Sponsored by Sam’s Club and The Motherhood
Have you ever wondered why some mom entrepreneurs succeed in their business, while others continually struggle? I’ll let you in on a little secret. It has nothing to do with a college degree, how high your IQ score is, or even how much money you have to invest in your business. In fact, the answer is quite simple, but all too often overlooked and ignored.
The key to success is … professional support.
Now, I know what you’re thinking … “I can’t afford to hire someone … and I don’t know of anyone who can mentor me.” Well, guess what? Neither of those are roadblocks to your success because I’m going to tell you how you can get a mentor for FREE. But before I do that, let me tell you why having a mentor is so important to your success as a mom entrepreneur.
While you may have supportive friends and family in your life, if they’re not entrepreneurs themselves there is a huge gap regarding communication, mindset, and moneymaking views. To put it plainly, sometimes they just don’t get it. That’s why having a mentor, who has been there and done that, can be such a great asset to your business. Not only does a mentor share invaluable business expertise, but they can also provide accountability, support, and encouragement.
In fact, a couple of this year’s American Small Business Championship Winner’s attribute mentors to their small business success.
“I have found that having a SCORE business mentor has been really helpful, because sometimes when I’m going from the day-to-day in my business, there are things that I don’t think of and will miss. I have been fortunate to have found a mentor who not only understands the niche that I am in but can also help make suggestions for things that I would have never thought of. His different background is a huge asset to my business because he knows things that I don’t know!” – Veronica Jacobsen, Owner of Baby Love
“I’ve made so many connections through this opportunity. When you get in the room with 101 other small business owners, it’s the biggest networking arena! I now have contacts in New York, Chicago, Washington D.C. and more. They also gave us tools to become more effective business owners. You gain so much information from the presenters and the SCORE mentors who actually sit table-side with you and address your strengths and challenges so that you can use to grow your business.” – Tabitha Birdsong, Co-owner of Miss Birdsong’s Sweet Tooth
So how can you get FREE business mentoring?
Easy! Just head over to SCORE.org and search for a mentor, or they’ll even pair you up with one. After you submit your mentoring request, you’ll be connected with a small business expert. Once you have your mentor in place, you can start working on your business and get the guidance that you need.
Sound too good to be true?
SCORE is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping small business owners succeed. They’ve been around since 1964 and during that time have helped over 10 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE provides small business mentoring, workshops, and education to more than 375,000 new and growing small businesses.
How can they do this?
SCORE has more than 11,000+ business experts who volunteer as mentors in over 320 chapters. But they also partner with companies, like Sam’s Club, who work to connect small business owners with the training, resources, and capital they need to grow and succeed.
In fact, this year SCORE and Sam’s Club hosted The 2015 American Small Business Championship Competition. Here 102 small business owners were awarded for their sacrifices and dedication to their businesses. These winners each received a $1,000 Sam’s Club gift card, an all-expense-paid trip to a regional Championship Celebration and Symposium, SCORE mentoring for one year, and national publicity for their business.
Here’s an example of the press that Tabitha received via Walmart.
What’s your next step?
While this year’s winners have already been chosen, you can still attend one of the Regional Symposiums. May 27th is the next one, and it’s being held in Jacksonville, Florida. There will also be Symposiums in Chicago, Illinois and Rochester, New York. Each Symposium is a full day of seminars on running and growing your business, keynote speaker presentations, roundtable mentoring, and a complimentary lunch. Each Symposium is absolutely FREE to attend.
If you’re unable to attend one of the Regional Symposiums, you can still access FREE mentoring via the SCORE website. Whether you are a new mom entrepreneur or an existing business owner, their mentors will help you achieve your goals. Sign up here to meet with a mentor in person, or you can receive advice via email as well.
This post is sponsored by Sam’s Club and The Motherhood and written by Holly Reisem Hanna. All opinions are my own. Please be aware that we only promote advertising from companies that we feel we can legitimately recommend to our readers.
Susan Kinzer
When and where are the next regional symposiums? Thank you :-)
Holly - The Work at Home Woman
Here you go:
Jacksonville, FL | May 27 | Adam W. Herbert University Center, UNF | Register http://conta.cc/1DUcpG0
Chicago, IL | June | Date and Venue TBD | Register http://conta.cc/1DUcut2
Rochester, NY | July | Date and Venue TBD | Register http://conta.cc/1zOxhn9