Small Business Advising and Mentoring
Pacific Community Ventures invests in people. Many small business owners started their companies to pursue their passions: designing jewelry, helping care for people, opening a restaurant, even starting a small farm or manufacturing company. Then they start wearing all the hats: CEO, marketing, product development, supply chain, and sales. Who has time for all this? With our BusinessAdvising.org platform we take a personalized approach to helping small business owners like you solve the unique problems that hinder your growth.
Do you have questions about things like finance, marketing, operations, sales, employee engagement, adding benefits, or HR challenges? Our advisors will work with you to solve your biggest business challenges. Signing up is fast and easy — and free. We’re a nonprofit, so you’ll never be asked to pay for any of our services.
Our BusinessAdvising.org platform connects small business owners like you with expert advisors who help them meet their challenge and seize new opportunities. We put volunteerism to work for local communities by managing a national network of seasoned entrepreneurs, skilled professionals, and senior leaders from major banks, consulting firms, and bigger companies who want to use their hard-earned business know how to create more opportunity in our communities.
The Value Of Small Business Mentoring
All advice is completely free and completely confidential. Companies working with our mentors increase their annual revenue by 20% on average. Our platform also removes location as a barrier, so wherever you are in America, we’ll find the best advisor to help your company grow. The entrepreneurs we work with typically own or operate brick-and-mortar businesses that have the potential to create new jobs for working people. Here are a few of the areas of expertise:
- Marketing and sales
- Finance and accounting
- Executive coaching and business planning
- Human Resources and operations
- Scaling up for new contracts
- Reducing turnover and boosting profits with a good jobs strategy
- And more
About Our Program
Our business advising platform is a game-changing innovation. It’s common for entrepreneurs like you to seek advice from community organizations with limited capacity and industry expertise, or hire costly consultants and coaches. Pacific Community Ventures leverages technology and volunteerism to provide small business owners with high-quality mentoring, at no cost, in any way that you need. You can be matched with a pro bono advisor in your town, or the most qualified advisor to meet your needs anywhere in the country. If your company is in downtown Atlanta, and the best advisor for your business lives in Dallas, we can make that match happen. Most of the participants in our program tend to meet the following criteria:
- Operating history of at least a year (post start-up)
- Annual revenues of $100,000 and up
- 1+ employee (part or full-time)
- Located in the United States
We also make exceptions for businesses with compelling social missions or who create jobs for people from economically underserved areas. Remember, we’re flexible! If your company doesn’t meet these exact criteria, contact us anyway. We’d love to find a way to work together.
Are There Fees? None! We’re a nonprofit so all mentoring matches are made for free thanks to our funders and sponsors. You’ll never be asked for money or to pay for anything — ever.
How It Works
We know small business owners need more than just a check. Our Business Advising program gives Main Street businesses the same tools and resources that bigger companies have. If we help empower small business owners to increase their competitiveness while creating quality jobs, then every community and worker in America benefits.
Who You Are
Fill out a short profile, tell us about yourself, your small business, and the challenges and opportunities you have.
Mentor Matching
We’ll find you a business mentor to work with, and we’ll set up an introduction for you and your first advisor via email.
Scheduling
Connect with your advisor in person, over the phone, email, Facetime, Google hangout, or Skype — whatever’s best for you.
Good Jobs, Good Business
We know that small business owners like you want to provide really good jobs for your workers, but you’re not sure always how to raise wages, add benefits, set up paid leave, or engage employees in ways that make sense for your bottom line. The Good Jobs, Good Business Toolkit equips you with the practical tools and resources you need to offer good jobs in a way that balances the needs of the business with the needs of your employees.
Our Clients
We’re here for you and here for the community. Over the past 20 years, we’ve helped thousands of small businesses grow and create tens of thousands of jobs. Meet some of our clients:
Kate Ellen owns Crown Nine, an Oakland, California-based boutique and art gallery that also handmakes custom jewelry. Kate, a former teacher and social worker, has always had a talent and passion for jewelry design, and launched her own business in 2011.