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 Consulting
We provide FREE one-on-one consulting to potential and existing businesses. For answers to your business questions, schedule an appointment with our program consultants. Confidentiality is guaranteed. Our consultants are business professionals who have diverse educational and business experience. Many hold advanced degrees and/or have owned or operated their own businesses.
To schedule an appointment
with a program consultant,
click here
After your initial session, you and the SBDC program consultant will determine your next course of action for future assistance.
Consultants can provide guidance and help relating to:
- Business start-up/acquisition
- Business plan development and updates
- Identifying sources of capital
- Loan Proposals
- Financial and business analysis
- Cash flow analysis
- Accounting and record keeping
- Market research
- Marketing plan development and updates
- Marketing and sales
- Operations, personnel management
- Government procurement
- Business liquidation/sales
Benefits of Consulting
Working with a program consultant offers many of the following benefits for you and your business:
- Serve as sounding boards and reality checks for your business ideas
- Provide a gateway to many local and national business resources
- Assist with development of clear action plans and focus
- Access to a national network of expertise, advisers and information
- Brainstorm ideas for new products, services, promotions, campaigns, etc.
- Evaluate the feasibility of business ideas
- Improve your business skills and knowledge
- Provide guidance for access to capital
- Facilitate business coaching, networking, mentoring and training
Getting The Most From Your Consulting Experience
Following are some guidelines to get the most from working with your program consultant:
- Identify your needs clearly. What do you want to know? The more specific you are the more you will get from your consultation.
- Prepare for your meeting. Ask what you need to bring, how long the meeting will last, and what you can expect to accomplish.
- Think of your program consultant as a coach. Use his or her professional guidance to help you learn how to do the task at hand.
- Maintain open and candid communication. We have numerous program consultants with a variety of styles and backgrounds. If you do not feel comfortable with a particular consultant, it is okay to request a different consultant.
- Set time lines and specific goals. Consulting is a joint process. Make sure that each of you knows what the next steps are and put them in writing.
- Educate yourself about business ideas and activities. Read newspapers, books and business publications. Find other business owners to talk to or join a business organization. Research trade associations or business information on the Internet.
- Give your program consultant feedback. The only way he or she can determine if our services are helpful to you is if you let us know.
- Ask questions. A willingness to ask questions is the key to getting the right information.
- Supplement your one-on-one consulting with workshops, training, and mentoring or peer support groups.
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