Are you over the age of 50 and thinking about buying and/or starting a home-based or other small business, business opportunity or franchise of your very own? If so, you’re hardly alone. Thousands of older Americans are taking the entrepreneurial plunge each and every day, and they’re doing it with the full support of family, friends, their communities and a number of government and other non-profit organizations.

More specifically, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) announced this past month that they are launching a strategic alliance to provide FREE counseling and training to more than 100,000 so-called “encore entrepreneurs” over the age of 50. The majority of the programs and courses will be offered online and will cover a very diverse range of topics, including start-up basics, finance strategies, marketing tactics, overseas trade and much more.

In addition, SBA has set up a web page dedicated to the entrepreneurially-oriented over-50 set. Among many other helpful tools, it provides an online self-assessment designed to help prospective older small business owners understand their readiness before startup. It also provides information that will assist in everything from the initial planning process to finding suitable financing options, as well as identifying helpful resources in your local area.

The web page can be found by clicking on https://www.sba.gov/content/50-entrepreneurs now!