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Build the Line. Create the Wow.
Marketing isn't a checklist of tactics. The restaurant analogy that reframed how I think about growth: build the line outside, and create a “wow” for everyone who comes inside.
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Boston has more small business support within a few miles than most states have in total. The challenge for owners isn’t finding a program. It’s knowing which one fits the stage of your business and the problem you’re trying to solve. This page lists the main options for Boston-area businesses and how to choose between them.
Free small business help in Boston
Massachusetts SBDC, Greater Boston Region. Established in 2022 and based at the Mount Ida Campus of UMass Amherst in Newton, the Greater Boston office serves Boston and dozens of surrounding cities and towns with no-cost, confidential advising in person or virtually. Appointments are required.
SCORE. Volunteer mentors meet with Boston-area owners at no cost, and SCORE runs free workshops and webinars throughout the year.
SBA Massachusetts District Office. Located in Boston, the district office connects businesses to SBA loans, government contracting programs and resource partners.
Center for Women & Enterprise. An SBA-supported Women’s Business Center with training and advising for women entrepreneurs in the Boston area and across Massachusetts.
City of Boston small business programs. The City’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion runs small business support and technical assistance programs, and Boston Main Streets organizations support businesses in individual neighborhood districts.
Training programs for Boston businesses ready to grow
Once a business is established, owners usually need more than one-off advice. They need their team to build skills in strategy, marketing, sales, leadership and AI, and apply them together. Options include:
- Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, with a curriculum designed by Babson College in nearby Wellesley. No cost if selected; eligibility asks for at least two years in operation, $75,000 or more in revenue and at least two employees including the owner.
- Community college courses, including Bunker Hill Community College and Roxbury Community College, for job-specific and technical skills.
- University executive education, offered by several Boston-area universities, typically priced for larger companies.
- Private cohort training programs registered for Workforce Training Fund reimbursement, such as SCALE UP.
For a full comparison of these options, see our Massachusetts small business training guide.
How Boston businesses pay for training
Boston businesses with 100 or fewer Massachusetts employees can use the Workforce Training Fund’s Express Program, which reimburses up to 100% of registered training: up to $3,000 per employee per course, $300 per instructional hour and $15,000 per company per calendar year. Apply at least 21 days before training begins. See the Workforce Training Fund guide for eligibility and documents.
SCALE UP for Boston small businesses
Skayle 360 is based at 399 Boylston Street in Boston, and SCALE UP is taught live on Zoom, so Boston-area teams attend without commuting across the city. The program is five 10-hour modules (Strategic Planning, Building Your Team, Marketing Strategy, Lead Generation and AI for Growth), with participants applying each framework to their own business and receiving personalized 1:1 support from lead trainer Chris Ciunci. Every session is recorded. More than 300 executives from 175+ Massachusetts small businesses have taken it.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get free small business advice in Boston?
The Massachusetts SBDC’s Greater Boston Region, SCORE and the Center for Women & Enterprise all offer free advising. The City of Boston’s small business programs and Main Streets organizations offer neighborhood-level support.
Is small business training in Boston in person or online?
Both. The SBDC offers in-person and virtual appointments, and many training programs, including SCALE UP, run live online, which saves Boston owners commuting time.
Can Boston businesses use the Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund?
Yes. Any Massachusetts business with 100 or fewer Massachusetts W-2 employees that pays into the fund and is in good standing can apply to the Express Program.
What training is best for a Boston small business that has stopped growing?
Usually a structured program that connects strategy, marketing, sales and leadership, applied to your own business, rather than one-off workshops. See our guide to small business growth training.