Small Business Information:

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Small Business Information Great Stuff from the
Government!
Sandy Rizzo, Business/Government Documents
Librarian, City of Mesa Library
The Government Information in the 21st Century
Program is made possible by a grant from the U.S.
Institute of Museum and Library Services. 
Additional support is provided by the University
of Colorado at Boulder as well as Arizona State
Library, Archives, and Public Records New Mexico
State Library Wyoming State Library and
University of Utah.
August 24, 2007
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Government Information

• The Federal Government (aka USA)
• Collects information statistics
• Provides regulations, laws, assistance
• Handles affairs in vast array of topic areas
  (transportation, energy, consumer information,
  health, science, education)
• Provides information tools for YOU to use
  that you can help your library customers use!
• OUR GOAL TODAY to help you find and use govt.
  information!

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About the GI21 program

• The GI21 (Government Information in the 21st
  Century) IMLS grant involved five states
  Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming,
  plus several years of planning
• Training Model Federal Depository Library
  Program (FLDP) Librarians prepare modules and
  train non-depository librarians on free govt.
  info in a variety of topics
• Content developed/offered on WebJunction brought
  to the library community through trainers in the
  five states in training events

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WebJunction

• WebJunction - An online community where library
  staff meet to share ideas, solve problems, take
  online courses - and have fun!
• Funded by Bill Melinda Gates, developed by
  OCLC, offered to all AZ library staff by the
  Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public
  Records
• Register - It's free! http//az.webjunction.org/do
  /Home
• WebJunction was used to develop all topic modules
  for this grant. See WebJunction module content
• http//webjunction.org/do/Navigation?category145
  62

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The US Government wants businesses to succeed

• MOST businesses in the US are small businesses!
  
• (Small business fewer than 500 employees
  99.9 of American business 97.5 have fewer than
  20 employees - micro!)
• People want to know about
• starting, running, financing a business
• how to create a business plan
• how to market their business (demographics)
• how to find counseling/advising for their
  business
• labor, laws, regulations
• YES, you have the tools to do all of this
  through free government information on your
  computer!
• (Some business activities are handled at the
  state, county, and city level well talk about
  Federal today, but mention others when necessary.)

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Where to Start Government Links

• Business.gov www.business.gov
• Official business link of the government.
• Site is clearinghouse of federal (and state)
  information with compliance forms, doing business
  with the government info, workplace posters, help
  on international trade, industry research.
• Managed by SBA in partnership with 21 other
  federal agencies sharing funding, as well as
  three non-funding partners.

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Where to Start Government Links

• SBA (US Small Business Administration)
  www.sba.gov/
• Key government agency supporting and developing
  small business Provides planners, tools, local
  resources, and more. Their goal to support
  businesses at every stage of development, from
  start-up to expansion, as well as at critical
  junctures (disaster assistance).
• Online courses podcasts - great, free way
  individuals can learn new skills (creating
  business plans, etc.) to support their business
  goals.

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SBA
Dont forget AZ office http//www.sba.gov/localr
esources/district/az/index.html
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SBA Business Plans

• http//www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/plan/write
  abusinessplan/index.html
• Detailed, step-by-step plans
• Online Workshops
• Business Plan FAQs
• Business Plan Samples
• Much more!
• Exercise
• In your group, find a sample business plan for
• Coffeehouse
• Lawn Garden Services
• Pizza Place
• Salsa Manufacturer
• Yoga Studio

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NAICS/SIC Codes

• Both are Industrial Classification Codes
• SIC developed in 1930s, last updated 1987
• NAICS issued 1997, 2002, 2007
• Each number identifies a line of business
• Businesses may have multiple numbers that apply
• Exercise
• Find NAICS number for pet grooming industry

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Exercise Conclusion

• Visit www.census.gov. Look in the center of the
  page under the heading Business Industry for
  NAICS. Once clicked, look in the upper left part
  of page. This is NAICS lookup area (box where it
  says NAICS search). Enter word or words of the
  industry number being searched.
• Enter "dog grooming" in the search box.
• You'll see message that indicates no listing for
  the industry you entered.
• Now, try "dog." (You can use the box provided on
  the page you received i.e., you don't have to
  return to the previous page.)
• You get a result this time, but none reflects the
  industry you're seeking. This time, try
  "grooming." (Again, you can use search box on the
  page you received.)
• You see that the resulting table indicates that
  the NAICS number for this industry is 812910, for
  "pet grooming services."
• You might also try "pet" just to see that a
  different list of industries appears, including
  other pet business activities, petroleum and
  petrochemical business activities, and others.
  Always scan the table for most appropriate match.
  

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Census
How many people might take advantage of my
business? Use the Census to research number of
persons with various characteristics Population
Census Age, Income, Housing, Race
Also use Census to answer questions about how
many businesses exist of a particular type
Economic Census
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Census
Economic Census
American Factfinder
Population Finder QuckFacts
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Census Exercise

• Company wants to expand and situate a day-care
  center in either zip code Florence (85232) or
  Maricopa (85239). Which is most desirable?
• What is desirable?
• (young families, young children, higher income,
  etc.)
• Lets use Census to figure out which zip code to
  go with.

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Census Exercise Results

• Use Population Finder (at right) on main page,
  enter zip code, and click Fact Sheet.

Do the same with second zip code, and compare
results!
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A look at a Fact Sheet
Note You can click map to see data! Scroll down
to see many more characteristics!
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Exercise Conclusion

• Remember that other factors will influence a
  decision of where to place a business such as?
• Competition
• Trends (growth since census)
• Ability to market (better media, knows area
  better)
• Census is a great way to help small
  businesspeople mine for information they need
  for business plans and marketing.

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Economic Census

• Census of businesses in US
• Taken in years ending in 2 7 data released
  several years later
• Information provided
• Number of establishments
• Revenue
• Payroll
• of Employees
• To reach EC American Factfinder on
  www.census.gov or click direct link

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US Department of Labor

• http//www.dol.gov/
• Great place for labor statistics/info about
  wages/rules
• The Department fosters and promotes the welfare
  of the job seekers, wage earners, retirees of the
  US by
• improving working conditions
• advancing opportunities for profitable employment
• protecting retirement and health care benefits
• helping employers find workers
• strengthening free collective bargaining
• tracking changes in employment, prices, and other
  national economic measurements.
• The Department administers a variety of Federal
  labor laws including those that guarantee
  workers rights to safe and healthful working
  conditions a minimum hourly wage and overtime
  pay freedom from employment discrimination
  unemployment insurance and other income support.
  And

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Bureau of Labor Statistics

• www.bls.gov
• Information arm of the Department of Labor
• Another great statistics source
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics offers much wage
  data at http//www.bls.gov/bls/wages.htm. You can
  learn about wages by occupation, industry,
  employee benefits, and employment cost trends.
  Wage information for the nation, regions, states,
  and metropolitan areas is especially helpful.

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Labor Exercise

• What is the minimum wage? Is there a difference
  between the Federal minimum wage and that of
  states? Compare NM, AZ, and CO.
• Visit http//www.dol.gov and look to the left
  menu, at Wages.
• Minimum wage is listed as a subtopic. It explains
  that the federal is 5.15 per hour, and it
  provides a link to learn of states' minimum
  wages. Select the desired states from the map,
  leading to a chart with all state wages listed.
  Note that where state and federal wage amounts
  differ, the employee is entitled to the higher of
  the two.New Mexico is 5.15. Arizona is 6.75.
  Colorado is 6.85.

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Job Hunting!

• CareerOneStop
• http//www.careeronestop.org/COS_Aboutus.aspx
• Job resource site links together state
  employment offices from all over the United
  States. In addition to job banks, the site offers
  many other tools to help job seekers, students,
  businesses, and career professionals.  Users can
  explore careers, training, resume preparation,
  salary and benefits information, and link to
  local services. Sponsored by the US Department of
  Labor.
• Occupational Outlook Handbook
• http//www.bls.gov/oco/
• From US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
  Describes job duties, working conditions,
  required training, education, earnings, expected
  job prospects in wide range of occupations.
  Searchable by occupation or through A-Z index.

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More Job Hunting

• Occupation Outlook Quarterly (http//www.bls.gov/
  opub/ooq/ooqhome.htm), a periodical with more
  in-depth treatment of recent trends in
  occupations. Online archives for OOQ date back to
  1999. Career articles from this source are
  excellent sources of up-to-date career
  information.
•  
• Career Guide to Industries
• http//www.bls.gov/oco/cg/home.htm
• Also from the BLS. This publication explains the
  nature of various industries and details the
  occupational aspects of these industries.

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Regulations

• Many businesses must observe regulations of all
  types, including those involving health, safety,
  wages, taxes, etc.
• Regulations.gov
• IRS.gov
• Arizona - Industrial Commission of Arizona
  http//www.ica.state.az.us/

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OSHA

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  (OSHA)   http//www.osha.gov
• Main federal agency charged with the enforcement
  of safety and health legislation in the
  workplace. They encourage small businesses to
  find/fix hazards to prevent workplace injuries
  and illnesses, and they assure the safety and
  health of America's workers by setting and
  enforcing standards, providing training,
  outreach, and education, establishing
  partnerships, and encouraging process improvement
  in workplace safety affairs. They function with
  state partners to keep workplaces in conformity
  with standards.
• Fact Sheets http//www.osha.gov/OshDoc/toc_fact.
  html
• Small business page http//www.osha.gov/dcsp/sma
  llbusiness/index.html

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Federal Depository Libraries

• Don't forget that your regional depository
  libraries and their helpful staff can help you
  locate and use the resources we've mentioned
  throughout this training.
• Arizona Depository Lookup http//www.lib.az.us/i
  s/feddocs/depositories.cfm
• Cities with depositories include
• Apache Junction Public Library
• Central Arizona College
• City of Mesa Library
• Arizona State University ASU Law
• Pima County Public Library (Tucson)
• Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public
  Records

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Questions!

• Remember
• Refer to your handouts
• Visit the WebJunction site for more links,
  exercises, and topics
• Know that FREE government information is
  available for you!
• Sandy Rizzo, Business/Gov Docs Librarian, City
  of Mesa Library
• sandy.rizzo_at_cityofmesa.org