Free Small-Business Advice Is Closer Than You Think

If you’re starting a business for the first time, it can be an exciting but stressful journey. You may wonder if you have what it takes to be a successful business owner, and you may worry about what obstacles lie ahead during these tough economic times.

Don’t let fear get the best of you!

With passion, preparation, persistence, and a willingness to learn from your mistakes, you can expect a much more fulfilling and rewarding experience during your entrepreneurial journey.

But what if you need help with starting your new business?

The good news is there is support available, and it's practically in your own backyard! You probably already know there are many reputable websites that provide help for small businesses, but sometimes it's better to speak with someone face-to-face to get your questions answered.

Now if you think I’m talking about hiring a professional business consultant, think again.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has a partner organization known as the SBDC network. The network consists of approximately 1,000 Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) which are set up around the country to help small business owners like you.

These SBDCs are a partnership that includes Congress, SBA, the private sector, and the colleges, universities, and state governments that manage SBDCs across the country.

Each SBDC provides free face-to-face business consulting covering important areas such as financing, marketing, production, and technology assistance. Each center also offers at-cost training on writing business plans, regulatory compliance, international trade and more.

So how do you become eligible for this assistance?

You’re eligible if you are starting a small business for the first time, or if you're improving or expanding an existing one, but cannot afford your own private business consultant.

One of the main reasons startups fail is due to lack of preparation. By getting the guidance and support you need from an SBDC, you can greatly improve your chances of success in your new business venture.

More than one million businesses get assistance from SBDCs each year, so why not you?

Here are some interesting facts, according to the Association of SBDCs:

• A new business is opened by an SBDC in-depth client every 43 minutes;
• Over $100,000 in new sales are generated by SBDC in-depth clients every nine minutes;
• SBDC clients have received more than 2.8 million total hours of consulting and training.

To learn more about the economic impact of the SBDC review, check out the two-page report on the association's website.

With over a thousand locations in the SBDC network you should have no problem finding a location near you. To locate an SBDC visit the Association of Small Business Development Centers website.

Another valuable source of information is SBDCNet where you will find helpful resources, guides, newsletters, and blog posts. You will even find a list of SBDCs who offer online courses making it that much easier for you to get the small business help you need.

What other resources do you finding helpful?

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Marco is founder of the Business Credit Insiders Circle, a step-by-step business credit building system providing fleet credit cards, vendor lines of credit, business credit cards, merchant lines of credit, and funding sources. You may contact Marco directly at: marco@businesscreditblogger.com. Follow Marco on Twitter @MarcoCarbajo and read more of his insights on getting business credit.