One mentorship program available for free is found at the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA has had the experience of dealing with a number of start-ups over the years. They have many resources to help you plan your business and to provide you with guidance in order to assure your business's long-term success.
In order to get the most out of your SBA experience, it is best to approach them with a rough draft of your business idea. Do not expect them to write a business plan for you but if you need help in writing your first draft look to the Small Business Administration's website for help and educational courses on how to start.
Once you have a business outline, no matter how rough, contact them and they will provide a mentor to assist you in setting up your business and in getting an SBA Loan Grant. The SBA also offers an additional mentorship program, which will match you up with a retired businessperson to help during the startup phase of your business. This is a great program for those people who are starting a business for the first time.
In addition to the SBA, you can find mentors by networking local business organizations, reading industry magazines, and working with your local chamber of commerce.
The Global Resource Network for Business and SCORE are both cost free websites which offer help and resources on a national and state level for small businesses. Both also offer sources for finding a mentor in your state.
Creating a new business is hard work; it takes time, money, and effort to succeed. Increase your chances of success by using the free services of the SBA, by networking with other business organizations, and by finding a mentor. When going out to start your business take these words of wisdom from a great business mentor, Jack Welch, “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.” Become a business leader today and remember to mentor someone else in the future.
