Expert Help: SCORE New Hampshire and Vermont

If you’re ready to expand your business, there is expert help available — for free. The nonprofit SCORE, a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), offers small businesses the expertise and support of mentors, people with a successful business background who have volunteered to share their real-world experience and give you the tools and skills to achieve your goals. The mentoring can be done in person, by email or virtually.

In addition to the mentoring, there are low-cost or free instructor-led training workshops, either at a local SCORE office or online 24/7. Also offered, interactive courses to help you learn new business strategies. Among the workshops offered: Small Business Marketing, Creating Eye-popping Graphics, Building a Sales Funnel, Understanding Affiliate Marketing and Developing a Financial Plan.

You can also take advantage of the extensive library of articles specific to your industry. A sampling: Social Media for Small Business Owners, The Emerging Impact of TikTok on Small Businesses, Consumers Have Changed Their Shopping Behavior: Can You Keep Up?, and Is a Recession Coming? How to Prepare … Just in Case.

If you’re starting a business, there is a Startup Roadmap, a step-by-step, how-to guide that will help you with everyday business challenges by offering advice from a network of small-business peers and experts. If you’re faced with challenges to your business, such as economic downturns or a disaster, the Small Business Resilience Hub can give you the resources to make the best decisions for your company.

To make the path to success easier for communities that may face added challenges in creating a business, the SCORE for All program offers targeted resources for Black, Hispanic, Asian American and Pacific Island, Women, Rural and Veteran entrepreneurs. SCORE’s client base is 60% women, 46% minorities and 9% veterans.

To get more information about SCORE and to request a mentor, visit nh-vt.score.org. You can browse mentor profiles to find your ideal expert, or just fill out the mentoring request form and you’ll be paired with the right mentor to help your business thrive.