Chapter 12 | Good Resources for Small Businesses | 191
Consulting Help Several small business consultants whom I know and trust helped me with this book. They are available to review business plans for reasonable fees and for general guidance. Roger Pritchard (roger.pritchard@mindspring.com) advises individual small businesses and partnerships in Berkeley, California. His business is called Financial Alternatives and he can be reached at 510-527-5604. Additionally, most CPAs and tax advisors can help you with your plan. If you’re not happy with the professionals in your area, I may be able to help. Call me at 415-816-2982 or email me at mpmckeever @earthlink.net. (Be sure to mention Nolo Business Plan Book in the subject line of the email so I don’t trash it as spam.)
Consultant or future employee? Some times people use consulting as a way to find permanent employment. There’s nothing wrong with that. Just make sure that you and your consultant communicate completely if you think that’s an issue. You may or may not have any openings or interest in hiring the consultant. You’ll want to be clear about the situation before you begin your work together.
SBA/SCORE This agency of the federal government is organized specifically to help people like
you. The primary purpose of the Small Business Administration (SBA) is to help small entrepreneurs find financial assistance. (This is covered in Chapter 4.) The SBA also runs a consulting service called the Service Corps of Retired Executives, or SCORE. This is an organized group of retired business executives who offer free consulting to any business owner. Most SCORE consultants are genuinely interested in helping you prosper, and they have some valuable experience to share. The only cautionary note I offer is to make sure that you like the consultant and that he has some experience that will be helpful to you. For instance, some SCORE consultants with long, illustrious careers in big business may have little understanding of, or patience with, the problems of small business. If you don’t feel the consultant assigned to your case is a good match, don’t hesitate to ask for another. For business owners on a tight budget, the help from SCORE can be invaluable. Make the nearest SCORE office your first stop in looking for help. Or, get more information or make use of their email counseling service at www.score.org.
State and Local Agencies Many state and local agencies offer advice and assistance in addition to their help with securing financing. In fact, counseling and consulting may be part of the package. Refer to Chapter 4, for resources on how to locate them.