THE OFFICE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

By taking away some of the mystery of starting and growing a business, SBA’s Office of Entrepreneurial Development and its partners can be an important resource for you. The Office of Entrepreneurial Development (www.sba.gov/ed) provides a network of programs and services supporting the training and counseling needs of small business.

Small Business Training Network: This online training network, operating as a virtual campus, offers over 21 free training courses, workshops and electronic tools to assist entrepreneurs and other students of enterprise. Some of the most requested courses include: Entrepreneurship: Starting and Managing Your Own Business; Developing a Business Plan; Managing the Digital Enterprise; Identify Your Target Market; and Analyze Profitability. Find out more at www.sba.gov/training.

SBA’s PARTNERS ENCOURAGE TEEN ENTREPRENEURS

Across the country, business experts from SCORE, Small Business Development Centers and Women’s Business Centers provide face-to-face free counseling, information, and training in a variety of business areas. Internet services are also available.

SCORE: Found in 389 locations across the country, SCORE provides key services both face-to-face and online through free business counseling provided by experienced business men and women v olunteers. The SCORE small business Web site (www.SCORE.org) makes business counseling and information on the latest trends available around the clock. Ask SCORE provides access 24/7 to more than 1,400 SCORE counselors who will answer your questions. Enter a question or key words at Ask SCORE to find a match.

Small Business Development Centers: A service delivery network of more than 1,100 centers in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam and Samoa located in colleges, universities and economic-development organizations. SBDCs have training classes and counseling, and can assist with questions about credit and capital. If your business is already past start-up and you are ready to move up, SBDCs can help with things like venture capital, federal contracts and international trade. Go to www.sba.gov/sbdc for more information.

Women’s Business Centers: With over 100 locations, WBCs promote the growth of women-owned businesses through programs that address business training and technical assistance, and provide access to credit and capital, federal contracts, and international trade opportunities. WBCs can assist with getting your business off the ground, market research, and locating resources, manufacturers and lenders. Click www.sba.gov/wbc.html to log onto the online training site Web site.

SBA-JA Worldwide

SBA and JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement) are working together to encourage youth entrepreneurship. SBA’s programs and services are targeted specifically to small businesses. JA is the world’s largest organization educating young people about business, economics and free enterprise. Working together, SBA and JA can maximize support for the next generation of entrepreneurs.