, and grow your new business. It’s a way to think through the key elements of your business. Business plans can help you get funding or bring on new business partners. Investors want to feel confident they’ll see a return on their investment. Your business plan is the tool you’ll use to convince people that working with you – or investing in your company – is a smart choice.
The Women’s Business Center at Alcorn State University
The Women’s Business Center at Alcorn State University (WBC) serves entrepreneurs and small business owners in every phase of development. Our mission is to empower and inspire women by providing business training, individual counseling sessions, and access to capital to foster the achievement of your goals.
In addition to their Free Business Counseling, they also hold Free live webinars and on-demand webinars on a range of topics for Small Business Owners. Sign up for free over on their website:
MS State University: Natural Resource Enterprises
Although MSU’s Natural Resource Enterprises program is focused on natural resources, it is also be relevant to downtown businesses. Below is an excerpt from this program’s website:
Writing your business plan will help you weigh the costs of doing business against the potential market demand, and help you determine the feasibility of the enterprise, the time required to get the business up and running, and the amount of time it will take to make the operation profitable and to become an integral part of your total operation. Your local Small Business Development Center, Extension office, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are all valuable resources when writing a business plan.
Below is their recommended outline for a business plan:
- Introduction and 3- to 5-year plan for the business
- Marketing plan
- Operating plan
- Organizational plan
- Financial plan, including the feasibility perspective
- Evaluation and monitoring plan