How SCORE Mentoring Can Help Your Business

Starting a new business or growing an existing one can be challenging without expertise or the overall “know-how” to do what you need to do. That’s where SCORE Mentoring can help with their free business advice from experienced mentors from across the country and over a wide range of industries. 

In a recent North Shore Conversations radio broadcast on 104.9FM, we had an opportunity to talk to Diana Weinburg, SCORE Certified Mentor and Chair of the Northeast Chapter. Here’s a brief review of what SCORE can do to assist your new business as well as help your established business grow. 

What Is SCORE? 

SCORE is a free mentoring service that is offered to any citizen or permanent resident that owns a business or is looking to start a business. While there are 320 chapters all over the country, locally SCORE can be found across the North Shore in Beverly, Lynn, and Stoneham. 

At the crux of a SCORE mentoring relationship is one-on-one partnering with an experienced advisor who can offer advice on best practices for your field, experience, and knowledge of your small business. 

As a U.S. Small Business Administration resource partner, SCORE is funded (in part) by a grant from the SBA. This grant gives business owners access to the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors for free! 

What Kind of Assistance Can SCORE Offer? 

In addition to mentoring, SCORE offers free workshops and business training on a variety of topics from selling products online to branding, and everything in between. A mentee may come in wanting to learn about management and find that they may need more information on cash-flow, and marketing. The mentor-mentee relationship is really driven by the needs of the business owner.

Not only are these workshops free but they are also offered in-person, virtually online, or in recorded format webinars so you can watch them at your pace. Additionally, SCORE is a diverse group of volunteers who make every effort to offer these workshops and training in other languages such as Spanish. 

The library of online resources available to business owners is extensive and offers the most current and relevant educational content to help small business leaders grow and thrive. 

What Impact Has SCORE Had on Businesses? 

The impact of the nearly 10,000 volunteers at SCORE Mentoring can be felt across the country and in a multitude of industries. After being founded nearly 57 years ago, SCORE reports that they “have educated more than 11 million established and aspiring entrepreneurs.”

The numbers are impressive even during a pandemic year. In 2020, SCORE mentors helped start 45,027 businesses, create 74,535 non-owner new jobs and 119,562 total new jobs. 

After taking part in three or more hours of mentoring, small business owners report higher revenues and increased growth. Keep in mind that SCORE Mentoring relationships can last a few sessions or years. It’s really dependent on the type and scope of help your business needs to thrive. 

How Can You Connect with SCORE Mentoring? 

If you need assistance troubleshooting and creating successful strategies for your small business, contact SCORE for the local chapter closest to you. With more than 250 chapters there are likely resources in your local area. Use their site to connect with a mentor, search for one that is right for you, or sign up for free workshops.