Entrepreneurs come in all stripes. You might be a freelance editor, a social media consultant or an Uber driver, one more cog in the gig economy. Startups can be any type of business, from an ethnic food truck to the technology engineer who has a concept for the next generation of virtual reality apps. You might run a small business that is ready to take the leap by expanding operations to wholesale distribution or by creating franchise opportunities. No matter what type of business you are pursuing, your local public library can be your best ally.
Libraries are a gift to the business world. Books, newspapers, magazines, periodicals and abstracts can help you to understand your business landscape—that goes without saying. But your library offers much more. Your library is a great place to form relationships with people who can help you grow your business. Your local librarian knows the organizations, think tanks, meetups and events that could help you to grow your business. Your local librarian also knows many of the key influencers in your area who might even help you to grow your business.
Your library is a place where you can brainstorm exciting new ideas. Some libraries have a dedicated business librarian on staff who can take the time to offer you resources that you did not know were available. You can research demographics, economic patterns and the size of markets. Do you really want to start a business in a marketplace already crowded with competitors? On the other hand, if you have no competition at all, that might mean there is no market demand for your type of business. Your library can help you to develop a business plan by providing workshops or one-on-one expertise. Some libraries actually have an index to types of business plans, ranging from health and beauty products to computer software.
Libraries We Love:
Taking Care of Business
Each month, we profile a library: Large, small, urban, rural, post-modern, quaint or neo-classic. This month Patricia Vaccarino writes about the amazing array of business resources that libraries offer to entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses. Whether you are a fledgling freelancer, a homespun mom and pop shop, a small business getting ready to scale in size, or the next emerging technology giant,
your local public library is there to serve you.