A little help can go a long way, which is why we’ve compiled this list of where to get personal advice for your small business during COVID-19.
You’re creative, you’re a problem-solver, and you have all kinds of ingenuity — but that doesn’t mean you don’t need a little advice from time to time. This is especially true when it comes to navigating your small business through this pandemic and all the effects it is having on everything from supply chains to sales. From Payroll Protection Program loan forgiveness to reopening your doors, there’s a mentor, hotline or local small business chapter to help you with personal advice for your small business during COVID-19!
GREAT SOURCES FOR SMALL BUSINESS ADVICE
These organizations can give you helpful advice on nearly every topic your small business could need — specifically with a focus on COVID-19 resources and guidance.
SCORE
As a small business owner, you may be facing uncertainty and confusion while trying to protect your business. SCORE has adapted their mentorship program to meet the unique needs of businesses during COVID-19. This includes remote mentoring and more with one of their thousands of qualified mentors around the country.
SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION — LOCAL CHAPTERS
The SBA offers counseling, training, and business development help. They have local and regional offices that can help you get specific guidance for your local business.
Additionally, there are specific outreaches such as Office of Veteran’s Business Development which is designed to provide entrepreneurial development services such as business training, counseling and more specifically to veterans.
ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTERS
This national nonprofit organization focuses on securing economic justice and entrepreneurial opportunities for women with local chapters in states across the country. They provide training, mentoring, business development and financing opportunities specifically to women entrepreneurs.
U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has both helpful virtual resources as well as local chapters that often offer business coaching and networking opportunities. Click here to search for local chapters in your area.
They also have a virtual event series, from their National Small Business Town Hall to their Workshop Wednesdays, that connects you with experts for advice as well as inspiration. Click here to sign up for their next event.
AMERICA’S SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER NETWORK
Find a local SBDC chapter in your area for no-cost business consulting and low-cost business training. Currently focuses on helping small businesses address the challenges of the coronavirus disease pandemic.
They also offer free webinars from the SBDC Leadership Institute. Here is a link to their calendar.
GROW WITH GOOGLE ONAIR
Google is helping small business owners deal with the impact of COVID-19 by taking their Grow with Google program online. The newly launched, Grow with Google OnAir offers free virtual workshops, events and 1:1 coaching sessions to help you get the most out of their digital tools. Those tools include Google Ads, Google Analytics, Google My Business, Productivity Tools and more!
It’s important to note that they only offer one 1:1 coaching session, so they ask that you select the topic that is most important for you.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
WEBINARS
Right now, you have unprecedented access to small business experts on nearly any topic you can imagine. From tax lawyers and financial advisors to marketing gurus and more, they are all available to you via — webinar. That’s right! Organizations that serve small businesses are focusing all their efforts on getting helpful resources out to their customer base, which is you, so keep in touch with your favorite organizations to see what webinars they are hosting and take full advantage of the free access to expert advice.
Don’t miss out on Wed Society’s next webinar! Click here to sign-up for our email newsletter and you’ll be the first to know.
Additional webinar sources can be found at the National Federation of Independent Businesses as well as the other organizations listed earlier in this blog.
HOTLINES
From Chattanooga to Green Bay, small business hotlines are popping up everywhere so be sure to see if there is one available in your area. These often provide real-time advice, business counseling and professional expertise to small business owners needing anything financial, human resources, banking, credit and business assistance due to the impact of the coronavirus.
Sources can be business groups as well as your local chapters of the Small Business Association or the Chamber of Commerce.
SERVICE PROVIDERS
Many companies that provide services for local small businesses are also putting together resource centers with small business help and information.
One such organization is Stand for Small by American Express. From shipping issues to getting your costs down and managing your team, Stand for Small has a resource center to help!
Be sure to check with your major service providers in addition to the nonprofit resources we have discussed. These businesses are often invested in your continued success so that you can be their customer for a long time to come. For this reason, they have come up with some COVID-19-related resources to help you navigate this season.
Have you found a great resource for your company to guide you through the impact of COVID-19?
We’d love to hear from you.
Drop a comment in the section below with your favorite resources.
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Written by Corrie McGee
