Business Consulting Platform with AI Chatbot

Overview

This platform provides personalized business advice and recommendations based on user interests, skills, and available investment. It leverages an AI-powered Chatbot that offers tailored business ideas from various categories to support informed decision-making.

Additionally, the platform features a blog section with insightful articles and resources on various business topics to support users in their entrepreneurial journey.

Features

• AI Chatbot: Interactive chatbot that offers personalized business recommendations.
• Business Categories: A wide range of business types, including:
  • Farming
  • Food and Beverage
  • Digital and Online
  • Creative and Artistic
  • Education and Training
  • Health and Beauty
  • Retail and Sales
  • Services
  • Real Estate and Rentals
  • Event and Hospitality
• MCQ-Based Questionnaire: Helps tailor business ideas based on user preferences and skills.
• Blog Section: Articles on business-related topics such as growth strategies, management tips, and more.

Business Categories

The platform includes the following business categories:

• Farming (e.g., Poultry Farming, Fish Farming)
• Food and Beverage (e.g., Coffee Shop, Catering)
• Digital and Online (e.g., Freelancing, E-commerce)
• Creative and Artistic (e.g., Graphic Design, Photography)
• Education and Training (e.g., Computer Training, Driving Centre)
• Health and Beauty (e.g., Beauty Salon, Home-Based Gym)
• Retail and Sales (e.g., Medical Store, Auto Spare Parts)
• Services (e.g., Tour Operator, House Cleaning)
• Real Estate and Rentals (e.g., Real Estate, Vehicle Rental)
• Event and Hospitality (e.g., Wedding Planners, Boutique)

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.x
• Django
• PostgreSQL/MySQL (or any other preferred database)
• Node.js (for frontend and Node backend)
• Postman (for API testing)

Setup Instructions

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/GICCLBS-IT-2020-2024/Smart-Business-Directory.git
cd Smart-Business-Directory

Django Backend (biz-backend)

1. Create a virtual environment and activate it:

   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate # For Linux/Mac
   venv\Scripts\activate # For Windows

2. Install the dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Setup the database and apply migrations:

   python manage.py makemigrations
   python manage.py migrate

4. Run the Django development server:

   python manage.py runserver

5. Access the platform’s backend at http://127.0.0.1:8000.

React Frontend

1. Navigate to the frontend directory:

   cd frontend

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Start the development server:

   npm run dev

4. Access the frontend at http://localhost:3000.

Node.js Backend

1. Navigate to the backend directory:

   cd backend

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Start the backend server:

   npm run dev

4. The Node backend will be running on the specified port (usually http://localhost:5000).

Usage

• Sign up and log in to access the business recommendation feature.
• Complete the MCQ-based questionnaire to receive personalized business suggestions.
• Chat with the AI Chatbot for business-related questions.
• Explore the blog for useful business tips and articles.

AI Chatbot Integration

The platform’s chatbot integrates with Google Generative AI (Gemini API) to provide smart, contextual responses. The chatbot can guide users through various business categories and offer tailored suggestions based on their input.

Contributing

Feel free to fork this repository and submit pull requests. All contributions are welcome!

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.