What Are Good Resources for Starting or Growing a Small Business?

Craig Johnson | March 15th, 2021

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Welcome to Ask Clark, a column designed to answer your financial questions, by money expert Clark Howard.

What Are Some Resources for Startups and Entrepreneurs?

Rob from Pennsylvania: “I know you don’t like recommending books, but what resources do you have for startups and entrepreneurs? 2021 seems like a great year to really get into growing my freelance business into something more.”

Clark’s Recommendations on Resources for Startups and Entrepreneurs

Clark says: “Actually one of my favorite places for you to go is not a book: It’s an organization called SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives.”

Clark says his late uncle was a longtime volunteer with SCORE.

“SCORE is a volunteer organization of retired business people who love the free enterprise system and love entrepreneurship,” Clark says. “And they are there to provide advice, counsel and guidance both in starting a business and when you hit those bumps in the road with a business that you are operating already.”

“It is an opportunity for you to get that kind of sage guidance that could really be helpful to you,” he adds.

Visit SCORE.org to see if the resources there can help your business.

Some other resources that may be helpful are:

U.S. Small Business Administration: Find a Small Business Development Center near you.
BuyerZone: This site helps you compare quotes on the things you need to run a business.
Local Government Websites: Check the official website of your city, county and state for local resources pertaining to businesses.

Clark also recommends that you look for entrepreneurs with whom you might be able to network online.

Here are some networking websites:

LinkedIn: Make connections to grow your professional network.
Alignable: This is a professional social network specifically for business owners.
Facebook: Find common business interests in Facebook Groups.

To hear Clark’s full take on this question, listen to the segment:

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