Tips
- Use Mergent Intellect or Reference Solutions to run lists of businesses in an area. Search by industry code (NAICS or SIC) and limit to a defined area.
- Reference Solutions lets you create a heat map of those businesses so that you can identify trends in where they have positioned themselves geographically.
- Don't know your NAICS or SIC code? Look up a potential competitor in Reference Solutions and view their profile which included the NAICS and SIC codes they have chosen for themselves.
- Gale Business: Entrepreneurship has sample business plans.
Analyze your Competitors
- Mergent IntellectLook up company profiles to obtain NAICS and SIC codes for the industry. Create lists of competitors by area.
- Reference SolutionsBest choice for creating lists of businesses in an area. It allows 500 prints or downloads per session.
- Gale Business: EntrepreneurshipUse this source to view sample business plans. Focus is on small businesses.
Understand your Customers
- MintelMintel is the world’s leading market intelligence agency. Use this resource to find analysis of consumers, markets, new products, and competitive landscapes in local and global economies. Includes full datasets as well as analysis and reports.Full reports are not downloadable. Sections can be downloaded once an account is created within Mintel.
- StatistaGood choice for stats on popular brands and companies. Also carries industry and market research reports.
- Mergent IntellectAccess "Demographics" reports within Mergent. Includes the latest census data by zip code but also segmentation reports from Prizm Premier by Claritas.
Understand your Industry
- IBISWorldU.S. focused industry reports. Each report is 30-40 pages in length. Good for a deep dive into the industry.
- Mergent IntellectMergent offers access to "First Research Reports" within this database. These reports are briefer than IBISWorld reports.
- StatistaMarket and Industry reports are available.
- Business Source CompleteExcellent for articles, but also industry reports.
Local Resources
- Business Development CenterLocated in Glen Ellyn, this organization provides support for local businesses.
- Innovation DuPageLocated in downtown Glen Ellyn, this nonprofit organization serves as both a business incubator for early-stage companies and a business accelerator for scaling emerging small businesses.
- Business Entity Search in IllinoisSearch for business filings, including nonprofits, in Illinois.
- Search for a Patent or TrademarkSearch the databases maintained by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
New Books
