Individual Consulting

CUB offers expert customized advice to emerging entrepreneurs and established small business owners. In individual sessions, clients can discuss their particular business issues with CUB staff members who will help them find solutions and resources to address their needs. CUB assists entrepreneurs in starting a new business or growing an existing business.

Please fill out the online Request for Counseling Form. You will be contacted upon receipt to schedule an appointment . If you are an existing client, simply email us your questions or request an appointment. Business consulting provided by the Illinois Small Business Development Center is confidential and free of cost.

The development and growth of small businesses are critical to the Illinois economy. In general, businesses with up to 500 employees are defined as small businesses according to the guidelines of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The clients normally fall within one of these four categories:

• High-growth potential: These firms have the potential for rapid growth or may already be growing at rates of 25 percent a year or more. Faced with difficult challenges, these firms need more specialized, in-depth assistance to help them plan and manage their growth. The CUB/SBDC will assist these entrepreneurial high growth firms by providing a higher level of direct services and access to additional expert services as needed.
• Established: Beyond their first year of operation, these are small firms that have overcome the start-up pains and hurdles and usually need assistance with a specific issue or problem. CUB/SBDC will assess the current and future needs of these firms and identify success factors that will help their business survive and grow.
• Start-up: These clients are in the process of starting a business or have already started a business within the past year. They seek information and skills to overcome the obstacles faced during the establishment of their business. This is a critical stage for businesses that can be positively impacted by CUB/SBDC services.
• Pre-Venture: Individuals interested in starting a business seek information, counseling and training assistance necessary to start a business. The CUB/SBDC will continue to improve processes to provide basic information (i.e., starting-a-business workshops or basic business guides) so that one-on-one counseling is focused on clients who are capable of opening viable businesses.