sba.gov · Starting Up

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The SBA's planning guide, with a break-even analysis calculator and sections on market research, competitive analysis and startup costs.

Plan your business: startup costs and break-even calculator

From sba.gov by U.S. Small Business Administration Guide and calculator

The break-even point is where total cost and total revenue are equal.
Use the calculator to see how many units you must sell to cover costs.
Calculate startup costs before you open, to plan funding.

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Answers How do I start a business, step by step? How do I make a budget for my business? How do I calculate my break-even point? How do I get a startup business loan in the US, even with no revenue?

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The SBA's guide to the two kinds of business plan, traditional and lean startup, with what goes in each section of a traditional plan and example plans.

Write your business plan

From sba.gov by U.S. Small Business Administration 15 min

Pick the lean format unless a lender or investor asks for the traditional one.
Use the section list as a checklist, not a template to fill for its own sake.

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Answers How do I write a business plan, step by step?

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The US government's plain guide to market research: demand, market size, economic indicators, location, saturation and pricing, plus how to analyse competitors.

Market research and competitive analysis (SBA)

From sba.gov by US Small Business Administration Official guide

Answer demand, size and pricing before writing a plan.
List direct and indirect competitors.

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Answers How do I do market research for a business idea or product?

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The SBA's own statement that it does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business, and where federal grant money actually is: SBIR and STTR research grants, manufacturing grants, and grants to nonprofits and resource partners.

Grants (U.S. Small Business Administration)

From sba.gov by U.S. Small Business Administration Guide page

SBA does not give grants to start or grow a business.
Research and development companies may qualify for SBIR or STTR.
SBA only emails from addresses ending in @sba.gov; others are scams.

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Answers Which grants can a small business or startup in the US get?

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The SBA's page on its microloan program: loans of up to $50,000, averaging about $13,000, made by nonprofit intermediary lenders, generally at 8% to 13% and repayable over up to seven years.

SBA Microloans

From sba.gov by U.S. Small Business Administration 5 min read

Microloans go up to $50,000; the average is about $13,000.
Use them for working capital, inventory, supplies or equipment, not to pay existing debts or buy real estate.
Interest is generally 8% to 13%, and the maximum term is seven years.

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Answers How do I get a startup business loan in the US, even with no revenue?

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The SBA's free matching tool: describe your business and financing need once and SBA-approved lenders who are interested get in touch.

SBA Lender Match

From sba.gov by U.S. Small Business Administration Tool

One free form reaches many SBA lenders.
Have your business plan and financial projections ready before you submit.
Lenders, not the SBA, make the credit decision.

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Answers How do I get a startup business loan in the US, even with no revenue?

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The SBA's page on 7(a), its main loan program, with a maximum of $5 million, the uses it covers and the eligibility factors lenders look at, including credit history.

SBA 7(a) loans

From sba.gov by U.S. Small Business Administration 8 min read

The maximum 7(a) loan is $5 million.
Eligibility turns on what the business does, its credit history and where it operates.
The 7(a) working capital line asks for at least one year of operating history.

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Answers How do I get a startup business loan in the US, even with no revenue?