Service Offers Entrepreneurs Advice Online (NAPSA)—The Internet has quickly gone from a fun toy to a resource a growing number of Americansrely on. A recent Pew Internet and American Life Survey indicated that about 74 percent of Generation Xers and 64 percent of baby boomers are online and seek information from Web sites. About half of these people send e-mails everyday. People find the Internet to be a valuable tool for business research. For example, many entrepreneurs use the Internet and e-mail to get business advice and information quickly. One place small business owners can turn for assistance is a national, nonprofit organization called SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business.” According to the organization’s CEO Ken Yancey, SCORE can be relied upon as a confidential source of business advice on everything from updating a business plan to managing cash flow to refocusing sales forecasts. Yancey said, “SCORE’s volunteer e-mail counselors have experience owning and operating businesses—their real-world knowledge can help entrepreneurs make the most of opportunities and avoid pitfalls.” The organization recently launched an updated version ofits Web site with an extensive selection of “how to” articles in the site’s Learning Center. The site’s SCORE offers advice to entrepreneursonlinefor free. Business Toolbox contains a library of online, small business resources. This site also hosts Ask SCORE, the e-mail counseling service, which gives entrepreneurs quick access to a national database of business skills and the advice of online counselors. Entrepreneurs can ask a business question or search by key words to get a list of qualified counselors, complete with a list of their skills and mini-biographies. The person seeking information simply chooses a counselor and e-mails a question. The business advisor typically responds within 48 hours. SCORE’s small business counseling is free and the association also offers face-to-face counseling through its 389 local chapters nationwide. To learn more, visit the Web site at www.score.org or call 1-800-634-0245.
