Businesses will find a vast array of services available to help them get their operations up and running, or to help them develop and grow their existing business. No matter how much money is available to spend for consulting; for small businesses, these services are well worth seeking out. Examples of the various types of help available are marketing advice, loans and business plans, as well as help from the Small Business Administration, which is an agency that was developed by the Federal Government to aid and assist small businesses in their day to day operations.
The Small Business Administration offers most of these services under one umbrella. The one service that an entrepreneur will probably find the most helpful is the free online training through the Small Business Training Network. Online education is offered in starting a business.
You can find information on business planning and writing a business plan, business management, finance and accounting, advertising and marketing, e-commerce and website building, international trade and retirement planning. Each course generally takes about 30 minutes to complete and is self-paced. For small businesses that are just starting out, the knowledge offered by these courses is a necessity.
Loans and grants are available for small businesses and can be researched on the Small Business Administration website, located at “Sba”. In addition to a knowledge library, users will find a planner that allows them to plan everything from their startup, to their day to day operation, and even to their exit, regardless of whether they are selling out or retiring.
There are also links to sites that can assist the small business owner in selecting software for their new company, information about international trade and government contracts, making healthcare choices, choosing a payroll and tax service, and form development. Networking and advertising advice is also available. There is a link to a chat room, which offers real time advice for those in need of immediate assistance.
Many new business owners, not knowing any better, seek out information from a variety of different places, not realizing that not all advice is good advice. For small businesses that can be a very bad thing. The Small Business Administration is an alternative that is both reliable and trustworthy.
Not all offers of assistance from sources outside of the SBA are legitimate. All advice received outside of known reputable sources should be scrutinized carefully before acting upon it, to avoid possible repercussions for bad decisions.