Starting your own business? 10 Free Lessons on Starting and Running a Business

Potential business owners will often get an idea in their head that won't go away. They start thinking, "How can I do this? How do I go about starting or running my own business?"

There are many resources on the web, some good, some not. A place you might begin conducting some free research is you local SBA office. Visit the Massachusetts SBA local site or the state selector for more choices. In addition, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides programs and services to help you start, grow, and succeed as a business owner. They offer several courses listed by topic at their Services > Online Training > Free Online Course page.

The ten free course topics include:

1. STARTING A BUSINESS

2. BUSINESS PLANNING

3. BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

4. FINANCING & ACCOUNTING

5. MARKETING & ADVERTISING

6. GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING

7. SMALL BUSINESS RETIREMENT

8. E-COMMERCE

9. INTERNATIONAL TRADE

10. FEDERAL TAX TRAINING

The courses are self-paced and you can choose which you're interested in. No course will answer all your questions about starting a business but there's nothing to lose with trying these out. While the courses aren't a substitute for professional advice, they can help you identify additional questions to raise with your lawyer and accountant.