SCORE seeks mentors to increase area business start up services

Looking for some help to start up a business? Or need help with marketing and sales?

The Service Corps of Retired Executives, a volunteer-based business consulting group based in Spokane, is working in conjunction with the Pullman Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Small Business Administration to bring counseling services to small business owners.

The service has been around for several years, said Rob Kennedy, a volunteer with the Spokane office, but they are looking to get the word out and revitalize the program.

“We'd love to get the word out,” he said. “We're trying to refocus.”

The Spokane office of the national organization serves from Sandpoint to Lewiston. Kennedy said the office is entirely made up of volunteers who offer a variety of experience.

“The uniqueness of SCORE is that we're a volunteer-driven organization, and we have folks in all sorts of areas. We cover the whole spectrum,” he commented. “We all have a pretty good baseline for entrepreneurship and startups. We have financial, accounts, all sorts of different things.”

SCORE conducts four workshops a month. They include Quickbooks, sales and marketing, writing a business plan and starting a business.

Admission to the workshops is $25.

“It's a nominal fee to help us keep the lights on,” said Kennedy.

The counseling services, however, are free of charge. SCORE can assist in business startups, small business management and growth, marketing and sales, finance and accounting, social media and international trade, plus more.

“We identify needs and go from there,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy said they would like to get to the point of being able to offer regular office hours in Pullman, and mentors are needed to accomplish that task.

SCORE service now at Pullman is done by appointment.

“If we could get a couple of mentors, we could establish a branch and have more regular hours and be more of a resource,” he said.

He added that SCORE is always looking for more volunteers.

“We are looking for mentors, and we are looking pretty broadly,” he said, referring to expertise areas. “We'd love to have a mentor or two who are in the Pullman area.”

Kennedy said that during the winter months, it is difficult to service the outlying areas from Spokane, so more volunteers would help to establish continuity in services. He also said some training is provided for mentors.

Kennedy noted the mentors prefer first to be able to meet in person or via video conference with those interested in counseling services, though they can work over the phone or e-mail.

To get in touch with a SCORE mentor, contact the Spokane office at 509-353-2821 or go to http://www.score.org to look up services.