Whether you’re just starting your small business or you’re trying to help your small business expand, there may come a time when you need business advice. Learn about some of the best resources to get small business advice, such as small business podcasts, to help your business grow.
Where Can You Find Good Small Business Advice?
1. Small Business Podcasts
In the information age, one of the most convenient ways to get advice about your small business is through a small business podcast. Podcasts are available on multiple streaming services and can be listened to at your convenience. Podcasts allow you to get advice for your small business during your daily commute or as part of your weekend wind-down.
There are several small business podcasts that can help you explore ideas and seek mastery for any of your small business goals. For example, the David VS Goliath podcast helps small businesses learn how to compete with corporate giants. This podcast highlights American success stories in small businesses, covers topics like business management and digital marketing, and helps new business owners become expert creative and critical thinkers.
Top Podcasts
Of course, there are many other small business podcasts for small business owners to explore. For example, podcasts produced by NPR such as The Indicator and How I Built This highlight success stories and the latest news in business to keep entrepreneurs inspired for the future. Podcasts such as Brown Ambition and The BizChix are created for minority and women business owners to provide tips on how to overcome unique challenges.
For small business owners who want to be a little thrifty while they are getting their business off the ground, podcasts such as Creative Rebels and Frugalpreneur are also key audio publications. No matter what your business goals are, you will be able to find a podcast that caters to your business needs and challenges.
How to Listen to Small Business Podcasts
You can find podcasts on virtually any streaming service, including YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music, and other services dedicated to podcast streaming. If you are an entrepreneur on a tight budget, you will be happy to know that many of these streaming services come at no cost, which means you can get valuable advice for your small business for free.
2. Books and Magazines
Another good source for small business advice includes books and magazines. Small Business Trends Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine are two of the most relevant publications in the world for building successful small businesses. You can also select your small business magazine based on the type of business you run, such as a tech business, a woman-run business, or a minority-run business. Some of the best small business magazines include:
- CNBC Make It
- Inc.
- Home Business Magazine
- Restaurant Business
- Creative Boom
- Venture Beat
- Forbes
- Fortune
- Wired
- Entrepreneur
As for books, all you need to do is research any of your entrepreneurial heroes, and you will likely find a book they have written about how to succeed with your business. Oftentimes, a book can be more aspirational, but as any small business owner knows, it’s important to maintain your passion when you are dealing with the struggles of trying to compete with larger enterprises.
3. SCORE Mentors
If you’re looking for advice from a mentor who has successfully grown a small business, then you may want to turn to SCORE. SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives, is a free advice service that connects small business owners to retired executives and entrepreneurs who have owned or run successful businesses.
SCORE is sponsored by the Small Business Administration and other major organizations, including Entrepreneur Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Microsoft, and Google. Much of the time, you will be able to meet up with SCORE mentors who are in your local area. SCORE mentors will give you personalized advice on how to grow your small business, even if you aren’t sure how to get your business off the ground.
4. Community College Business Centers
You may be able to find some small business advice at your local community college. Community College Business Centers are partially funded by the government to help entrepreneurs create small businesses. After all, helping small business owners build a successful business creates jobs on the community level and supports the local, state, and federal economy, so there is plenty of incentive to assist entrepreneurs.
There are many services that a Community College Business Center may give the small business owners, including help with business planning and growth, assistance with legal questions, and other free services like accounting, web design, and business management. Your local community college may be an ideal resource for hands-on advice, or it can be a way to learn about other local resources that can help you with your business needs.
5. Business Conferences and Expos
You may also be able to find advice for your small business at business conferences and expos. Not only are expos and conferences a good way to network for your small business, but you will likely be able to sign up for expos that focus on your desired industry.
For example, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council offers a conference to help female entrepreneurs get business advice, including how to successfully start a business and stay competitive in male-dominated fields. The Small Business Expo is also a well-known conference that is held nationwide and includes workshops, presentations, and panels with experts – all for free.
6. Online Forums
You may be able to turn to online forums for some advice as well. For example, the Warrior Forum is an online resource that allows small business owners to learn about topics related to e-commerce. Other forums to consider can include StartupNation, Small Business Brief, and QuickBooks Forums for financial questions.
Although crowdsourcing advice for your small business may be a little trickier than getting direct advice from a mentor, it’s likely you will find other entrepreneurs who have encountered the same problems and used creative thinking to help their business grow. Online forms are also a good way to network with local business owners.
7. Legal Clinics
Some aspects of being a small business owner may include contract negotiations or other legal needs. While it may be a good idea to hire a lawyer for some of your business needs, you may be able to get free legal advice about your small business at local legal clinics. Most major urban areas have free legal clinics that can offer business owners advice about issues, including help with legal documents.
8. Advisor Websites
Finally, another good place to go for small business advice is a website such as BusinessAdvising.org. This is a volunteer advisor website that allows you to meet with a certified mentor via Skype to get advice on how to grow your business and increase your revenue. The advisor you will meet with is selected for your specific situation, which means that your advice will be customized to your current issues.
However, the requirement for BusinessAdvising.org is that you must have been in business for at least two years, you must have at least two full-time employees, you must have at least $150,000 in annual revenue, and your goals for your small business must be centered on creating jobs for economically challenged communities. But even if you don’t meet all of these requirements, you may be able to speak with a mentor briefly, so reaching out is always a good idea.
Owning a small business is a tough commitment, and there aren’t always fast answers to some questions you may have. That said, there are many resources you can use to get advice about your small business challenges, including podcasts, peer mentors, magazines, and online forums. Find more advice for your small business by listening to the David VS Goliath Podcast today.
