o successfully compete in today’s "new economy," knowledge is power. Whether you are trying to start your own new venture or trying to stay ahead of the competition, take advantage of our comprehensive business resources center to gain critical insight into the Western Massachusetts market and the business world as a whole.  Regardless of your industry, being in the "know" is mission critical. Below are some useful and free links that will offer you an inside look at the business world and present you with some fascinating new ideas on how you can improve or even start your own business.

Mass Ventures

Mass Ventures is a regional venture development company, focused on building high growth companies in Western Massachusetts. They help entrepreneurs grow their businesses, offering assistance with strategic marketing or operating plans, along with providing critical venture capital contacts to secure the financing needed to grow your business. Mass Ventures provides the following comprehensive-consulting services, designed to get your business launched from concept to market.  These include venture development, capital acquisition, company infrastructure development, strategic planning, business plan development, market analysis, team building, financial forecasting as well as business incubation at the Mass Venture Center. For more information on Mass Ventures please log onto their web site at www.massventures.com.

Five College Entrepreneur Club

Five College Entrepreneur Club, sponsored by Mass Ventures (www.massventures.com) offers free advice on how to write almost every facet of the business plan. Whether it is legal, marketing or business plan or networking advice, the Entreclub (www.entreclub.org) meets regularly during the fall semester at the Umass Amherst campus (see the website for specific dates and events). Professionals from around Western Massachusetts host the various events and offer terrific insight on how to develop your business concept. eCommunityGuide was one of last years award winning concepts!

Massachusetts Small Business Development Center

Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC), provides free, confidential, one-to-one management and technical assistance counseling and low cost education training programs to prospective and existing small businesses throughout Massachusetts.  There is a MSBDC office within 30 minutes of any potential client, and offers specialized services in the areas of capital formation, minority business assistance, international trade and procurement technical assistance.  For more information on MSBDC, please log onto their web site at http://msbdc.som.umass.edu or call the Western Massachusetts regional office in Springfield at 413.737.6712.

Umass Family Business Center

Umass Family Business Center assists family owned businesses in recognizing their common problems and in finding solutions to the unique challenges confronting them.

The Center offers members an educational, interactive learning environment, including presentations by experts from the fields of psychology, management training and development, law, accounting, financial and estate planning, and banking. Learn to run your company more professionally, develop policies and procedures based on the best practices of successful colleagues, improve your communication and strategizing skills, increase both the satisfaction and the bottom line in your family owned business.  For more information, please log onto their web site at www.umass.edu/fambiz or call them in Amherst at 413.545.1537.

MassBedrock, (Massachusetts Business and Economic Development Reference Online Center for Knowledge) is a service of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.  This digital library consists of several tools to assist you in identifying and retrieving all of the business data and information you need.

Business 2.0

Business 2.0 targets an audience of individuals, who they call "Transformers," hungry for information on how to succeed in the Internet Age. In August 1998, Business 2.0 magazine was launched to help clarify and demystify the changing landscape of business and deliver practical, inviting, and in-depth information. .

(Excerpt taken from the Business2.com web-site. This excerpt does not imply that Business 2.0 endorses the Ecommunityguide.com product)

www.business2.com

Fast Company

Fast Company Magazine was founded on a single premise: a global revolution was changing business, and business was changing the world. Discarding the old rules of business, Fast Company set to chronicle how changing companies create and compete, to highlight new business practices, and to showcase the teams and individuals who are inventing the future and reinventing business. Fastcompany strives to provide a big picture of the New Economy by presenting unique online tools and content as well as the full magazine archives online. (Excerpt taken from the Fastcompany.com web-site. This excerpt does not imply that Fastcompany endorses the ecommunityguide.com product)

www.fastcompany.com

Financial Times

From industry news at a glance to insights from FT's industry experts and key market data from across the globe, FT.com's editorial coverage of the world of business is unmatched. At FT.com, you will also find news on the people behind the headlines and fast, easy access to our comprehensive business directory. Access company quotes and data, chat with commentators and colleagues in the industry, update your personal calendar with key industry events - even check the latest sports scores.
(Excerpt taken from the FT.com web-site. This excerpt does not imply that FT.com endorses the Ecommunityguide.com product)

www.ft.com

Red Herring

Through Redherring.com, Red Herring Magazine and Red Herring Events, we provide timely market information, strategic insight, and access to growing entrepreneurial communities. Red Herring Events have generated more than $1 billion in financing and acquisitions by facilitating connections between venture capitalists and companies seeking venture capital funding. Red Herring keeps you posted at the cutting edge of business technology. (Excerpt taken from the Redherring.com web-site. This excerpt does not imply that Redherring endorses the Ecommunityguide.com product)

www.redherring.com

Other publications you may want to explore are www.businessweek.com, or www.fortune.com.

Entrepreneur.com

Entrepreneur.com is an online business-to-business community marketplace built exclusively for small and emerging businesses. Entrepreneur.com provides a dedicated staff of small-business experts who are committed to helping entrepreneurs turn their dreams into successful businesses. Entrepreneur.com is a place to learn, research, connect, communicate, transact and interact.

www.entrepreneur.com