NEW VENTURE GUIDE

by the UALR Arkansas Small Business Development Center

From the Executive Director

People start and operate businesses for many reasons. Regardless of why you are interested in starting and operating your own business, we want you to be successful. A successful business is good for you, the people that work for you, and the state's economy. An unsuccessful business disrupts human lives, wastes capital, and hurts the state's economy.

Establishing a business is not particularly difficult. However, planning for and developing a profitable, growing business is a complex, ongoing process. Adequate planning, attention to details, and realistic expectations are critical to your success, especially if the business grows rapidly.

This New Venture Guide is designed to:

• provide you with an overview of the major steps the UALR Arkansas Small Business Development Center considers crucial to planning and starting a business, and
  

• provide you with useful information you can use in planning and starting your business.

The UALR Arkansas Small Business Development Center network offers a wide variety of educational programs throughout the state to help you in the development and management of your business operation. Specific programs are offered on several of the issues discussed in this guide. Please call the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's ASBDC lead center or your nearest ASBDC office to get more information on the types of educational programs currently available.

Keep in mind that this guide is only a beginning tool. Please consult other information sources at each specific step in the process. Your local library and nearby college or university library are convenient places to begin your search. Additionally, our "BizFacts" service and Internet web site provide more detailed information about business start-up issues. The ASBDC training programs offer information and the chance to interact with other people who are planning a business venture. After doing your homework, you may want to get consulting help from our office. Contact the nearest ASBDC office for review of and advice about your plan.

We look forward to working with you, and wish you the best of luck in accomplishing your business ownership goals.

The Arkansas Small Business Development Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business and other institutions of higher education. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. It is the goal of UALR to eliminate discriminatory harassment and to promote equal opportunity regardless of race, gender, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran’s status, or disability.