Places Where Entrepreneurs Can Get Free Help

1. No Man/woman Is An Island

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Most recently when I was “stuck” I realized I knew a number of successful entrepreneurs. I emailed them requesting an hour of their time and detailed exactly what I was looking for during our meeting. To my delight, everyone responded, appointents were set and ideas and information flowed. People really do want to help. It’s up to you to remember to ASK!

Thanks To: Monica Marie Kosiorek of UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL LLC

2. Advance With Free Advice!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Free advice from trusted sources is the best way for entrepreneurs to get started. So where will you find it?

This information may easily be secured online.

Type your category such as legal forms, sales, or inspired speaking into a search engine query box. A long list will appear – begin clicking and reading. Next,refine your online search to articles & blogs on a specific subject. Check free resources on websites too. Good information is given away for free to entice future purchases.

Thanks To: Elinor Stutz of Smooth Sale, LLC

3. Ask And You Shalll Receive

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: If you are just starting your business, I recommend consulting the SBA office in your area. The SBA has staff with expertise in all areas of business.rnrnIf you are operating a “seasoned” business and need help strategizing your company’s growth, I recommend hiring a consultant. When you consult with an expert, you get the exact information, tools and ideas you need to take your business to the next level.

Thanks To: Janet Boulter of Center Consulting Group

4. Help Is Free And Everywhere!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Help expresses 3 varied states: ‘Help me’ differs from ‘Help yourself’ & ‘Help myself. When you are in real need, be creative and plucky to pluck help from all around. For know-how, self help abounds. A mentor, a school, social networks, the SBA, the powerful web. Money needs to asked. Convincingly. At the bank, at a coop, family, friends, VC’s. Emotional support from friends and family.
Understanding what you need, gets you to the threshold of solutions.

Thanks To: A’isha Bauer of eSutras Organics

5. It’s Yours! So Use It!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: NC has a State Small Business Center that offers information,services,and even funding at our local community college. They offer everything from Business 101 Starter classes to networking opportunities for the experienced business owner. For me the Center was helpful because the personnel knew the area, my competition,and the opportunities here. A hired gun would not have been able to do that. Plus the Center has a vested interest in me–my success gives them the success they need too.

Thanks To: Sandy Wheeler of Sandy Wheeler Travel

6. Almost Every Town Has One

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Every penny counts when you’re a small business owner. A wonderful source of FREE information can be found at your local library. When I needed to learn about SEO, I compiled a list of 3-5 basic books using online bookstores and then went to my local library with the list. Within one week, I had all 5 books. Most libraries have a borrowing service and can find even the most esoteric item. Also, most librarians LOVE to research and can be a very valuable resource.

Thanks To: Tracy Young of A Little Indulgence

7. Get Free Help-asap

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: I am a physician who started a solo practice 2 years ago knowing nothing about starting a medical business or any other business. I found the most reliable and free information came from local and national business groups. which I found on the internet. I obtained free listings of all local business group meetings and attended some of those. I probably got my best tips from other people at these mixers just by casual conversations.

Thanks To: Judi Goldstone of judi goldstone, MD

8. Score!!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) are retired business people who donate their time to help “newbies” in business get going. I’ve had a counselor for 2 months and it’s invaluable to talk to her, get her input and to have her wisdom so I avoid major pitfalls. She is also well connected in the community & is telling folks about me!! I’m getting great business help & free quality PR. Talk about SCORE! You can find SCORE offices in your area by going to www.score.org.

Thanks To: Darline Turner-Lee of Mamas on Bedrest & Beyond

9. Score With Score

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: The Service Corps of Retired Executives is a great way to get free advice and counsel from people who have been there and done that. They are easy to hook up with from the Small Business Administration website and I strongly recommend their services. The members of SCORE are very experienced and knowledgeable and their services are free. Hard to beat that deal!

Thanks To: JR Rodrigues of JRBM Software

10. The Twitter Help Line

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Twitter! The answer to all my help questions. I can search twitter to find the account for a business I need to connect with. I can put out a tweet about a WordPress problem I am having or ask someone for a recommendation on a WP plugin. Twitter is my Help Line.

Thanks To: Jill Berry of Musings from Me on Kids, Preteens,

11. More Nrg!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: I get asked on a daily basis how to get more energy. Should I workout? Take vitamin B12? Energy is not a thing, it is a process. Here is one simple thing that you can start right now that will make a BIG difference in your energy levels. BREATH properly! Most of us have learned to “stress breath”- high in the chest… take a moment to get all the air out first- and then relax your abs to draw air in and down naturally. Ahhhhh, does’nt that feel good!

Thanks To: Marc Lebert of Lebert Fitness

12. Hello Is Anybody In There?

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: My Goodness there is FREE HELP everywhere. Has anyone ever heard of “Google”? Hello, Google is your best friend. Look up ANYTHING..Building a capture page, Finding FREE templates for your blog ect. Ask Google and it shall be done.

It’s great to be frugal, frugal is smart and smart is the new sexy. Think with me..When it comes time to pay for more “pull back the curtain help” you won’t be standing there with empty pockets sucking your thumb.

“I’m just saying” ..wink..

Thanks To: JoAnn Donahue of Donahue Development

13. Free Isn’t Cheap

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: When I need help and don’t want/can’t pay for a consultant the best resource I have is from my church network. These guys are the best. They don’t fear giving advice or opinions on what I need to do. They don’t see money or business as the “only” way to make it in this world. They love to help. Their advice may be free but it isn’t cheap. They’ve learned the hard way. And I need to listen… or they’ll quit talking. No one likes to be ignored.

Thanks To: Gary Unger of How To Be A Creative Genius

14. Research Reflection And Review

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Free services are a great starting point for entrepreneurs. “Free” allows time for research, reflection and review without the worry of hourly fees. This “at your fingertips” education will often help you more clearly define your business needs. The U.S. Small Business Administration and Entrepreneur Connect are invaluable free resources. White papers, articles, blogs, online classes… you name it, these sites offer a wealth of information for new business owners.

Thanks To: Dale Little of Business Strategist

15. Give To The Tribe

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: For guidance, problem solving and networking, I discuss projects with my advisors and mentors. In turn, they discuss their projects with me. Free is misleading, because it implies zero cost or effort. While my advisors and mentors usually do not charge money for there services, there is an implied sense of obligation to give back to the community. The best way to get “free” help is to offer “free” help to others. The more I help the tribe, the more the tribe helps in return.

Thanks To: Joseph Joel Sherman of Business Tribes

16. Help Around The Way!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: The best place that I get help is from two sources: the Better Business Bureau, and the Small Business Administration. Both of them are user-friendly, and will not only help you with the problem that you asked for…they will point out pitfalls along the way so that you do not fall into them!
In addition, they both can give general tax advice that is invaluable and saves a lot of headaches when it comes to filing taxes! So, the next time you need advice, I recommend the BBB and the SBA!

Thanks To: Doula Angelita of Resurgam BirthingWell8899

17. Free And Easy

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: The best things in life certainly aren’t ALL free but a truckload are. When I started my coaching business, I took every free class that was offered. From the SBA courses on accounting and organization to teleclasses offered on every subject from social media to giving presentations that sell–-I was there. This was the best ROI for me at the start-up stage because I had more time than money and found that with each class I gained valuable knowledge that helped me improve my business.

Thanks To: Kirsten Mahoney of Insight Out Life Coaching

18. Go Get A Quick Advanced Degree

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: I’d get an advanced degree at Harvard, pronto. That’s what I do.

Harvard Business School Publishing Society lists a host of articles, blogs, thought leaders on super subjects. Some are philosophical, but many are practical, on the ground tips.

Go get a second degree by studying the thought and recommendations of Harvard professors, guest speakers, entrepreneurs, who freely share their wealth of wisdom. We’re fortunate they do so!

Thanks To: Pamela Hawley of UniversalGiving

19. Score Yourself A Free Mentor

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: SCORE has thousands of volunteer counselors around the nation, ready to help entrepreneurs for FREE. Not only do they offer one-on-one mentoring, but workshops, online articles, and online help are also available. Just visit www.score.org for info.

Thanks To: Sara Delaney of Sara Delaney Graphic Design

20. Count Us In

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: MakeMineaMillion.org has one of the most comprehensive business support sites on the web. Focused on women-owned businesses growing their revenue to a million dollars or more you will find business planning tools, financial information as well as personal empowerment.

Thanks To: Linda Russell of Mugshots School Photography

21. Go Social!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Sign up for one of the many social networks designed specifically for entrepreneurs. Sites like StartupNation.com have more useful information and free educational sessions than you could make it through in a year!

Thanks To: Nick LoFaso of lifeyoumentary.com

22. Tap The Best (young) Brains!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: The MBA students at nearby Notre Dame have been an excellent source of “free” assistance especially in doing market research and providing business plan review. Having done this several times over the years, I’ve always found the students’ input to be of value. To try this, just contact one of the MBA program professors at a local university and offer your company as a class project. You’ll invest some time in working with the students to explain your model but the ROI is outstanding.

Thanks To: Stephen Antisdel of Precept Partners, LLC

23. Give, Give, Get!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Savorthesuccess.com is my #1 resource for pr/marketing and business building info! It’s an online/offline network for women entrepreneurs headquartered in New York with chapters nationwide. We share info and pool our resources in a spirit of “give, give, get” that benefits us all! You can join for free to network and post questions to members via the STS site, but the real turbo-charged info exchange occurs between Premium members who pay $49/mo to participate at a higher level – well worth it!

Thanks To: Nancy Rielle of VerveCards.com

24. Best Advice Is Free Advice

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Any time I need free advice about something, I have a list of free resources I turn to. These are resources I developed over the years and keep them handy. You will be surprised how much free help you can get if you just ask for it. Free help is often better because it is more concise. When you buy advice, you are given a bunch of fluff along with the actual info you need. But if it is free, you usually get more concise info.

Thanks To: Harry Husted of Creating Words

25. Start With Start Up Nation

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: My go to place when I need info is www.startupnation.com. Tons of free content which often answers my questions from the start up phase to marketing to online traffic building. Save your money for coaching focused on your specific biz -get the general stuff free!

Thanks To: Ann Ronan of Authentic Life Institute

26. Score Free Help!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Whenever I need FREE help and/or advice, I contact S.C.O.R.E. Successful business men and women volunteer their time as their way of giving back to up-and-coming entrepreneurs. S.C.O.R.E. has experts in every area of business and are an invaluable tool! Check them out in your area.

Thanks To: Dawn Veselka of Out of the Blue Delivered

27. Get What You (don’t) Pay For

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Free help is great. But if the results aren’t really up to par, there is little you can do.
Basically you get what you (don’t) pay for.
However you can often exchange favors with other businesses. A fair deal later, everybody is happy and you get the job done almost for free.

Thanks To: Slav Ivanov of Socially Apps

28. Check Into Your Local Sbdc

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: There are numerous Small Business Development Centers across the U.S. they are partially funded by the US Small Business Administration and are frequently located on college campuses. The SBDC can help you and your business with a number of topics including: management basics, marketing, including advertising and sales promotion, business plan development, accounting and recordkeeping, financial analysis, payroll & employee regulations, requirements for starting a business and more.

Thanks To: Stephanie Calahan of Calahan Solutions, Inc.

29. Are You Up For The Challenge?

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: The Great American Small Business Challenge is an amazing non-profit organization designed to help small businesses grow by creating structure, goals, planning strategies, using best-practices, and more.

The Challenge provides free software, training and support as well as accountability. Participants are required to meet with a counselor and maintain progress to remain in the program.

This service provides all and more of what most paid services provide.

Thanks To: Eric Kates of LeadSearch, Inc.

30. Ask For What It Is You Need

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Did you know joining an organization, service club or associations can bring you the best FREE connections in the world. SHOW UP at their meetings, build relationships and seek out those with the expertise that you are looking for and then ASK for the help you need. I do it all the time and it works everytime, I have found mentors, connections, new clients etc., this way. But in order to get what you want you need to clearly define what it is you need and why and then just find the WHO.

Thanks To: Robbie Motter of Robbie Motter dba Contacts Unlimite

31. Score One For Score!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: I can’t imagine going anyplace other than SCORE for free help (www.score.org). SCORE is part of the Small Business Association and they are professionals who are either retired or still in business and they DONATE their time to help other small businesses. How cool is that?! I don’t know if free is always the answer but I can attest to the fact that people from SCORE have been there, done that and are quite reliable. There are all kinds of resources on their website–lots free and some low cost.

Thanks To: Jan Schwartz of Education and Training Solutions

32. Score With Score

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) consists of retired professionals that offer free advice to small businesses and entrepreneurs. When starting a business you can benefit from the knowledge and experiences of executives that have been successful in their trades. Search online for the SCORE office nearest you.

The Small Business Development Center is another government funded entity that offers free assistance. They also offer inexpensive courses in a variety of areas.

Thanks To: Tangela Walker-Craft of Simply Necessary, Incorporated

33. Mastermind With Goalmates

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: I have the benefit of having great Goalmates- people who are committed to similar goals. For many years now I have always been part of structured Mastermind groups and lead them for others. Each year, they run their course and I handpick new people to work alongside. When you immerse yourself weekly with people already at a high level of success online, who are committed to clear, specific, measurable goals, you are assured to derive great value from their questions and insights.

Thanks To: Jill Koenig of The Goal Guru

34. Best Free Info “out There”

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Depending on the area of help needed, your Government agencies are a good choice and source for Taxes or legal business structure. For other topics, a really good key word search can find you on a forum site, Software, Computer tech are good for this. Or just call. That’s what I do. Or an email to someone in the know is advantageous. I have never had anyone sitting at my side to build websites or publish books. Lots of free info. “out there”, as they say.

Thanks To: Carolyn Bartz of SECRETS OF CAT ATTITUDE REVEALED

35. If You Ask They Will Answer

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: You actually don’t have to spend a lot of money on getting help for your business. Most towns have people in the community of retired business people who are a wonderful resource for questions that you might be dealing with.
Another great way to get help is to just ask fellow business owners what they did in a similar situation. You’d be surprised how many people are happy to share their insights and experiences..you just have to ask.

Thanks To: Craig Wolfe of CelebriDucks

36. Sba Offers Help Night And Day

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Believe it or not, the government wants small businesses to succeed and created the Small Business Administration to do that! They offer all sorts of programs and seminars in topics like marketing services, accounting, business and organizational development and can match your industry to one of their experienced counselors.

Thanks To: Janet O’Connor of O’Connor Creative, Inc.

37. Juggling Needs With No Dollars

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: One of the best free sites is http://www.businessballs.com This extensive resource site answers questions from A to Z, provides free templates and serves to expand your own business acumen.

Thanks To: Leanne Hoagland-Smith of ADVANCED SYSTEMS

38. No Warrior Left Behind

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: If you are looking for suggestions and advice on Internet marketing techniques, software, etc, there is only one place to look for the unvarnished truth.

Don’t think you will get bland so-so advice if you step on this stage. The Warrior Forum is a place for getting your questions answered.

I go to www.WarriorForum.com when I need answers for Internet marketing advice.

Thanks To: Scott Lovingood of The Wealth Squad Inc

39. Twitter Rocks!

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: I’ve got Twitteritis when it comes to marketing finds. There are loads of coaches, marketing experts, business experts, mentors, how-to-market-to niche markets (like the affluent) mavens who schedule FREE teleseminars to get you interested in buying their services. Some are better than others, but I always learn something. After listening to many, I’ve been able to choose those best-fit services which I am willing to pay for at the particular stage I need to progress next.

Thanks To: Alice Shapiro of Poet’s Tongue

40. Score One For Yourself

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: There is an organization called SCORE – it is composed of retired people who volunteer their time to help you. If you need marketing help you see a marketing person, etc.
Where else can you get free advice from people who have done it. It’s like getting a free mentor.

Thanks To: Eileen Roth of Everything in its Place

41. Score Easily With S.c.o.r.e.

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Not only free, but also committed, experienced, and genuinely concerned. That’s the Service Corps of Retired Executives (S.C.O.R.E.)
at www.score.org. You won’t regret getting in touch with them.

Thanks To: Marlene Caroselli of Principled Persuasion

42. Gratis Help Op Sayebusiness.nl

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: SayEbusiness.nl is een website die gratis coacht. Een blog voor vrije werkers. Voor al die professionals, freelancers, ZZP-ers en zelfstandigen die het lef en verantwoordelijkheidsgevoel hebben om op eigen benen te staan.
Maar daar heb je wel morele steun bij nodig. Want er zijn ook dagen dat het minder op rolletjes loopt. Dan ga je naar SayEbusiness.nl. SayEbusiness helpt je door die momenten heen, met gratis peptalk en coaching.

Thanks To: Stan Lenssen of SayEbusiness

43. Free Should Have Quality & Value

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Whether you are a start up or an established business – Free products or services can give you a much needed relief from using your capital. Bartering is a great tool to use for services and goods. Free is better than paying if you are going to get quality and it adds value to your business. Some companies allow you to use a product for free for a specific time period before making a purchase. It gives time for product evaluation and allows you to use your funds for other business expenses.

Thanks To: Adalia John of Circle of Enlightenment

44. Biz Resources Anyone Can Use

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: The Canada Youth Business Foundation is a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs of all ages interested in starting a business. Although aimed at young entrepreneurs ages 18-34, it offers a “Business Resource Centre” that can help you self-assess your skills as an entrepreneur, develop a business plan, create realistic financial forecasts, learn about effectively operating a business, etc. The CYBF site provides a wealth of information completely FREE of charge, saving your money for other things!

Thanks To: Ashleigh Grange of Plush Text Communications

45. Non Profits Lead The Way

Where To Get Free Entrepreneur Support: Within the past year I’ve been getting free help from non-for profit organization, such as the Queens Economic Development Corp. The staff there are knowledgeable individuals and care for my success. They are available for one on one consultations, e-mail support and guidance.

Thanks To: Vera Babayeva of Women Can Have It All