25 Necessities Entrepreneurs Can Get for Free
Written by Hilary A. Wagner
As an entrepreneur, you can become bogged down by the start up costs for your business, particularly with the current economy. So, how can you cut costs on must-have items? Many “freebies”, free services and information can be found if you know where to look...
1.
Business Cards
are an essential item for your business and career; you never know when you will make the next great contact! Get started with a batch of 10 from MOO
http://moo.com
2.
Email
along with free accounts from Yahoo and Hotmail, try Google Apps for Business
http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/messaging.html
3.
Business Plans
Examples, advice, and tools to help write a business plan from the SBA
http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/plan/writeabusinessplan/index.html
4.
Business Forms
find the business form you need at Entrepreneur-Form Net
http://www.entrepreneur.com/formnet/index.html
5.
Legal Forms
free from the Small Business Administration
http://www.sba.gov/tools/Forms/smallbusinessforms
6.
Government Loan Information
http://www.govloans.gov/ (Select “Business” link)
and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
https://www.cfda.gov/index?cck=1&au=&ck=
7.
Incentives and Giveaways
A variety of freebies can be found at Hey! It’s Free!
http://www.heyitsfree.net/
8.
Research Sites
Locate basic company/industry information
http://www.hillsource.org/members/custom_mods.cfm?cusID=190
9.
Gas
Ok, so it is almost never given away for free, but you can find cheaper rates at the pump for your business travel.
Check out Gas Buddy http://www.gasbuddy.com/
and Gas Price Watch http://www.gaspricewatch.com/new/default_V3.asp
10.
11.
Tax Forms & Information
Internal Revenue Service
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/index.html?navmenu=menu1
12.
Business
Software from Google
Create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and forms to be used and accessible online anywhere through Google Docs
http://google.com
13.
Reference/Research Materials
Available free at the library (public or university) and online at Reference for Business
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com
includes links to business encyclopedias, biographies, companies histories, and business plans
14.
Microsoft Office Templates
Online templates for documents including invoices, business cards, time sheets, budgets, and contracts
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates
15.
Web Space
Free hosting for a website and some of the sites listed help you publish a website
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Web_Space/
16.
Business Software
Free downloads from ZDNet for Windows, Mac, and Mobile operating systems
http://downloads.zdnet.com/Software/Business+Software/?cname=Business+Software&osfilter=&licfilter=free
17.
18.
19.
20.
Patent, Trademark & Copyright Information
Protect your intellectual property.
US Patent & Trademark Office http://uspto.gov
and US Copyright Office http://copyright.gov
21.
22.
E-commerce & Internet Information
Learn the ins and outs of having your business online
http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/manage/technology/SERV_ECOMRESOURCES.html (use the PDF links to access files)
23.
Security Software
Free downloads for from ZDNet for Windows, Mac, and Mobile operating systems
http://downloads.zdnet.com/Software/Security+Software/?cname=Security+Software&osfilter=&licfilter=free
24.
Mentoring
Free local, confidential small business mentoring from SCORE
http://www.score.org/index.html
25.
Office Supplies
Free and inexpensive items, along with store coupons Hey! It’s Free!
http://www.heyitsfree.net/2009/08/03/school-supply-deals/
About the author:
Hilary Wagner is a native Floridian. She attended St. Petersburg Junior College and the University of South Florida, majoring in American Studies. She then obtained her Master’s in Library and Information Science from USF. She has worked in academic and public libraries, and accepted the position of Reference Librarian at the Pasco County Campus at Rasmussen College in 2006. She serves on the Diversity and Learning & Teaching committees and is the liaison to the Business program.
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