Enterpreneur
support & guidebook
Owning and operating a small business is a difficult but rewarding
task. Entrepreneur support is a means by which new business owners
get help in starting and running a company. There are over a 500,000
new businesses started every year in the United States, and most
do not survive past five years. If you find entrepreneur support,
it can help you beat those odds. It is hard to go at it alone, and
anyone who is looking to open a small business should seek out some
sort help.
There are many places to get help when starting and running a small
business. Some of these sources may include associations, organizations,
people, books and articles. Help is available if you are willing
to do a little digging.
Sources for Entrepreneur Support
Some of the first places to seek help are SCORE and the Small Business
Association. Not only can they assist you with basic information
on starting a business, they are usually staffed with former entrepreneurs
and businesspeople who can offer counseling services. The Small Business
Association also sponsors various small business development centers
across the country. Working through many universities, the SBA has
at least one center in each state. Many of these centers focus on
counseling small business owners in important areas like financing,
marketing and production. If you are interested in this type of program,
go to the internet and type in "small business development centers" to
see what is available in your state.
Even if there is no small business development center near you,
local universities and colleges can still help. Often they offer
courses or evening classes to future entrepreneurs. While they may
be costly in both time and money, it helps to have some basic background
in starting up and running a business. If you cannot take a class
or do not live near a university, try getting help from associations.
They are just a phone call away. Check out your local library for
directories of trade and business associations. Whether you are a
restaurateur or starting a small manufacturing firm, there is a professional
association that can offer you support. Also, check out you local
chamber of commerce. Besides offering entrepreneur support, they
can give you information on your local market.
If you are a woman or minority there will be extra help available
to you. Make sure you use it. Not only associations will go out of
their way to help you, but you will also find local, state and federal
government resources available to meet your special needs.
Finally do not forget about using business books and articles. If
you can find good ones, they are a valuable means of entrepreneur
support. They should guide you to do, and you can learn on your own
time. Good printed materials are important because they are available
when you need them. You do not have to worry about someone else's
schedule or whether they got your message.
Whatever resources you choose, make sure you get help when starting
a business. You are not doing anything that has not been done before.
Use the tools available to become successful and to overcome the
difficulties associated with starting up a business.
This
is how I start a business. Everything is covered A-Z.
|