Your free company profileYour free company profile

The nonprofit association SCORE and the Miami-Dade Small Business Development division have teamed up to help connect small businesses with experts. The new program, called Prime to Grow, plans to match small businesses in need of short- or long-term expertise with unemployed professionals seeking work. During the founding phase, many small-business owners notice that they need help in some form or another, but are not looking to hire a full-time employee. This is where the new program comes in.

As quoted by the Miami Herald: “The initiative grew out of the need to think out of the box to create business growth that is tied to employment opportunities. Many of the businesses are currently mentored by SCORE volunteers, as well as more than 2,000 small businesses currently certified in Miami-Dade small-business programs that are provided resource assistance in various areas by SBD,” said Sheri L. McGriff, division director of Business Opportunity Support Services, Small Business Development.

The programs allows small businesses with a tight budget and limited means to get additional support and to determine whether a business relationship is a good match before hiring someone full-time. "The business and the professional agree upon either a stipend, partial salary or full-time for the engagement period. … The important issue is giving the small businesses the assistance they need while at the same time giving the unemployed professional an opportunity to get back into a business environment,” said Marjorie Weber, chairwoman of SCORE Miami-Dade.

Although this program currently only serves small-business owners and entrepreneurs in South Florida, SCORE offers services to small business across the country. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and offers free mentoring to small business owners. Moreover, the organization also presents business workshops and seminars for a fee. Business mentoring services are provided by both active and retired business executives and entrepreneurs who donate their time and expertise as mentors to assist new and established small businesses.