Wyn' blog: www.upstartwyn.blogspot.com

Inventors Association of Connecticut: http://www.inventus.org/. A great organization for inventors that helps you avoid scams aimed at inventors and helps you protect and develop your intellectual property.

Attorney -- Cliff Ennico: http://www.cliffennico.com

Competitive Intelligence - Fred Wergeles: http://www.IntelStrategy.com

Web design and internet marketing for small businesses -- Small Business Online. www.SmallBusinessOnline.net

Professional Organizer, Speaker and Instructor - Anita M. Taylor, Anita & Company, 203-259-9649, www.anitaylor.com, *Simplify*Organize*Succeed*

Small Business Administration: http://www.sba.gov

SEC Edgar:  http://www.sec.gov/edaux/searches.htm

Patent and Trademark Office:  http://www.uspto.gov

Crain's New York Business: http://www.crainsny.com/

New York Public Library's small business site: http://www2.nypl.org/smallbiz/

Winmark Business Solutions is a free Web site to help small businesses - www.WBSonline.com. It has free forms and other useful information.

Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/

For a tax I.D. (EIN): http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/businesses/small/article/0%2C%2Cid=97860%2C00.html

To compete for government contracts: http://www.dla.mil/db/procurem.htm

Your Town or City Hall - town or city clerk to register your business name

Other useful sites:

• Your senators' and representatives' offices
• Your state government's economic development sites
• Secretary of State (state govt.) for info. on LLCs and corporations
• Your state's department of revenue services to get tax info.
• Your local public library

Of all the sites, your local library is best. Get a library card. With that you can access all sorts of databases about business. Ask the research librarians to help you.

To learn about the category your business is in, read annual reports and 10Ks from your competitors that are public. Visit their websites. Read industry trade publications.

(c) 2008 Wyn L. Lydecker