SBDE Mentoring

This page is a part of the McNair Center's Guide to Small Business in Houston section on Houston's Small Business Resources.

What Is It?

Mentoring is a relationship formed between a budding small business owner and a more experienced and established entrepreneur. Many organizations provide experiences to connect with mentors to help with starting or growing a business.

Why Is It Important to My Business?

Mentoring can provide expert advice and experience that you may not otherwise be able to find. Their experience can be extremely valuable, and they can help you avoid making the same mistakes they may have made. Mentors are also helpful helpful when you need a fresh perspective or someone to bounce ideas off of as well. They can help you root out weaknesses in your businesses plans and push you to pursue your strengths. Additionally, a mentor can help you grow your network and open new doors; they can introduce you to valuable contacts, potential partners, customers and more! Mentors can push you and challenge you to make your company or business even better and more successful. The best part is that mentoring does not cost you anything aside from time. Building a sustained and close relationship with a mentor can significantly enhance your business and help it thrive, so do not be afraid to seek or reach out to one.

Mentoring Resources

Institution Name	URL"URL" is a type and predefined property provided by Semantic MediaWiki to represent URI/URL values.	Cost
Build Up Houston	http://www.houstontx.gov/builduphouston/	$$$
Hispanic Women's Network of Texas	http://www.hwnt.org/	$
Houston MBDA Business Center	http://www.mbda.gov/businesscenters/houston	$
Houston Small Business Administration	https://www.sba.gov/offices/district/tx/houston	$
Interagency Mentor Protege Program	http://www.houstontx.gov/obo/mentor_protege.html	$
SCORE Houston	http://www.scorehouston.org/	$
The Block Group	https://www.theblockgroup.net/en/	$$
The Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce	http://www.ghwcc.org/	$$
The Indus Entrepreneurs Houston	http://houston.tie.org/	$
The Intercontinental Chamber of Commerce	http://www.houstonicc.org/	$$$
Women's Business Enterprise Alliance	http://www.wbea-texas.org/wbenc	$$