One of the keys to running a successful business is knowing where to get the right information at the right time. Fortunately, there are many resources available online that are designed to help people start and manage their businesses. You just need to know where to look.

To help get you started, I compiled a list of what I feel are some of the most essential sites for entrepreneurs and small business owners. All of these sites offer their resources for free or at a reduced cost.

COMPREHENSIVE ONLINE RESOURCES, INFORMATION, AND ADVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESS START-UP AND MANAGEMENT:

The Small Business Association (http://www.sba.gov/ The SBA has a series of comprehensive articles, resources, and programs posted on their website. Everything is designed to help small businesses start up and run effectively. You should also check out their free online courses.

The National Foundation for Independent Business (http://www.nfib.com/ The NFIB is an advocacy organization for small and independent businesses. Here you will find advice and resources for running a small business. If you decide to become a member, then you can receive discounts on many business products and services.

AllBusiness (www.allbusiness.com/ This site boasts an impressive collection of informative articles, blogs, videos and advice from industry experts. You can even download forms and legal agreements.

SCORE (http://www.score.org/ This organization offers business advice, mentoring, courses, and other information.

Entrepreneur.com (http://www.entrepreneur.com/ This site has general information on starting your own business.

SME Toolkit (http://smetoolkit.org/ This organization offers free software, business forms, interactive tools, training, information, and more to help small businesses.

Start-Up Nation (http://www.startupnation.com/ This site provides general business advice and information on small business start-up and growth.

Business Resource Center (http://www.morebusiness.com/ Here you will find several business resources including: informative articles, sample business plans, marketing plans, business contracts, and tax help.

Smart Biz (http://www.smartbiz.com/ Small business information and resources with a focus on IT.

The Small Business Knowledge Base (http://www.bizmove.com/ Comprehensive small business information including plenty of guides, tools, and techniques.

My Own Business (http://www.myownbusiness.org/ This site hosts a free online course that is a step by step guide to starting and growing a small business.

GOVERNMENT SITES TO CHECK OUT:
The National Association for the Self Employed (http://www.nase.org/

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (http://www.uschamber.com/

National Business Incubation Association (http://www.nbia.org/

Internal Revenue Service Small Business Tax Center (http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/

INFORMATIVE SMALL BUSINESS BLOGS:

Duct Tape Marketing ([url=http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/]http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/[/url])

Small Business Trends ([url=http://www.smallbiztrends.com/]http://www.smallbiztrends.com/[/url])

The Entrepreneurial Mind (www.drjeffcornwall.com/

Church of the Customer ([url=http://www.churchofthecustomer.com/]http://www.churchofthecustomer.com/[/url])

Fresh Inc. ([url=http://www.blog.inc.com/]http://www.blog.inc.com/[/url])

Small Business Brief ([url=http://www.smallbusinessbrief.com/]http://www.smallbusinessbrief.com/[/url])