Financial advisors aren't just for high-flying, established companies. Whether you've been in business for years or are just starting out, whether you're flush or barely scrape through each month, an advisor can guide you toward your goals.

"Good financial advisors should be able to simplify the small-business owner's life," says NASE Member Christina Kemprecos, a certified trust and financial advisor who is founder of Secure Future Financial Services in South Dennis, Mass. "They can put you on the right financial track as cheaply and simply as possible."

That applies equally to your business and personal life. In fact, Kemprecos says a financial advisor can help "tie your business and personal needs together, making sure the two tracks are coordinated.

"We can help before they even get the business going by making sure they put their money in the right places," notes Kemprecos. "Don't think financial planners won't be interested because you're small. The little guy needs us as much as the guy who has money."

NASE Member Darell Barnes, a financial consultant who owns Osiris Financial Management Corp. in Denver, explains the financial advisor's thought process this way: "If I help out someone just starting, who is that person going to come to when he does make money?

The Advisor's Job
Who To Choose
Making A Match
Proceed Cautiously