If there’s one thing that small business owners know, it’s how much you need to know! Fortunately there are plenty of resources out there to help you grow your business and keep things running smoothly – no matter what stage of your business journey you’re on.

One indispensable resource is SCORE. SCORE is the largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors in the US. It consists of more than 10,000 members in 300 chapters nationwide. SCORE is a partner of the US Small Business Administration (SBA), and has been offering mentoring, workshops and educational resources since 1964. Since its inception it’s helped an incredible 10 million entrepreneurs – and now it’s your turn.

Getting started with SCORE

Reaching out to SCORE is simple. Simply head to the SCORE.org website, then enter your zip code to find a local mentor, or use the site’s keyword search to find a member with the particular industry expertise you need. You can also use the site’s “find a mentor” functionality to get paired up with an individual mentor, or to get the location details of your local SCORE chapter.

Once you’re paired with a mentor, they’ll get in touch to learn more about your situation or to assess your question. From there you’ll work together to come up with an actionable plan to take your business forward. Every interaction with your mentor is completely confidential.

Getting more out of SCORE

SCORE is underpinned by the experience and expertise of its members, the majority of whom are retired executives. So take your mentor’s advice with much more than a grain of salt – and ask plenty of questions. If your mentor points you towards resources like small-group meetings or additional reading materials, take advantage of these.

Your mentor may also be able to make recommendations for local resources such as CPAs or legal services, or even help direct you when it comes to things like business development loans or grants. SCORE itself doesn’t offer these things, but there’s nothing stopping you from asking for recommendations or referrals.

Finally, don’t be afraid to schedule additional meetings with your mentor after your initial one-hour consultation. It takes time to build a business – so ongoing contact is a must.

Attending a SCORE workshop

SCORE is a volunteer organization, which means that there’s no fee for soliciting the help and expertise of its members. Even its workshops are free or low-fee, making them accessible to entrepreneurs at all stages.

Any online workshops and webinars are always free of charge. They run the gamut of branding, building action plans, sourcing funding opportunities, hiring – and more. You can complement these with more in-depth online courses that will give you a step-by-step grounding in the topic that interests you.

You can also search the calendar for in-person workshops held at your local chapter. These can be a great opportunity to meet local entrepreneurs, ask specific questions and get feedback or validation on a business decision.

Leveraging SCORE resources

Starting a small business – and growing one – is a huge undertaking with multiple moving parts. One of the challenges that new small business owners face is coming up with a game plan, and backing it up with the required documentation. SCORE’s online library is rich with resources and templates that can streamline the process of preparing business templates, press releases, brand messaging, pricing strategies and more.

These resources can be filtered by the stage of your business, by industry and by topic, giving you what you need right at your fingertips. Ever been in the situation where you know what you need to do, but not how to go about it? No longer.

Volunteering with SCORE

If you’ve grown your business with SCORE, or are at a point where you’d like to pay it forward, you can also sign up as a SCORE mentor. You’ll be paired with a mentee, or be asked to share your expertise via workshops or seminars. It’s a great way to give back, share your knowledge and build connections with like-minded business owners.

Wherever you are in your business lifestyle, we highly recommend getting in touch with SCORE. It’s a free, low-hassle way to gauge how your business is traveling – and to ensure that you reach the heights you dream of.