On a tip from a fellow freelance medical writer, I recently enrolled in small business workshops through the SCORE organization. SCORE is a non-profit affiliate of the US Small Business Administration. SCORE offers low-cost workshops (online and in person), free mentoring, and small business tools on its website.
The folks in my workshops ranged from already in business for 10+ years to pondering some unknown future small business. A woman in the food industry found out how much start-up money a bank would require her to have before approving a loan. Two psychologists in a private practice realized the benefit of having a social media presence. A dog daycare determined the best legal entity for the business. Critical information was also provided to other attendees in professional services, construction, and retail.
Workshop topics covered business plans, marketing, sales, financing, and accounting, to name a few. If you ever need a crash course in starting and running a small business, SCORE workshops should be on your list. Attendees all walk away with handy resource packets and some great contacts for future mentoring.