Small Business Management

George asks you for advice about where to get free and/or inexpensive help in writing his business plan. What advice would you give George about how and where to obtain free and/or inexpensive information (please be specific). When George asks why, what reasons would you give George to defend your choice of where he should go to get advice about writing his business plan? And, which section of the business plan will be the most important segment of George's plan? Explain Why. Of all of the sections of the business plan, which would be the most difficult for George (or you) to prepare? Explain Why

Because George is discouraged, I would first remind him of the importance of a business plan as it helps to determine the feasibility of his business idea, attracts capital for starting up the business, and provides direction for his business after it has starting operating (Hatten, p. 81). I would also remind George that a good business plan should be forty (40) pages or less.

There are several different options for George in regards to obtaining free or inexpensive help in writing his business plan. My first suggestion would be to visit the Small Business Administration website (SBA.gov). If he asks why, I would tell him this site offers an abundance of free helpful advice with regard to writing his business plan. Here, he can learn of the useful steps on how to obtain a mentor or counselor for guidance. By doing this, George can get advice and useful information from an experienced individual who has been down the same path as he has and been in the same or similar circumstances as he is in. Also, this website offers a business plan template which lists the essential elements that should be included in a business plan. This website also offers a self-paced training program which gives him an overview while completing his planning process.

I would also recommend the website SCORE (score.org) to George to seek help and advice in writing his business plan. Here, he can actually obtain a free mentor either face-to-face or online to obtain guidance. If he should ask why, I would tell him that SCORE members are trained to serve as counselors and advisors to entrepreneurs like George and that their services are offered at no fee. This site also offers business plan templates for George to get examples from during his writing process. Some other good resources for George to check out are his local Small Business Development Center