About SCORE
Counselors to America's Small
Business
Founded in 1964, SCORE has 389 chapters in locations
throughout the United States and its territories, with 11,500
volunteers nationwide. Local chapters provide free counseling and
low-cost workshops in their communities. Both working and retired
executives and business owners donate their time and expertise as
business counselors.
In Anchorage there are over 15 counselors with all types of
small business experience that are ready and capable of helping anyone
formulate their new business plans or to work with an existing
challenge in their business.
FAQ's
Ten Questions and Answers About the
SCORE Association
What is the SCORE Association?
SCORE, Counselors
to America's Small Business, is a nonprofit association comprised of
11,500 and growing volunteer business counselors throughout the U.S.
and its territories. There are about 400 SCORE chapters in urban,
suburban and rural communities. SCORE members are trained to serve as
counselors, advisors and mentors to aspiring entrepreneurs and business
owners. These services are offered at no fee, as a community service.
SCORE was formed in 1964 and nearly 4.5 million Americans have utilized
SCORE services.
How
can this web site help me?
This site offers practical "how
to" information to help your run your
business. You can also get free and confidential business advice from
SCORE with Get Email Counseling. You can
use Find SCORE in your
community to find the location, and even a map of the location of your
nearest SCORE office.
How
can SCORE help me in a changing economic times?
In times of economic change, you
must be diligent in preparing your
plans. Begin developing a business plan with realistic sales
projections and a plan to hold the line on costs. SCORE can provide
advice to help you develop or update your plan. Our counselors can also
assist in analyzing your current results. Clients tell us some of the
best ideas for their business flowed from discussion with a SCORE
counselor. You can
Get Email Counseling right now through the SCORE Web Site. SCORE
& Visa U.S.A. also offer a FREE financial management workbook, How
to Secure Financing. This guide can help you build a relationship
with a bank, so you can obtain a loan when you apply for a loan.
Can
I contact SCORE via email?
Yes. This Web site offers a
special feature called
Get Email Counseling. You can go to email counseling and pose a
business question to one of the SCORE business counselors who have
joined the SCORE CyberChapter to provide you with email answers to
business questions. You choose from a list of counselors with expertise
in the business areas that interest you and write a question to the
counselor who is the best match for your business or industry.
What
is email counseling?
Email counseling is an email
exchange between you a soon-to-be
entrepreneur or small business owner and a volunteer, SCORE business
counselor. Email counseling gives you the opportunity to send email
questions about small business to a SCORE counselor anywhere in the
country. Just Get Email Counseling to get
business advice. Send a questions and your SCORE counselor will reply
with his or her answer. Keep the dialog going as long as you have
questions for your business counselor.
What
qualifies SCORE to give business advice?
The key qualification SCORE
counselors bring to clients is real-world
experience. SCORE business counselors have general management and
specific industry experience that can benefit your business. SCORE
business counselors may be working or retired business owners, business
executives or operations managers. All SCORE counselors receive
specialized training in counseling and mentoring.
What
kind of counseling does SCORE provide?
SCORE's experienced business
experts provide general business advice on
everything from how to write a business plan, to cash flow management,
to developing a small business advisory board. Assistance for aspiring
entrepreneurs may involve investigating the market potential for a
product or service and assessing the capital needs to start a business.
Counselors can provide insight into how to start a business, operate a
business, buy a business or franchise and sell a business.
Are
business secrets safe with SCORE?
Yes. All SCORE business counselors
honor the client's right to
proprietary and confidential information. Client information remains
confidential. All SCORE counselors abide by an association Code Of
Ethics, which includes protecting the confidences between client and
counselor. Each year, counselors reaffirm their commitment to the Code
Of Ethics.
Does
SCORE offer other services?
Yes. SCORE offers low-cost workshops
and seminars. Workshop fees generally range from $20 - $95 depending
upon the program. Workshop topics have included: Developing Your
Business Plan, Starting and Operating Your Own Business, Getting
Financing For Your Business, and Basic Business Accounting. We also
offer several workshops that examine marketing.
How
can I contact SCORE for assistance?
You can contact SCORE a number of
ways.
- Schedule an appointment for face-to-face counseling through
the Anchorage SBA office at (907) 271-4022.
- Or you can
Get Email Counseling to send an email message to a counselor and
begin electronic counseling.
- Email the Anchorage SCORE chapter at score558@gci.net.
SCORE's
Mission
SCORE provides professional
guidance and information, accessible to all, to maximize the success of
America's existing and emerging small businesses.
SCORE's
Vision
To be
the most recognized and utilized supplier of counseling and mentoring
services to America's small businesses. SCORE will achieve ongoing
client allegiance through:
Consistently providing relevant
and competitive products and services.
Proactively anticipating and
meeting the needs and expectations of a diverse client base.
Continuously enhancing and
promoting the image of SCORE in all that we do.
Ensuring organizational
capability and alignment.
Funding/enabling continuous
progress and growth.
By living our Core Values, we
will demand excellence in ourselves and in all aspects of our
organization. Both SCORE members and leadership will be challenged to
grow personally and professionally, to accept responsibility and
accountability, and to deliver upon our strategic goals and objectives.
This will ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of SCORE.
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