1. For The Life of Your Business:
Free Mentoring, Training, & Resources for Entrepreneurs
This presentation combines national slides and best practice slides from Greater Seattle SCORE.
We appreciate the effort of the volunteers in Greater Seattle for sharing their presentation for other chapters to use.
If you have a best practice you’d like to share, please
Indianapolis SCORE

2. What is SCORE? SCORE is America’s small business resource
Free & confidential mentoring
We help small biz grow
Jelly Belly $160mm rev
Vera Bradley $288mm rev
Over 10 million served since 1964
370,000 assisted this year
SCORE is America’s small business resource
One-on-one mentoring in person & online.
Workshops, seminars & events in your community.
Business tools & templates at
Visit for more information.

3. We Help Small Businesses
SCORE is a non-profit
resource partner of the
United States
Small Business Administration

4. SCORE: An Overview About SCORE
SCORE was formed in 1964 as a resource partner of the Small Business Administration whose mission is to help aspiring and existing businesses succeed. Since then, we’ve helped over 10 million people in pursuit of their business goals.
Visit for more information.

5. Small Business…Huge Impact
SCORE offers
over 300 chapters across the nation plus online mentoring and resources

6. Small Business…Huge Impact
SCORE offers
over 11,000 volunteer business mentors with
expertise in over 62 industries
2+ Million Volunteer Hours Per Year

7. Small Business…Huge Impact
In 2014, SCORE helped
Create over 56,000 new businesses
Create over
47,000 new jobs
Over 50,000 businesses increase revenue

8. Small Business…Huge Impact
Of SCORE’s 2014 Clients:
56% were women
39% were minorities
13% were veterans

9. How Does SCORE Help?
SCORE Mentors are there for the life of the small business cycle by providing:
Sound business planning
Product and service review
Financial insights
Marketing and promotion recommendations
Resource planning
Strategies for starting and improving vendor relationships
Guidance on customer care and loyalty programs
And more!

10. Who Does SCORE Help? Startups Pre- Startups
Firms in Business for a Year or More
Startups
Pre-
Startups
Growth
Opening
Research & Planning

11. How SCORE Mentors Help You
If you are in the pre-startup or startup phases:
Confidentially review your business ideas
Explain how to apply for licenses, purchase equipment, lease real estate, etc.
Provide info on finding legal and CPA services
Help you create a detailed business plan
Advise you on business negotiations
Coach you through pre-finance preparations
SCORE mentors
often work in teams
to meet your needs.

12. How SCORE Mentors Help You
Mentors can also help prepare you for new growth.
Confidentially review and evaluate your business situation
Identify your served markets vs new markets
Assess product portfolio
Assist with SWOT analysis
Identify business options
Develop your growth strategies

13. SCORE is here to help you find success as an entrepreneur.
How SCORE Can Help You
Mentoring: Free face-to-face mentoring in each of its chapters and also provides online advice through
Workshops: Educational sessions on a myriad of topics for entrepreneurs, ranging from business planning to marketing and financing.
Roundtables: Facilitated peer sessions in discussing critical business topics.
Online Resources: Wide collection of articles, templates, assessments, blogs, and other tools that can be used to learn and implement new strategies.
SCORE is here to help you find success as an entrepreneur.
Visit for more information.
Free…Personailized...Confidential

14. Workshops Simple Steps for Starting Your Business
Learn the Basics. Test the Feasibility of Your Idea
A series of pre-business workshops designed to help clients get to a “go or no go” decision for the business. In-class exercises, post-session homework and mentoring are a part of the workshop process.
Session 1: Business Basics
Session 2: Business Concept
Session 3: Marketing Plan
Session 4: Financial Projections
Session 5: Funding Sources & Next Steps
1st Session FREE
Visit for more information.

15. Workshops Simple Steps for Growing Your Business
Customized Training for Those Already In Business
Work with a SCORE Mentor to create a personalized growth plan for your business to include one or more of the following business training workshops:
Session 1: Business Assessment and Goal Setting
Session 2: Marketing Your Business
Session 3: Managing Your Time, Your People and Your Resources
Session 4: Growing Your Sales
Session 5: Financial Management
Session 6: Managing Operations
Visit for more information.

16. Business Roundtables & Workshops
Sharing Experiences. Learning Together.
Connecting In-Business Clients to Foster Success
A facilitated event led by a SCORE volunteer, national partner or subject matter expert. These events provide local business owners and future business owners with relevant business information and provide value through access to SCORE resources and services. Also:
Provides access to the collective wisdom of entrepreneurs in the local community
Offers perspectives from a variety of business owners and experts
Helps emerging firms overcome obstacles and seize opportunities
Presents an opportunity for attendees to grow their business network
Can be customized for participants as needed
Visit to get started.

17. Online Resources Templates. Tips. Blogs. Workshops.
Tools for Business Success Available 24/7
Get access to over1,800 templates & tools, 1,000 blog posts, and 100 English and Spanish language workshops to help you start and grow your business.
Templates & Tools - Articles, assessments, outlines, templates, and other resources that you can use to learn and implement new strategies
SCORE LIVE Webinars - Live ,1-hour presentations by mentors and partners on a variety of small business topics and trends
Online Workshops – A business training module archived on score.org
SCORE Blogs - Business experts in a number of industries share information on emerging trends and topics facing today’s small business owner
SCORE Newsletters - Subscribe to get the latest business information, tips and resources delivered to your inbox
Visit to get started.

18. Online Resources Entrepreneurs’ Favorite Small Business Tools
60% of SCORE clients say these SCORE-mentored tools are very important to the growth of their business.
Marketing Plan
Business Plan
Cash Flow Analysis
Financial Strategy
Visit to get started.
Source: Gallup SCORE Client Outcomes Survey 2010.

19. Why SCORE Works You Don’t Have to Go It Alone
Mentoring provides improved chances for startup and success through one-on-one business coaching.
Workshops provide training on critical topics in an environment where you can learn from experts and like-minded entrepreneurs.
Online Resources can be your playbook to provide step-by-step outlines for small business strategies.
Visit to get started. 19

20. Why SCORE Works You Don’t Have to Go It Alone
Our team of SCORE mentors offers over 300,000 total years of business experience in over 62 industries such as: Sales & Marketing, Manufacturing, Gov’t Contracting, Intellectual Property, Retail & Wholesale Trade, Hospitality & so much more! We’re here for the life of your business – providing free advice for as long as you own your business.
Visit to get started. 20

21. Get Started Today Don’t Wait. Contact us today to
Start or grow your business
Become a SCORE volunteer
Call or visit us online:
Update with your local contact information.