do you have a mentor?

Sometimes owning and operating a small business seems like working in a vacuum. If you're a sole proprietor, you often don't have someone knowledgeable in your business to bounce ideas off and get reliable feedback. Or, you're so busy working on the day-to-day, you don't take time to look at the big picture. That's where the small business mentor can help.

When I was just starting Simple, I was lucky enough to stumble across SCORE, the Service Core of Retired Executives. I was even luckier when I was randomly assigned my mentor, an IT and marketing genius who pioneered early computers, opened trade agreements between the US and Asia, worked in the White House, and then founded a company that invented computer software that you've probably used at least once today.

I meet with my mentor each week. He's advised me on nuts and bolts tasks like developing my business plan and wading through cash flow spreadsheets. But the most valuable service he's provided is getting me to look at my business sideways, and upside down, and five years from now.

In the next week, I'll be rolling out some updates to Simple that have come out of our work together. None of my core services have changed, but the way I'm presenting them and pricing them have. Simpler and cheaper are the keywords, and those are two words that any small business owner likes to hear.

Find Your Mentor
If you don't have a mentor, here are some resources that can help you find one:

SCORE: A nationwide organization of retired C-level executives who provide free and confidential advice for entrepreneurs. 364 offices nationwide. Get started with the 60-Second Guide to Finding a Mentor, a quick tip sheet on how to find a mentor - online or face-to-face - that is right for you.

SCORE for Women Entrepreneurs: A part of SCORE run by retired female executives. Provides same SCORE expertise specifically for woman-owned small businesses.

Small Business Development Centers: A list of SBDC's compiled by the US Small Business Administration. SBDCs offer one-stop assistance to individuals and small businesses by providing a wide variety of information and guidance in central and easily accessible branch locations.

Office of Entrepreneurial Development: Also presented on the USBA website, the OED offers resources such as entrepreneurship education and the small business training network.