Our new online advising platform, BusinessAdvising.org, uses a sophisticated algorithm to match small business owners with our network of expert volunteer business advisors. Our data driven process allows us to create the right matches, in order to best serve the entrepreneurs that we work with.
Today, I went through the registration process myself to show you how easy and FUN it can be. Note: I “signed up” as an entrepreneur, but the Advisor process is relatively similar. Check it out:
You start on this page, which goes over the steps involved in the registration process, plus a little insight into the future of your matching relationships.
Next you’ll fill out basic information about your business, which will help us get to know you and start assessing how we can help. Filling out this form is super easy – especially if you have LinkedIn! If you enter your LinkedIn profile URL, we’ll be able to pull any pertinent information into the form on BusinessAdvising.org, making the process even easier.
The next step is when it really starts getting in-depth. You’ll be asked what areas of business you are seeking advice about. Remember that the more honest you are about your business, the better we can match you with the appropriate expert advisor. (As you can see my fictitious business needs help in financing and marketing.)
Once you submit information about your focus areas, you’ll be prompted to provide a little more information about what specifically you need help with. Again, the more specific you can be, the better we can match you with an expert advisor than can help your business thrive!
Finally – and this is my FAVORITE part of the process – you will be able to click and drag your selected challenges to a “Top 5” list that will allow you to prioritize your current obstacles. So cool!
And voila! You’re ready to be matched with an expert advisor based on the information you provided about your business, and the key challenges and obstacles that you could use some support around. Of course, all of this information is kept confidential and your relationship manager will have you schedule a follow-up meeting to provide any additional information that can help us create the match. Soon thereafter, usually within a week, you’ll be matched with an expert advisor and can start working ON your business, rather than IN your business!