ENTREPRNEURSHIP & MENTORING

1. Study by US Small Business Administration ranking-fostering entrepreneurial creativity and zeal: #1 Denmark, #2 CANADA, #3 U.S.
2.MicroMentor.org is a free on-line service that connects small-business owners with volunteer business mentors run by Mercy Corps, a non-profit humanitarian agency; currently 3,500 entrepreneurs and 2,600 business mentors are enrolled

BUSINESS PLANNING

Business planning is a challenging and time consuming effort by small, medium and large businesses. One of the most important benefits is getting ideas down on paper. Research and review of competing organizations around the world can provide good information. Some people use R&D (research & development) while others use rob and duplicate best ideas.

One recommended one page business plan has the following sections:
Vision-where do we want to be in five years
Mission-1 line description of the purpose of the business
5 Objectives-1 line measureable objectives such as revenue, profit, # of customers; for the first 2 years
5 Strategies-how will the objectives be achieved i.e. what 1 line description of methods
5 Plans-tasks to be performed to exectue strategies to include a completion date

Such an approach could be used ina simulated business such as available in www.sim-u.com