Mentoring doubles your chances of success. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, only 30% of businesses make it to 10 years. But for small business owners with a mentor, the difference is striking: 70% survive to that ten-year mark, double the rate of other small businesses.

1. How To Find A Small Business Mentor

2. Working with a mentor or advisor is
crucial to your small business’ success.

3. But what difference could working
with a mentor really make?

4. Mentoring doubles your business’
chances of growing over the long-haul.

5. The SBA says half of non-mentored businesses
fail in the first 5 years. But 70% of businesses
with a mentor make it to 10 years.

6. Woah! Why is that?

7. Many small business owners like you started
their company because they wanted to be
their own boss and pursue their passions.

8. Then … you needed to start wearing all of the
hats: CEO, marketing, product development,
supply chain, and sales.

9. You might have even hit your first wall: success.

10. Running a business well is different than being
good at a specific trade or profession – all the
behind-the-scenes stuff is key to growth.

11. How do you find investors? Write a business
plan? Develop a marketing strategy? Navigate
city permitting?

12. And who has the time for all this?

13. Having an advisor means having the outside
perspective of someone who’s navigated
these waters before.

14. Yay mentors! But why should I look for one online?

15. Business development organizations in your area
offer “technical assistance,” but this typically
means one or two staff with limited expertise.

16. Or a retired business person who can
offer general advice.

17. And some people hire costly
consultants to advise them.

18. Enter online mentoring: a platform and
volunteerism combined to provide business
owners with high-quality mentoring.

19. We have hundreds of mentors who are active
professionals from major banks, consulting
firms, and Fortune 500 companies.

20. Since its online, geography’s no barrier. If
you’re in Omaha and your best advisor is
in Tampa, BusinessAdvising.org makes
that match happen.

21. Companies working with our mentors
grow revenues 20% on average, and
create jobs at 11 times the national rate.

22. Neat! So how does it work?

23. Start by filling out a profile. Tell us about
yourself, your business, and your challenges.

24. Then, we’ll find you a qualified advisor
to work with.

25. And we’ll introduce you to your
first advisor via email.

26. After that you’ll schedule time to connect with
your advisor. It can be over the phone, email or
Skype — whatever’s best for you.

27. And this is all free?

28. Yes! We’re a nonprofit that works with
small businesses to create better jobs and
keep more money in local communities.

29. We know you face challenges: harder
access to capital, less favorable wholesale
pricing, and online mega-retailers.

30. Wherever you are in America, we’ll find the
best advisor to help your company grow.