Written by the authority on freelance working, MacArthur "Genius" Fellow and founder of the national Freelancers Union, a guide to help freelancers.
Starting & Running a Business
Business & Legal Forms
If you need quick access to a legal or business form then check out the following resources:
Legal Forms from Thomas Gale Provides a collection of small business forms and a wide selection of state-specific (and multi-state) legal forms. Includes real estate contracts, sales agreements, credit contracts, sample letters and much more.
(Legal Forms from Thomas Gale is a database and is available at the library or via the Internet for Skokie Public Library card holders)-
FormNet from Entrepreneur.com This site contains a collection of free customizable business forms covering topics such as accounting, human resources, inventory, office management, sales, shipping and more. 
Essential Government Forms from Business.gov A collection of state and federal forms provided by the official small business site of the US government, these forms cover tax, employment, incorporation and other government related topics.- Small Business Forms & Contracts from FindLaw
Search through a selection of business and legal forms at this site ranging from checklists to sample legal contracts. Available as PDFs and Word documents. - Find a Form from State of Illinois Business Portal
Find business and tax forms provided by a number of state agencies. Search by topic, agency or key word.
Creating Customer Mailing Lists
Lists of Households (with names, addresses & phone numbers)
- ReferenceUSA allows you to create a list of households within a certain town, area code or zip code. Another feature is the ability to get a list of households surrounding a particular location. This list can be downloaded to a spreadsheet format and mailing lists can be printed out.
Note: ReferenceUSA limits downloads to 50 records at a time so if your list is large you will have to do multiple searches and download separately.
Lists of New Households
- Public Record Electronic Database allows you to create lists of owners for newly purchased houses in the Chicagoland area. Search by town, neighborhood or address to get a list of owners.
Lists of Businesses
Reference USA allows you to create lists of businesses that match a certain criteria. Limit by size, number of employees, and location in order to download a list of businesses in a spreadsheet format.
Note: ReferenceUSA limits downloads to 50 records at a time so if your list is lar ge you will have to do multiple searches and download separately.
- LexisNexis also allows you to create lists of businesses limited by size, location and a number of other criteria. There is no downloading limits for LexisNexis as with ReferenceUSA.
Online Startup Guides
There are several excellent online resources that can help you get a new business started. The State of Illinois Business Portal offers a variety of resources for starting and running a business in Illinois. There you can find a Step by Step Guide to Starting a Business which offers a guide that covers all the decisions that need to be made and the forms that need to be filled out when starting a business.
The US Small Business Association is also an excellent resource for people looking to start a business and practicing businesses as well. The Small Business Primer provides tips on all aspects of starting a business.
Counseling
Sign up for a free counseling session at Skokie Public Library.
A counselor from SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives, will be at Skokie Public every Wednesday evening.
SCORE counselors are successful executives and business owners who can help you on a wide variety of business issues like financing, marketing or importing. They have volunteered their wisdom and experience to help you at no cost.
To sign up choose Skokie as a location on this link.
Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton
Skokie, IL 60077
847-673-7774
Score Chicago
500 W. Madison, Suite 1250
Chicago, IL 60661
312-353-7724
info@scorechicago.org
Illinois SBDC Duman Microenterprise
Duman Microenterprise Center offers quarterly workshop and indivdual conseling sessions for small business start-ups at Skokie Public Library. Those transitioning into small business are welcome along with current small business owners who need to brush up on their skills. The workshops also provide a chance to network with those who share the entrepreneurial spirit.
Following the workshops there are a limited number of one-on-one counseling sessions with a small busienss expert.
To register for the next workshop, call Steve Bob at (312)673-3429 or e-mail sbdcdumancenter@jvschicago.org
Illinois SBDC Duman Microenterprise Center
216 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 700
Chicago, IL 60606
312-673-3429
sbdcdumancenter@jvschicago.org.
Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton
Skokie, IL 60077
847-673-7774
Illinois Small Business Development Centers
Illinois Small Business Development Centers provide information, confidential business guidance, training and other resources to early stage and existing small businesses.
The Illinois Small Business Development Center at the University of Illinois in Chicago offers counseling and workshops covering new business topics.
Skokie Public Library Small Business Resources
Books & eBooks
Skokie Library has a large collection of books on a variety of business topics. The latest management books and a special collection devoted to the needs of small businesses are all available at the Library. This page contains a selection of some of the newer titles or use the library catalog to browse the complete collection.
Additionally, two collections of instantly available eBooks, Books24x7 and Safari Books online, provide a wide variety of business books that can be read on your ocmputer. Skokie Public Library also offers a variety of downloadable eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eZines that can be enjoyed on your computer xreen, eReader, tablet or smart phone.
All of these materials may be accessed using your SkokiePublic Library card.
Computers, Internet Access and Training
There are many computers throughout the library building with Microsoft Office applications, Internet access, and links to the Library's subscription databases. Call the computer lab at 847.324.3179 or log into PC Reservatiosn in the library to reserve one of the computers. Free wifi is available throughout the building. Bring your own laptop, or borrow one with a Skokie Library card.
Atomic Learning, LearningExpressLibrary.com and Lynda.com databases provide online tutorials on popular computer applications. More information is available on the Library Database page.
For more instruction there are Internet classes and Tech Talks available at the library.
Business & Career Center and Small Rooms for Study
The Business & Career Center on the second floor of the Library is available exclusively for business users. It is a self-service suite of three rooms, a Large room that can accommodate up to 45 people and is equipped for training sessions, a Committee Room, ideal for meetings of 6 to 16 people and a small Committee room with space for 4 people. Anyone who has a Skokie Public Library business library card is eligible to use the suite. For more information on how to get a business library card, call the Circulation Department at 847-673-7774.
Once you have a business library card, you may:
- Reserve the Committee Room or Conference Room using the online study room booking system. These rooms may be reserved up to 7 days in advance.
- Use the suite as a quiet place to read or work when it is not being used for a scheduled event. Check out a key at the Reference Desk.
- Apply to use the Large Room for a meeting, with advance approval of the Skokie Chamber of Commerce or the North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau.For more information, contact Karolyn Fukuda at 847-324-3127 or kfukuda@skokielibrary.info.
There are also 10 small study rooms on the second floor that you may use to meet with clients, conduct business, or use as your office away from home. Reservations for these rooms must be made through the study room booking system
Databases
The Library subscribes to a number of databases that are helpful to a small business owner. These databases go beyond what can be found on the Internet and can assist a business in designing a marketing plan, creating mailing lists, or doing basic research. These databases can be found on the Database page of the Library website and are available at Skokie Public Library or via the Internet with a Skokie Public Library card.
For more information on how to get a business library card call the Circulation Department at 847-673-7774.
Research Specialists
Librarians can help you with your research requests. For assistance:
- Stop by the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor of the library
- Call a reference librarian at 847-673-3733
- Email askref@skokielibrary.info
- Send a chat message via Ask Skokie
- Make a one-on-one appointment
Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton
Skokie, IL 60077
847-673-7774
askref@skokielibrary.info
Skokie Chamber of Commerce
One of the best ways to 'get known' in business is to join your local Chamber of Commerce. At Skokie Chamber of Commerce events you can network with other business owners and find business leads. Chamber events can be useful. This is where you'll find local talent, just like yourself, who are there to enjoy the company of fellow business owners. New services and technologies, as well as information and a lot of entertainment abound in a 'Greeters' meeting at any given location.
Skokie Chamber of Commerce
5002 Oakton Street
Skokie, Illinois 60077
847.673.0240
Fax: 847.673.0249
info@skokiechamber.org
Finding a Location for Your Business
Check out your Competition
Where is your competition located?
With ReferenceUSA you can find out who and where your competition is by creating lists of comparable businesses in various locations around the US (all the day care businesses in the 60077 area code for instance).
GoogleMaps allows you to see your competition on a map, often revealing more than a mere list of businesses. Registering your business on GoogleMaps can be a powerful marketing tool, because it will appear when someone does a Google search for that type of business in a a particular area.
SizeUp is a free SBA sponsored business intelligence tool. Businesses and potential businesses can benchmark against competitors, map customers, competitors and suppliers, and locate the best places to advertise using SizeUp.
Village of Skokie
The Village of Skokie provides assistance and information to local businesses. The "Doing Business in Skokie" guide provides information on taxes, zoning, building permits, business licenses and "Doing Business with the Village."
Village of Skokie
5127 Oakton Street
Skokie, IL 60077
847-673-0500
www.skokie.org
Industry Information
If you are trying to market to a particular industry and you need to get a run down on relevant details then you may want to run a report from Hoover's Online. There are industry reports for more than 600 business sectors such as Engineering, Dry Cleaning Facilities, Food Service Businesses andr Insurance Carriers.
Each industry reports contains an industry overviews along with recent developments, and an industry forecast and rating. Reviewing a report can get you up-to-date quickly so you can be prepared and aware of importantindustry issues when interacting with companies or preparing for a job interview. 
On the right is a sample of the Fast Facts section for the Coffee Shop Industry.
Hoover's Online is available free at one of the many research computers at Skokie Public Library or via the Internet with a Skokie Public Library card.
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Books on Starting a Business
Effectively use Pinterest to market your business, product, or service.
The Founder's Dilemmas is the first book to examine the early decisions by entrepreneurs that can make or break a startup and its team.
Warren Buffett successfully invests in great businesses with strong fundamentals. These fundamentals can be replicated in a small business.
Baptiste guides would-be tech moguls through every stage of the process-from testing a concept to acquiring customers to determining the best pricing model-in a cheap, practical way.
Wenzel provides a solid guide toward conducting market research.
From building a basic business plan to attracting venture capital, Solovic outlines in a conversational tone the ins and outs of running your start-up venture.
For generations, Dartmouth College and the Tuck School of Business have influenced and driven global entrepreneurship. This A to Z guide based on the start-up experiences of hundreds of entrepreneurs makes the process simple as possible by breaking it down into three distinct parts:
Step 1: Focusing and Refining Your Idea
Step 2: Business Planning Best Practices
Step 3: Managing Your Company
Books on Running a Business
Written by the authority on freelance working, MacArthur "Genius" Fellow and founder of the national Freelancers Union, a guide to help freelancers.
It's now easier than ever to turn customers and clients into engaged fans.
The Small Business Bible shows you what really works (and what doesn′t!) and includes scores of tips, insider information, stories, and proven secrets of success.
Identifying your most valuable customers and building relationships with them are the most important things you can do to earn loyalty.
Concise and to the point, the book will inspire you to rethink your business, your company and how you lead.
At long last, the sales objection has met its match. Stephan Schiffman provides you with an arsenal that helps you combat any negative response and, in the process, turns perceptions of you from sales rep to ultimate problem solver.
Harvey Mackay is back with the sum total of decades of sales know-how, teaching go-getters how to make the sale and hit the numbers, day in and day out. His advice is rooted in road-tested, real-world experiences and include tips on the Web, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
