If You Don’t Research Being an Entrepreneur Now, You’ll Hate Yourself Later

Homework. As much as you may have hated it when you were in school, it is essential for entrepreneurship.

Currently, I am considering getting into a new enterprise. While excited by the possibilities, I am tempering my enthusiasm while investigating the industry and assessing the financial risks. An inc.com article published today pointed out that British entrepreneurs are about four times less likely than the general population to describe themselves as adventurous and over half said they have at least one risk-averse characteristic.

When I evaluate risk, I gather facts, draw my conclusions, bounce them off of people whose judgment I respect, then reassess. I also network to find people with experience in the industry from whom to learn.

So before deciding if entrepreneurship is right for you, some research is in order. With the Internet, it is easier than ever. Here are five of my favorite resources on entrepreneurship and business and why I like them.

Inc. Magazine Online Edition – a treasure trove of articles on starting and running a business, many written by star bloggers whose work is worth following.

One More Customer - remember Fran Tarkenton? This is his venture for promoting small business. Take his Entrepreneurial Aptitude Test.

Kauffman Foundation - a wealth of encouragement, information, and statistics to get you thinking and acting as an entrepreneur.

Michael Hyatt’s Intentional Leadership blog - if you want to build a social media platform from which to market yourself and/or your business Michael Hyatt wrote the book, literally. Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World takes you step by step through the process. And there is tons of great material on his website.

Patrick McFadden’s Indispensable Marketing blog - if your mind is hungry, Patrick McFadden will feed it with thoughtful and useful advice on marketing for small businesses.

You have your assignment. Don’t worry, I am not checking spelling and grammar.

Question - What resources do you use to learn about entrepreneurship and business? Please respond below.