Would-be entrepreneurs flock to groups that provide counsel
As jobless workers — or workers who are worried about their futures — decide by the hundreds to launch their own businesses, groups that provide counsel to startups scramble to keep up with demand.
At the same time, counselors work with an increasing number of troubled business owners who seek to turn their companies around — or maybe even make a graceful exit.
Judith Hepburn, area manager for the Small Business Administration in Reno, says anywhere from a third to a half of the calls she fields these days come from people looking for guidance in launching a business.
“They need someone to help them with the business plan, and they need someone to see if the idea is feasible,” says Hepburn, who refers entrepreneurs to SCORE and other counseling groups.
SCORE, a cadre of retired business executives who volunteer to counsel small businesses, draws a full house to each of the orientation workshops it offers to potential small business owners in the area.
Judy Haar, chair of SCORE’s northern Nevada chapter, says the group offers the free two-hour workshops three or four times a month, and registrations fill quickly.
Subjects in the workshops range from personality assessments of successful business owners to a quick overview of business planning. Read more:
