Gale Business: Plan Builder
 

CONTENT This updated version of Gale’s Small Business Builder is a step-by-step online planning tool for starting, managing, and optimizing a business or nonprofit. It is organized into five sections: “Entrepreneur Profile,” “Business Ideation,” “Break-Even Analysis,” “Business Plans,” and “Financial Projections.” The database is designed to help users decide whether entrepreneurship is a good fit for their interests, skills, and life circumstances; analyze start-up ideas to determine viability and sustainability; realistically assess and identify costs, taxes, investment requirements, and sales targets; and develop comprehensive and workable business plans that can be referenced and updated regularly. Metrics, charts, guides, reports, worksheets, questionnaire prompts, and sample plans are incorporated within the analytics. In addition, approximately 400 curated links to helpful resources are embedded in the templates. Papers on related topics, such as budgeting, financing, investing, and technology, are helpful supplements. This database links to Gale Business: Entrepreneurship, Gale Business: DemographicsNow, and Gale LegalForms for libraries with subscriptions to these resources.

USABILITY Users must create a company account to access this well-organized, easy-to-navigate, and highly functional resource. The streamlined home page provides ready access to the database’s five analytical tools. This page also features links to 46 business articles (available in 15 different languages), but the five analytical sections take center stage. “Entrepreneur Profile” provides a self-assessment questionnaire to assist users in determining their ability to be future entrepreneurs. “Business Ideation” employs a variety of tools to help users evaluate the viability of their business vision. “Break-Even Analysis” predicts when a new business can cover expenses and turn a profit; it also estimates the cost of goods, projected sales, and expected capital. “Business Plans” lets users create lean, pitch, and full business plans. These plans include basic and advanced components such as an executive summary, marketing steps, and financial strategies. Finally, “Financial Projections” provides a more detailed analysis of a company’s financial future, including capital expenditures, sales, equity, taxes, and inventory.

The “Break-Even Analysis,” “Business Plans,” and “Financial Projections” sections are superbly detailed, offering invaluable questionnaires and surveys for potential business owners.

All work can be saved, downloaded, and emailed. Library patrons should need little help before diving into the tools and templates because the database is so well-designed and focused.

PRICING Gale Business: Plan Builder may be purchased as an annual subscription by academic and public libraries; it is not for purchase by individuals. Subscription pricing is based on product and institution type and size. Tiered annual subscriptions at academic institutions start at $3,366 for small colleges and cost up to $11,116 for large colleges. Public library pricing is based on population served and starts at $3,000. Bundle pricing and consortium pricing are available. Potential customers should contact their Gale representative for current pricing and for consortial purchase information. A free trial can be requested at gale.com/c/business-plan-builder.

VERDICT This solid resource deftly accomplishes its goal of helping budding entrepreneurs, experienced business owners, and nonprofits create realistic business plans and analyze their business concepts. The practicality, thoroughness, thoughtfulness, and ease of use mark this product as a first-choice option for any library serving the business community.