Go through the list of reasons people give for going into self-employment, and identify which of the reasons seem to fit you. Explain why you identify with each reason.
Think about the list of reasons people give for becoming self-employed. If you can, interview local entrepreneurs about their reasons and see how your real-life examples fit with the national survey results.
Check your state and locality's Web sites for information on programs that support economic development through small business creation and job creation. You can get a start at Firstgov's State Business Supports page: http://www.firstgov.gov/Business/Business_Resources.shtml. At the state Web sites, look for "Economic Development" or "Business Supports." Make a list of programs that might be worth looking into as you develop your business idea.
Look at the local newspaper's Web site, or the bizjournals.com Web site for the paper in your region. Use the terms "entrepreneur" and "small business owner" to find articles about local entrepreneurs. From this, compile a list of prospective "local small business heroes and heroines" to serve a role models and prospectors for local sources of help.
