Want to Start a New Business? SCORE Can Help

Do you have an interest in starting your own business or growing the one you already run? If so, you should consider SCORE as an excellent resource for free mentoring assistance. SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and has been mentoring small business owners for more than forty years. (It stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives, but like the former American Association of Retired Persons, it just uses the acronym as so many of its mentors are currently working.)

Jennifer Welding, the CEO of Unlimited Designs, Inc. relates her experience with SCORE:

Back in 2009, I was lucky enough to find out about SCORE through someone from the chamber of commerce. When I first met Ron Tucker, with SCORE in Salt Lake City, it was the case of the Student being ready and the teacher appearing. I was moving into a new position as CEO. I felt underqualified, over whelmed and pretty desperate. 

I started meeting with Ron Tucker and just having an objective party to talk to helped immediately. To just make yourself speak your issues aloud helps to organize your thoughts and sometimes the answers would become apparent as we talked. When I needed something that didn’t fit into his background, Ron would refer me to another mentor with that kind of experience. There is just an incredible pool of knowledge that is accessible through not only SCORE, but all of their affiliates. All individuals want to genuinely help you succeed.

When I look at the time I spent with mentors, the thing that really sticks out to me is that I was so used to knowing the answers, that I came into this position with the same attitude. I started to realize I needed to be the one to ask the questions. The one to be bold enough to ask why? Why? Why? This thought process change has made me more confident in my ability to manage than my confidence in thinking I knew the answers.In the spring of 2014 I started mentoring with SCORE. I must say that mentoring has helped me so much. I hope I am helping my clients as much as it helps me to think through what I am doing in my own business.

SCORE is actually a nationwide network of 13,000+ volunteers who offer small business entrepreneurs confidential business counseling services at no charge. They offer considerable expertise, as their volunteers represent over 3,000 years of experience across 62 industries.

SCORE also provides local workshops and events throughout the country and here in Utah to connect small business owners with the people and information they need to start, grow, and maintain their businesses, as well as online workshops available 24/7. 

Not looking to start a new business but have a lot of business expertise?  Consider becoming a SCORE volunteer.  Every year, SCORE volunteers help thousands of entrepreneurs start small businesses and achieve new levels of success in their existing businesses. Volunteering at SCORE is a way for you to give back to your community, connect with fellow business owners, and pass on your knowledge and expertise to the next generation of entrepreneurs in your community.

As a SCORE Volunteer You Can:

• Share your success and expertise through mentoring
• Lead workshops and seminars
• Provide online or telephone mentoring directly from your home or office
• Serve in a leadership capacity with SCORE
• Serve within other capacity at SCORE (Marketing, IT, administration, finance, fundraising, HR, etc.)
• Have flexibility with your volunteering time

AARP encourages you to explore your real possibilities with SCORE!

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HSEgWqbeXM#t=24