Good advice in tough times

Small business owners sometimes need someone to consult when they need advice, especially in tough economic times.  There are a number of non-profit organizations that will supply the expertise of advisory boards for just this purpose.  One of the largest and most well know is SCORE, Counselors to Small Business.  SCORE offers free and confidential business advice through Ask SCORE online, face-to-face counseling, workshops and more.  Their 12,400 nationwide volunteers consist of working or retired business owners, executives and corporate leaders who share their wisdom and lessons learned in business.  Their Chicago office is located at 500 W. Madison Street. 

An organization that provides business counseling to women through a mentor-matching program  is Athena International, whose Chicago office is located at 70 E. Lake Street.  Their Athena PowerLink Program is an advisory program designed to increase the growth and profitability of women-owned businesses by "linking" a business with a volunteer panel of advisors recruited from the local community. The panel and business owner work together for one year to meet the specific objectives of the business owner.

And Northwestern University provides the expertise of its graduate students, at a nominal fee, through the Small Business Opportunity Center.  This student-based clinical program affiliated with the Bluhm Legal Clinic and Northwestern University School of Law, provides affordable legal services to entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations focusing on job creation and economic development in the Chicago area.