Oh joy! Your family has a newborn, and your new baby is all cute and cuddly–full of potential. But what’s next? You can read the dreaded baby books like in the movie Knocked Up, OR you can get advice from other people who’ve been there and done that in the world of babies. Oh, and one more thing…this newborn baby that I’m referring to doesn’t wear pink or blue. Instead, it wears an Employer Identification Number and coos with email notifications and phone calls. The newborn is none other than your new business.

Going into business can be scary, and navigating through the rules and expectations of your industry of choice can be a little daunting. That’s where SCORE come in. SCORE stands for the Service Corps of Retired Executives and describes itself as “a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide.”

All that was said to say this–Thanks to the Jackson Business Accelerator Collaborative, SCORE is now being offered in Jackson!

With the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as its partner, SCORE offers free and confidential advice to small businesses through local and online counseling, workshops, and more and the organization has been mentoring small business owners for more than forty years.

Entrepreneurs who sign up for SCORE will have access to a network of over 13,000 volunteers who offer small business entrepreneurs confidential business counseling services at no charge. SCORE volunteers have the knowledge and experience to help any small business owner get the help they need.

If you are interested in learning more about SCORE, contact James Griffin of the Small Business Accelerator Collaboration at (601) 371-1296, (601) 540-5415, or jamesgriffin601@yahoo.com.

P.S. The SBAC is seeking feedback from business owners. If you own a business, float on over to their online survey. It’s very short, but your feedback could help make a great service even greater.