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Updated 6/07/06

Operating Efficiently/Growing Your Business

Operating your business efficiently requires planning and information. The following Websites are made available to give you resources on many operational topics.

One of the most significant ways to reduce the risk inherent in running a business is to develop a plan, a strategy, a map showing how to get from where you are to where you want to be. The simple act of working through that planning will help you discover where the risks are and give you the opportunity to avoid them.

photo by Leslie Zenz

Starting A Business

Starting your own business is exciting and challenging. The exciting part is looking forward to the independence and wealth you can create. The challenge is to plan and prepare in advance to be successful. The following links provide useful information to help you plan, prepare, and fund your new business.

Doing Business in Washington State
http://www.access.wa.gov/business/index.aspx
This Website contains almost everything you need to know to do business in Washington State. Information available on starting a business, changing business status, growing a business, licenses and permits, hiring and managing employees, taxes, laws and rules, & doing business with Washington State.

Starting a Business in Washington State
http://www.access.wa.gov/business/start.aspx

Change Business Status
http://www.access.wa.gov/business/change.aspx

Grow Your Business
http://www.access.wa.gov/business/grow.aspx

Licenses and Permits
http://www.dol.wa.gov/mls/buslic.htm

Hire and Manage Employees
http://www.access.wa.gov/business/hiring.aspx

Taxes
http://www.access.wa.gov/business/taxes.aspx

Laws and Rules
http://www.access.wa.gov/business/laws.aspx

Doing Business with Washington State
http://www.access.wa.gov/business/state.aspx

Business License FAQ's
http://www.dol.wa.gov/mls/startbus.htm

Financial Statement Basics
http://www.toolkit.cch.com/text/P06_7001.asp
This Website contains a good explanation and links of what the different financial statements are and how to use them. It is a good place to start to gain understanding of business finances.

Managing Your Cash Flow
http://www.toolkit.cch.com/text/P06_4001.asp
A healthy cash flow is an essential part of every successful business. This Website contains useful explanations and links to help you manage and improve your cash flow.

Guide to Basic Bookkeeping
http://www.toolkit.cch.com/text/P06_1000.asp
To succeed in business, one of your most important tools is financial analysis, based on your business records. Accurate financial records will help you answer some very important questions. Are you making money, or losing it? How much? Is your business on sound financial ground, or are troubles lurking ahead? A sound bookkeeping system is the foundation on which all of this valuable financial information can be built.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up a Payroll System
http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/compensation-payroll/465-1.html
The key to staying on top of your payroll is setting up a good system that complies with all the applicable state and federal laws. To get started, use this step-by-step approach to setting up a simple payroll system.

Business Plans

Many times people will ask you what business you are in. The answer you give is what Business Development people call an â€œelevatorâ€ speech. What can you say in the time it takes an elevator to change floors. Can you identify what you do and what is unique about it? Coming up with that five minute speech means you must focus; narrow the concept of what you do. This will enable you to develop a clear vision of what it is you do. Once you have that concept, develop a vision statement for your company. It should be no more than three lines, then take it further and create single logo line. Remember you are creating a â€œvisionâ€, words that create a picture or image. The art work you select for advertising should reinforce that same vision.

Identify What is Unique About Your Business
There are multiple benefits from this activity-first you refine your definition of what you actually do. You are not everything to everyone, and if you think you are, you will spend a great deal of money advertising to the wrong people, about the wrong products or services. It's what makes you unique that gives you value. You need to discover exactly what it is that is unique about your business and use that concept to create an image used consistently in all your advertising-business cards, letter heard, signage.

Plan Ahead for Risks Outside Your Control
Good Strategies are the beginning to reducing risk. Once you have your plan developed you need to determine how to reduce the risks you cannot control.

Insurance Can Help You Offset Risks and Losses
External events can disrupt your business, and your ability to manage profitably. Good insurance products will help you mitigate your risk factors. You need to have either sufficient cash or insurance to cover losses that are severe enough to put you out of business.

Guide to Writing A Business Plan
http://www.nhsbdc.org/toolkit/files/busplans.htm

Sample Business plans
http://www.bplans.com/samples/mbus.cfm
Sample Agriculture Business Plan
The Texas Department of Agriculture has developed a good business plan template. If you would rather work through a plan using a simple question and answer format, this plan is for you. It has numerous pages of worksheets following an excellent narrative description for each section .

Business Plan Template
http://www.greenriver.edu/businesscenter/Documents/Business_Plan_Template.doc

Business Plan Outline
http://www.greenriver.edu/businesscenter/Documents/BusinessPlanOutline.doc

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Business Assistance

The following agencies provide counseling, loan guarantees and many additional resources at little or no cost. Take advantage of these great resources to grow your business.

Washington Small Business Development Centers (WSBDC)
http://www.wsbdc.org/
The WSBDC provides no-charge confidential counseling and low-cost training to current and prospective business owners. It is a cooperative effort between WSU, Western Washington University, community colleges, economic development organizations and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Washington State Department of Community, Trade & Economic Development (CTED)
http://www.cted.wa.gov/portal/alias__cted/lang__en/tabID__21/DesktopDefault.aspx
CTED administers several programs for businesses, communities, and families. This website has many useful informational links for businesses.

United States Small Business Administration (SBA)
http://www.sba.gov/
SBA provides loan guarantees to commercial banks to encourage them to make riskier business loans. They also provide information on starting, financing, managing, business opportunities, disaster recovery, & government programs that support small businesses.

SBA Woman's Business Centers
http://www.sba.gov/womeninbusiness/wbcs.html

Minority Enterprise Development
http://www.sba.gov/8abd/

8(a)Business Development
http://www.sba.gov/8abd/
SBA's 8(a) Business Development program is intended to help small businesses be successful for the future. Companies like yours, just starting or in a growth stage, can benefit from the wide-range of services we offerâ€”support for government contractors, access to capital, management and technical assistance, and export assistanceâ€”just to name a few.

Northwest Minority Business Council (NMBC)
http://www.nmbc.biz/home
NMBC provides minority business the tools to compete equally in the market place. They provide opportunities for linkage major corporations, public agencies, and small business to foster economic development.

NW Cooperative Development Center (NWCDC)
http://www.nwcdc.coop/
The Northwest Cooperative Development Center (NWCDC) is a nonprofit organization devoted to assisting new and existing cooperative businesses, from daycare centers to credit unions.

The Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network
http://www.wsffn.org
The Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network (the Network) is a grassroots, statewide advocacy organization for sustainable agriculture and family farms in Washington State. Through education, grassroots organizing, policy advocacy and lobbying, the Network has become a leading voice for sustainable agriculture and a key catalyst for change in food and farming policies and practices in Washington State.

Washington State University Small Farms Connection
http://smallfarms.wsu.edu/
WSU's Small Farms Team works with communities to foster profitable family farms, land and water stewardship, and access to healthy food. On this site you'll find resources for farmers and the general public, all related to sustainable community-based food and farm systems.

Cascade Harvest Coalition
http://www.cascadeharvest.org/
Through forums, promotions, better inter-communication, research, education and collaboration, Cascade Harvest Coalition's member organizations and individuals address the threats to sustainable Western Washington agriculture.

USDA Rural Business and Cooperative Programs
www.rurdev.usda.gov/wa/business.htm
This program works through partnerships with public and private community-based organizations and financial institutions to provide financial assistance, business planning and technical assistance to rural businesses.

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
http://attra.ncat.org/
Looking for the latest in sustainable agriculture and organic farming news, events and funding opportunities? This link features all that, plus in-depth publications on production practices, alternative crop and livestock enterprises, innovative marketing, organic certification, and highlights of local, regional, USDA and other federal sustainable ag activities.

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Farm Management Practices

When you want to improve the performance and results of your business it is helpful to learn best practices from others who have experience and insight. The following websites contain articles, resources, and tools to help you find better ways to manage your business and get better results.

Sustainable Industries
http://csanr.wsu.edu/
The CSANR was created to promote healthy farms, food and people. Since its inception, the center has been working with communities to foster approaches that are economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially responsive.

Sustainable Industries Journal
http://www.sustainableindustries.com/resources
The focus of the publication is on sustainable and certified production. Brought to you by the publishers of the Sustainable Industries Journal by the Celilo Group. Sponsors include Washington State University Extension, the Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources, and Washington State.

The Farming Sourcebook
2006 Farming Sourcebook
The Sourcebook features regional information and resources on:

Certification and labeling
Soils management
Seeds
Pest, disease and weed management
Sales and marketing
Recycling, renewable energy, and more.

Moving Toward Sustainable Farming Practices
http://king.wsu.edu/foodandfarms/documents/SustFrming.pdf

Comparing Yields with land Equivalent Ratio (LER)
http://king.wsu.edu/foodandfarms/documents/LER.pdf

Farm Management Publications
http://www.farm-mgmt.wsu.edu/misc.html

Strategies for Livestock Manure Management
http://king.wsu.edu/foodandfarms/documents/ManureMgmt.pdf

Alternative Soil, Crop, and Pasture Management
http://riley.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=2&tax_level=1&tax_subject=298

On-farm Processing
http://smallfarms.wsu.edu/marketing/onfarmprocessing.html .

Application For A Food Processing Plant License
/FoodAnimal/FoodProcessors/LicenseHandbook.aspx

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points Program Guidelines
http://smallfarms.wsu.edu/marketing/onfarmprocessing.html#H

Dehydration processing
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/dehydrate.html

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Specialty Crops

Specialty Crops are new crops that have not been commercially grown in a particular region. Ranging from exotic purple potatoes, to more commonly known crops like lettuce, producing specialty crops generally introduces farmers to a new way of growing. The following websites will give you information that is relevant to Washington State.