Do you have a Business Mentor?
By Kathleen McShane From the Small Business Administration As a former small business owner and entrepreneur, I know first-hand the support, resources and access to networks and financing that entrepreneurs need. While there are many businesses that experience success, the fact remains that only half of all small businesses survive more than five years; and about 10-12 percent of all employee-based firms close each year. There is growing evidence, however, that connecting a business with a mentor can change this statistic. Having a mentor can change the playing field for a small business. Research has shown us that small businesses that receive mentoring early in the development of the business achieve higher revenues and increased business growth. A survey by the UPS Store found that 70 percent of small businesses that received mentoring survived more than five years – double the survival rate of non-mentored businesses. The same survey found that 88 percent of business owner
