SCORE business mentoring

What this actually is

The nation’s largest network of volunteer expert business mentors, free. Mentors are unpaid volunteers with real operating experience, and they will meet by email, phone or video as well as in person. Alongside one-to-one mentoring there are training sessions, webinars, online workshops and a resource library, all free. The value is in the ongoing relationship rather than a single session — a mentor who has watched your numbers for six months gives different advice from one meeting you once. Again: this is expertise, not capital.

Who qualifies, and what trips people up

Open to anyone planning, launching, managing or growing a small business. Mentors are matched by ZIP code through the SBA local assistance tool. Quality varies with the individual volunteer — if a mentor is a poor fit for your sector, ask for a different match rather than concluding the programme is useless.