Continued Education is often free or a fee that will fit your budget.

More than half of all US small businesses are home based businesses. This often results in limited networking opportunities. If you don’t work in a busy office building or in a main location on a busy part of town or in a collaborative co-working type space, you can limited opportunity to making new contacts.

As a small business owner, you wear many different hats and are doing whatever it takes to help your company and team 

Although learning something new may seem daunting, the reward goes far beyond personal growth. In fact, furthering your education can benefit your employees, business, and brain. Here are five ways every small business owner can benefit from continued education.

According to a 2014 study by the Apollo Education Group, 70% of senior executives are concerned about the availability of key skills needed for their professional growth. If you’re looking to boost your out-of-the-box thinking, try taking a step outside of your business. Learning how others have found more efficient ways to complete tasks, picked up new skills, and expanded their businesses can get you thinking about your own company in new ways.

ou may be using most of the same technology as the day you opened. Once you and your staff learn a program or process, trying to learn something new can become a huge undertaking. Facing a challenge vs upgrading could have lasting effects on your customer base and competitive outlook. In fact, among companies with a recognized skill shortage, 66% expect to lose business to competitors and 59% say they’re facing eroding customer satisfaction. Simple webinars can introduce you to the best ways to use a new version of a software you’ve purchased. If you’re really interested in a product, it may be worth scheduling a demo with a sales associate who can teach you how to get ahead of the competition.