Research Guides: Arts Business Plan Research: Cost of Doing Business

Recommended Resources

Mergent Intellect This link opens in a new window
Find comparable companies in Mergent Intellect and use their business expenditures as a benchmark.
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10 Hidden Costs of Running a Small Business
Insure U
Information about insurance for small business owners
Occupational Employment Statistics
The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual States, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas; national occupational estimates for specific industries are also available.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
The Occupational Outlook Handbook, produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is a nationally recognized source of career information.
Small Business Administration - Starting a Business
Are you thinking about starting a business of your own? Explore the topics below to learn the aspects of starting a business, plus find information you need to succeed.
Small Business Administration - Types of Business Insurance
Learn about the different types of insurance you might have to carry for your business.
Texas Department of Insurance

Cost of Living Index (COLI) This link opens in a new window
City-to-city comparisons of cost-of-living

RMA annual statement studies
Contains composite financial data on manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing, service, and contracting lines of business. Arranged by SIC code, this work makes it possible to compare one company's performance relative to other companies in the same line of business.

Find a comparable company in Mergent Intellect and use their business expenditures as a benchmark.
Look for books and articles about running a business in your area.
Talk to actual vendors to find out actual costs in your area for rent, etc.
Look for local real estate costs, local insurance rates, cost of equipment from local providers, etc.
Check out the Small Business Administrations steps to starting a business.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics gives estimates for salary ranges by occupation.