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SCORE - Service Corps of Retired Executives
Sponsored by U. S. Small Business Administration What is SCORE? SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives, is a 13,000 - member volunteer association sponsored by the U. S. Small Business Administration. Since 1964, the association has matched volunteer business management counselors with clients in need of expert advice. SCORE has experts in virtually every area of business management and maintains a national skills roster to help identify the best counselors, whose collective experience spans the full range of American enterprise, share their management and technical expertise with both present and prospective small business owners. Who are SCORE volunteers? Most SCORE volunteers are retired business owners or managers, though some members still work. SCORE volunteers are members of 388 locally organized chapters offering assistance in almost 800 locations throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam. Volunteers work in or near their home communities to provide management counseling and training to first-time entrepreneurs and current small business owners. They meet with clients at a SCORE chapter office, an SBA office or at the client's place of business. Every effort is made to match a client's needs with a counselor who is experienced in a comparable line of business. All individual and team SCORE counseling is free; there may be a nominal fee for training workshops and seminars. Best of all, SCORE members volunteer because they have enjoyed successful careers in business and want to give something back to their communities. They selflessly give of their time and expertise so that more small businesses will find success. What Business Assistance is Offered? Through in-depth counseling and training, SCORE volunteers help prospective and established small business owners and managers identify problems, determine the causes and find solutions. SCORE chapters offer low-cost pre-business workshops that address topics like assessing entrepreneurial potential, developing a start-up checklist, selecting a legal entity, creating a business plan and securing funding. SCORE counselors also help successful firms review their distribution channels, survey expansion, modify products and meet other business challenges. Other workshops offer experienced business owners information on myriad subjects, including starting a home-based business, purchasing a franchise, defining a marketing and advertising strategy, implementing a waste reduction plan, setting merchandise prices and beginning an exporting venture. Is My Business Eligible? Any small business can obtain help from SCORE. Whether you are considering starting your own business, have a business that is experiencing problems, are ready to expand, or need some other type of advise, SCORE can help. The approach is confidential and personal. You don't need to be applying for or to have an SBA loan to participate in the program. In fact, an idea is all that is necessary - consultation and counseling before a business start-up is an important part of SCORE's service. Free counseling for those starting a new business or presently in a small business. Contact: SCORE Phone: 903-510-2975 |
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