ATLANTA – The Small Business Administration helps entrepreneurs by offering counseling and educational resources.
Release:
Photo: Terri Denison, Georgia District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration, Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
When asked what they need to start and operate a successful business, people will quickly say capital, sales, and contracts. However, they often fail to recognize the element that would best position them to obtain this lifeblood for a viable and thriving enterprise–business counseling and education. Research consistently shows that business counseling and training lead to better outcomes–generating higher revenues and profits, creating more jobs, and staying in business longer.
The SBA offers counseling and educational resources that can help entrepreneurs at every stage of their business–from an initial idea to a mature business.
SBA Resource Partners
SBA’s Resource Partner Network extends our reach to serve the nation’s small business community outside of our district offices. Whether an entrepreneur needs help creating a business plan, navigating the procurement process, or entering international markets, our partners provide reliable advice on a variety of business topics and help guide small business owners to a path of securing capital and financing. In 2021, SBA resource partners enabled small businesses to access nearly $45 billion in capital, start over 26,000 new businesses and create and retain more than 2.1 million jobs.
SBA Resource Partners offer free, and low-cost training events on a weekly basis. Our partners include: SCORE Mentors; Small Business Development Centers; Women’s Business Centers; and Veteran Business Outreach Centers. Additionally, our partner network grew more robust last year with the establishment of the Community Navigator Pilot Program, which allows SBA to engage with states, local government, and other organizations to connect targeted outreach services and resources to small businesses in underserved communities.
SBA Education and Training
SBA has online learning platforms and development programs designed to educate small business owners on the best entrepreneurial practices and financing options. SBA’s Learning Center contains dozens of free courses and the topics are categorized in five areas that include planning, launching, managing, marketing, and expanding a business.
One of the newest educational tools is Ascent, a free online learning platform specifically for women interested in starting or growing their small business. Ascent is divided into major topics called Journeys, developed by experts in women’s entrepreneurship. Each Journey includes Excursions with the tools needed to master a specific topic.
Additional SBA educational programs include Boots to Business, an entrepreneurial education and training program for military members and their spouses, and T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders Reimagined, an executive-level series designed to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses.
SBA has a diverse set of programs and services available to help small business owners navigate their entrepreneurial endeavors whether their journey began recently during the pandemic or their small business has been passed down through generations.
To find an SBA Resource Partner near you, visit https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance or to learn more about SBA educational and training resources, visit https://www.sba.gov/sba-learning-platform.
