From your question what I can feel is that your business is a small organization. Small businesses that use business consultants grow faster and add more jobs than those that do not, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. And they stay in business longer. But the cost, which can run into hundreds or thousands of dollars for a single project, puts for-profit consultants out of reach for many small business owners. There is an alternative: Free and low-cost business consultants and mentors available through a national public-private ecosystem that your small company can tap into. It is a web of support created by government agencies, non-profits, universities, community colleges and corporate donors. Their goal is to help your small business grow so you can help the economy grow. Advice is available for every stage of your business from pre-start up through launch and into the challenges faced by existing companies and onto mergers and acquisition advice. Volunteer business professionals, retired executives and subject experts can offer you a wide range of guidance on management, marketing, and financial topics.
Consultants can help vet and develop your business idea, guide your market research efforts, or walk you through getting business licenses or permits you might need. There are consultants that offer free services are as follows:
1. Small Business Development Centres: Small Business Development Centres are staffed by business experts who are often former business owners or executives. The centres are funded by a combination of federal money through the Small Business Administration, as well as state economic development money, support from community development non-profits and donations from corporations and financial institutions. It offers free, confidential in-person business consulting on a one-time or ongoing basis. Also provides business workshops and online classes. it is best for Pre-start-ups, new businesses, and existing companies. These business development centres are set up to help you at every stage of your business.
2. SCORE Business Mentors: SCORE is the smaller but better-known sister organization to the Small Business Development Centres. SCORE matches business owners or those who want to own a business with volunteer businesspeople who serve as mentors. The organization, which is funded by the SBA and local donors, started as the Service Corps of Retired Executives a half century ago, but today is powered more by volunteers who are working entrepreneurs and business owners. It offers On-demand business mentors that work with you via email. There are also local workshops and online training videos. It is best for Small business owners that are comfortable working remotely with their mentors. Although SCORE does have physical offices, you will be able to access a broader range of expertise if you use the national database of volunteer business mentors that covers 62 industries.
3. MBA Student Consultants: Many university MBA programs use their graduate students to provide free business consulting to local businesses. The students get hands-on experience applying the concepts they learn in school. It offers varies but typical student-consulting projects include research and action-step recommendations for new product launches, the creation of marketing campaigns or financial analysis of potential expansions. It is best for Small businesses that are comfortable working with a team of graduate students and that can commit to a semester-long project. Business owners usually have to be able to meet with students in the classroom, as well as host them onsite.
MBA students at Rutgers Business School analysed the inventory process of a toy retailer and recommended more cost effective options, performed a benchmark study for the shipping and trucking terminal operations of a national company and created a business strategy for a new safety product planned for launch in the U.S.
4. Micro Mentor: An online non-profit social-enterprise program created by Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian aid group based in Portland, Oregon. It offers on-demand, industry- or topic-specific business mentors. It is best Small businesses or start-ups that only need a couple of mentoring sessions and have a problem that lends itself to working with a mentor online.
5. Women’s Business Centres: A smaller national network of business development centres, partly funded by the SBA, meant to level the playing field for women entrepreneurs, especially those who are economically or socially disadvantaged. It offers free business consulting with business advisors that can give you a fresh perspective on your small business challenges and outline your next action steps. Also, local workshops, networking events and entrepreneur classes. It is best for Businesses that are majority-owned by women or women who would like to start or buy a business.
6. Veteran’s Business Outreach Centres: Entrepreneur development services aimed at eligible veterans interested in self-employment. Available through 20 centres in 17 states. It offers business counsellors, local workshops and online webinars and video training. It is best suited for U.S. military veterans as well as active duty service members and members of the National Guard and Reserves interested in self-employment. Veterans’ spouses and survivors are also eligible these services.
7. Minority Business Development Agency Business Centres: These 40 centres are run by the U.S. Commerce Dept.’s Minority Business Development Agency to create high-growth, globally competitive minority-owned businesses. It offers free business consulting and access to loans and capital for expansion, access to federal and corporate contracts, strategic partners, and new domestic and international market expansion strategies. It is best suited for Growing minority-owned businesses, or those with the potential for high-growth, that want to expand into new markets, both domestic and global.
Besides if you do have any questions give me a call: https://clarity.fm/joy-brotonath