One-on-one counseling involves a service provider providing knowledge and recommendations on business activities in addition to assisting the small business owner or entrepreneur in drafting plans, implementing, and/or executing plans. This supports business viability and business retention. There are 9 different types of one-on-one counseling.
Outcome Tracking: For one-on-one counseling, you must enter the number of hours of counseling in SmallBusinessCentral when entering the service end date. Loan Application, Real Estate Counseling, and Regulatory Compliance and Permit Counseling have activity outcomes, which are detailed in the table below.
| Counseling Type | Definition |
|---|---|
Cohort training is defined as training for two or more participants in a variety of topics related to starting, growing, and or strengthening a small business. Typically, there are nine topics covered during cohort training, which are listed below.
Outcome Tracking: For cohort training, you must enter the number of hours of training. If the training participant received a financial incentive, enter the amount of the financial incentive in SmallBusinessCentral when entering the service end date.
| Cohort Training Type | Definition |
|---|---|
Service referrals involve service providers reaching out or responding to inquiries from small business owners or entrepreneurs. Based on their conversation with small business owner or entrepreneur, they connect the small business owner or entrepreneur to the appropriate resource or organization with the expertise. There are six different types of service referrals
| Service Referral Type | Definition |
|---|
Accounting Counseling
Service provider provides assistance in activities with the goals to stabilize the business's or entrepreneur's financial processes such as conducting a financial analysis, projecting profitability, developing a financing/capital plan, helping hire a bookkeeper or securing an accountant, taxes and/or buying or implementing POS or QuickBooks.
Business Operations Counseling
Service provider assists in developing individual service plans, business plans, and scopes of work for small business or entrepreneur.
Grant Application Counseling
Service provider assists the small business owner or entrepreneur in finding appropriate grant programs and/or applying to them. Outcomes:
Grant application submitted
Grant awarded
Amount of grant awarded
Human Resource Counseling
Service provider assists with evaluation and/or strategy development for recruiting, retaining, and reinvesting in paid employees and volunteers.
Legal Services
A legal professional (for example, licensed attorney) assists with business needs which may include small business establishment and formation, sale, or franchising. Other types of one on one counseling (for example, Human Resources, Regulatory, etc.) turn into legal services when the legal professional steps in to assist.
Loan Application Counseling
Service provider assists a small business owner or entrepreneur in finding an appropriate loan programs and/or applying to a loan application. Outcomes:
Loan application submitted
Loan secured
Amount of loan secured
Marketing Strategy Counseling
Service provider provides assistance in activities with the goals to increase business exposure, sales and revenue such as developing a marketing plan and implementing a marketing plan.
Real Estate and Lease Assistance Counseling
Service provider provides real estate and direct case management services such as conducting a vacancy assessment, making location referrals, and drafting letters of intent. Service provider may represent businesses in negotiating leases. Outcomes: Property Acquired Lease Signed Type of Lease (New or Renewal) Square Footage
Regulatory Compliance and Permit Counseling
Service provider supports small businesses or entrepreneurs with securing business licenses, permits and/or to be in compliance with state or local laws and regulations (e.g. ADA, alcohol licenses, building regulations, business registration, etc.). Outcomes: (for small business entrepreneurs only)
New business registered
Business Account Number
Accounting & Financial Analysis
Analyzing financial performance of a business, recording and summarizing business and financial transactions and analyzing, verifying, and reporting the results. May include financial coaching.
Business Operations
Starting new or expanding online business operations, developing & implementing key performance indicators, supply chain strategies, retail & distribution strategies, production, procurement, quality assurance, & customer service.
Business Planning
A document setting out a business’s future objectives and strategies for achieving them.
Access to Financing, Grants & Loans
Includes assistance with understanding different types of small business financing, including loans, grants, and other sources both traditional and non-traditional. May include how to fill out loan and grant documents.
Legal Services
Includes consumer rights, commercial tenant rights, intellectual property, lease development & negotiation, contracts, liability issues, employment law.
Marketing and Sales
Developing marketing, sales, and branding strategies. This includes digital marketing and E-Commerce, developing business logos & graphics.
Real Estate and Lease Assistance
Commercial vacancy assistance, leasing assistance, brokerage services, business attraction and retention services.
Regulatory Compliance & Permitting
Business compliance related to laws, regulations and other rules that govern businesses. Includes labor and safety regulations.
Startup Assistance
Assistance with opening a new business, includes starting an online business, business registration, selecting a business structure.
Other
Any type of training not covered by the other nine types. When using other please describe the type in the
Access to Capital | Staff connects small business or entrepreneur to loan and grant application one on one counseling. |
Business Operations | Staff connects small business or entrepreneur to business operations one on one counseling. |
Regulatory Compliance & Permits | Staff connects small business or entrepreneur to regulatory compliance one on one counseling to be in compliance with state or local laws and/or one on one counseling for permit assistance with securing business licenses, permits. e.g. (ADA, alcohol, building, registration). |
Lease Negotiation | Staff connects small business or entrepreneur to lease negotiation one on one counseling. |
Legal Services | Staff connects small business or entrepreneur to legal services one on one counseling. |
Workforce | Service provider connects small business or entrepreneur to workforce programs for hiring and/or training. |
One-on-one counseling involves service provider providing knowledge and recommendations on business activities in addition to assisting the small business owner or entrepreneur in drafting plans, implementing and/or executing plans. This supports business viability and business retention. |
Training to two or more participants in a variety of topics related to starting, growing and or strengthening a small business. |
Service provider reaches out or responds to inquiries from small business owners or entrepreneurs. Based off their conversation with small business owner or entrepreneur, they connect the small business owner or entrepreneur to the appropriate resource or organization with the expertise. |
Small Business Grant | A grant is an amount of funds, or the equivalent in goods, given to small businesses or entrepreneurs for various business needs that do not have to be paid back. |
Small Business Loan | A loan is an amount of funds given to small businesses or entrepreneurs for various business needs that are expected to be paid back. Some loans are forgiven. |