Introduction

So you're thinking about starting a small business? If so, you're not alone. Filled with hopes, dreams, optimism and energy - not to mention great ideas - thousands of Albertans start small businesses each year. The small business sector is known for its creativity, productivity, and innovation. It is responsible for creating the majority of new jobs in Alberta.

Launching a successful small business requires solid preparation. This guide is designed to help you start out right, so that your business has the right foundation on which to build success.

The guide is divided into four parts:

One helps you assess whether or not you are suited to owning and operating a small business.

Two helps you find and evaluate business ideas.

Three outlines the technical and legal issues related to starting a small business, including the obligations and requirements.

Four presents the elements of a business plan, and how to prepare one.

If you decide that the challenge of running a small business is right for you, here's a thought before you begin. In business, as in life, being in the right place at the right time is not so much good luck as it is good planning.