Our Little Tycoon believes that all of the information necessary to help you succeed in business exists on the web or in a good library. The problem is finding it. In this section our Bizmaster offers sage advice on the art of searching.

Our Computer Wizard has gathered 15 search engines and placed them in a frame on our search page. You'll never get lost while conducting your search.

We have worked hard to make our search page the best Search Center anywhere on the web. We have included the best search engines and portals to the web we could find and the page is set up to have as many of them as possible open in our frame. This allows you to easily switch between these great web searching tools by using our Click N Search feature which remains in the upper left of the page regardless of the search engine you are using.

THE GREATEST BARRIER TO WEALTH IS KNOWLEDGE. IF YOU WANT TO BE RICH, YOU NEED TO BE INCREDIBLY LUCKY AND WIN THE LOTTERY, OR HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO GUIDE YOU TO SUCCESS.

The first step in acquiring knowledge about a small business is to LOOK for and LOOK at any similar business models or potential competitors. If you want to open a dry cleaners, visit everyone in your neighborhood and see what they do right and what they do wrong. Plan on adapting the best practices and avoiding the worst.

Next, SEARCH for all the information you can find. Searching for quality information on the web is both easier and harder than using a real library. Because everybody can have a web page, there is too much information and it is difficult to tell the difference between the misinformation on a fantastic page and the facts on a boring one.

A search for pizza or pizza making on the web turns up some of the worst recipes for meals I have ever seen. A search for pizza associations and trade magazines is not as productive as a trip to the library and use of the Directory of Associations and the Directory of Periodicals.

HOWEVER, a search of pizza equipment is far more rewarding than anything the average library might offer, and the Lycos search for trade shows and seminars describes three in the next year.

As an example, a detailed search of information needed to start a pizza business is shown at the bottom of this page. All of the tools used in this search are available on the Search page.

RESEARCH is the follow through after the search. The business owner should subscribe and read the trade magazines found in the search. (Trade magazines are published for business owners, not consumers.) Applications should be made to join the trade associations, and any books discovered in the search should be acquired and read. Equipment manufacturers are a great source of information, and the brochures should be sent for and read.

Each hour devoted to research before opening will prevent thousands of dollars in lost sales and costly mistakes.

In addition to knowledge about the particular business, trade or service, there is also the necessary knowledge on managing resources, employees and customer satisfaction. Even the greatest pizza maker will go broke if customers and employees are constantly dissatisfied and cash and assets wasted. Separate pages will be devoted to these issues at a later date. However, most trade magazines and associations give as much advice on management as they do on production and sources of supply.