By Don Griffin

Professional golfers on tour are constantly striving to improve their games. If you look at the leading money winners year after year on the PGA, Champions or LPGA tours, they all share some things in common. Yes, they’re all exceptional golfers, but they all are constantly taking lessons to improve their games.

They seek out the best teaching professionals in golf and work very hard to hone their already phenomenal skills. Why do they do it? It’s not a matter of egos, it’s a matter of economics. The better they play the more they win. The more they win the more money they make. It sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? Seek professional help; do better; make more money.

If this process works so well for professional golfers, will the same strategy work for entrepreneurs and small business owners? Of course, but why don’t more people in business seek outside professional help?  I’ve asked this question to dozens of men and women who are struggling to make their companies profitable. The answers vary. Some say if they’re already losing money they can’t afford to hire someone to advise them. Others say that their business is so unique that no one else could understand it. Some feel time constrained and state they don’t have the time to bring an “outsider” up to speed. A few for confidentiality reasons don’t want anyone to know the inner workings of their finances.

While some of these excuses may seem legitimate, I’ve found in contrast to a professional golfer’s attitude that the primary reason most business owners and would be entrepreneurs don’t seek outside guidance is a lack of understanding as to how an “outsider” can assist them with a business the “outsider” knows nothing about. After accepting business counseling, however, they are usually surprised at the insight an “outsider” can provide. An experienced business counselor has made more than his or her share of mistakes in their careers and has the battle scars to prove it.

In addition, they’ve learned the critical business success factors as well as the pitfalls to avoid. They’ve been to dozens of seminars learning from experts in their respective fields. And they usually have learned to quickly focus in on the root problems and opportunities of any given business situation.  A good business counselor brings the same value to a business needing improvement as a good golf teacher brings to the student wanting to improve his or her game.

Cumberland County now has a new business resource that’s available to any business owner that needs assistance to start a new business or improve the growth and profitability of an existing business. That resource is the new Cumberland Business Incubator (CBI). CBI is offering a five week “Jumpstart Your Business” seminar series for startup and existing businesses.

The first workshop on March 18th from 11:30 to 1:00 at Roane State Community College is entitled “Small Business Start-up.” The seminar series will cover a variety of topics from assessing your chances of becoming a successful entrepreneur to guidance on writing a business plan to maximize your chances of securing a business loan. Also covered in the seminar series will be the development of a unique financial plan for each attendee and recommendations on how to evaluate personal finances in conjunction with the financial needs of a business.

Assistance for aspiring entrepreneurs may involve a strategy to investigate the market potential for a new product or service or how best to assess the capital needs to launch a new venture. Counselors can provide insight into how to start a business, operate a business, buy a business or franchise and sell a business. All CBI counselors honor the workshop attendee’s right to proprietary and confidential information, which will not be discussed or shared with other attendees.

So, do you want to “improve your game” and “win more money?” If you do, then follow the advice of the pros and seek outside help to hone your skills. Call CBI today at 931-456-4910 and reserve your opportunity. Remember, CBI’s objective is to help you help yourself and a CBI counselor’s goal is to help you move up on the “money list.” Give CBI a call today.