Business Resources: Business Planning

Starting a business, a natural resource-based enterprise in particular, takes time, hard work and funds. An entrepreneur also faces the risk that his or her business will not succeed. The following publications suggest steps to take towards creating a thriving enterprise including determining whether the public has a demand for the product or service provided, deciding if the land is sufficient and what facilities will need to be built, acquiring liability insurance, and writing a business plan

These resources have been compiled from various resources and agencies and are provided here for educational purposes only. Please if you find information that needs to be updated, broken links, or if you have an additional resource you feel is pertinent.

• Mississippi Small Business Development Centers
  The University of Mississippi. These Centers provide education, training, and tools to Mississippians interested in developing a small business. Visit their website or schedule an appointment for one-on-one assistance.
• Business Considerations for Private Landowners
  Mississippi State University Extension Service. The first step to planning a natural resource enterprise is writing up a business plan to determine if the business is realistic. Next, determine what physical, financial and labor recourses are available. Marketing, organizational and financial plans are necessary to determine if the business will succeed.
• A Checklist of Considerations for Landowners
  Mississippi State University Extension Service. This is a list of things to consider before starting a natural resource enterprise. It includes the determining what resources are available, such as land and buildings and wildlife populations, determining if the land’s natural resources can be used for more than one purpose and if a sufficient labor force is available, liability insurance, how long the enterprise will last, the willingness of the family to participate in the enterprise, finding customers, the location of the business and how easy it is to access, and creating a business plan. A worksheet is provided to help evaluate the success of a potential natural resource enterprise.
• Entrepreneur's Toolkit
  Mississippi Development Authority. This website provides links to web pages that will help those hoping to start a business. These include sites with information about the Mississippi market, financial assistance and grants, utility and power companies, the Small Business Administration and more.
  
• Starting Your Business
  U.S. Small Business Administration. This web page contains many links that lead to sites that will help an entrepreneur plan and begin a business, manage it and terminate it.
• Business.gov - The official business link to the U.S. government
• Alternative Enterprises and Agritourism: Farming for Profit and Sustainability Resource Manual
  Natural Resources Conservation Service. This 2,300-page manual contains publications, articles and technical notes on natural-resource based enterprises. Some of the topics covered include agritourism, nature tourism, heritage and cultural tourism, conservation, business planning, legal issues and liability and marketing.
• Planning and Developing a Nature Tourism Enterprise
  Texas Parks and Wildlife. This guide gives an overview of natural resource-based enterprises and provides a list of questions to consider when starting an enterprise. It provides tips for those planning on starting a nature tourism business including eight steps towards beginning a business.
• Mississippi Small Business Guide