There is nothing like the voice of experience for a small business trying to navigate these turbulent economic times.

In Napa County, if a business needs help developing a business plan, expanding their business or looking for financing, SCORE volunteers will offer advice — for free.

Locally, there are three experienced SCORE volunteers — David Mendelsohn, Joe Turner and Lee Milovich, who are part of the North Bay Chapter of SCORE, which includes 44 counselors donating their time to advise businesses.

SCORE started in the early 1960s, when it was called the Senior Corps of Retired Executives. Today, because many of its volunteers are not retired, SCORE now refers to itself as “Counselors to America’s Small Business.” The nonprofit organization partners with the Small Business Administration.

As the economy continues to sour, SCORE in Napa has seen requests for help climb to about four calls per week, according to Turner. Back when the economy was robust, he said he might get one inquiry per week for advice.

“These are hard times and that’s driving people to us,” Turner said. “People can come to us as often as they want to. ... If your business is not performing as you know it can, we might be able to help. If it’s not performing, talk to people with experience.”

Local fans
Gloria Curry is a local business owner who sought SCORE’s advice and began working with them before she opened her business.

Gloria Curry Skin Care Clinic is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

“I’m not sure I would be in business without them. I don’t have an ego that is afraid to ask for help. I’m still in business. I’ve got people coming through my door. In this economy I am holding my own, and today that is being successful. To me it would be suicide in this age to not know about SCORE,” Curry said.

SCORE’s advice to Curry during these turbulent economic times was to increase her marketing — which included developing a Web site and an e-mail list of clients. At the same time she was told to keep her expenses down and to get a line of credit with a local credit union, even if she didn’t intend to use it.

Mendelsohn, Curry’s SCORE counselor, last year recommended she should not use independent contractors to work for her, but instead hire them as employees.

She said with the guidance of SCORE, her business is in better shape than it was a year ago.

“Dave is very firm about what I need to do, but he says it in a way that doesn’t make you nervous,” Curry said.

Napa entrepreneur Chanin Cook, a partner in Chajo, which makes high-end furniture in Napa, is using SCORE to help her expand the business.

Cook said she discovered SCORE in 1998 when launching the business. And she continues to meet with counselors about every couple of months.

“I continue to use them as a business advisor and find their advice invaluable. They have so much experience, and they offer a unique perspective. They don’t tell you what to do. You are the engine, the driving force of the business,” Cook said

Would Chajo be where it is today without SCORE’s help? “Eventually, but it would have taken much longer,” Cook said.

A helping hand
“Most people don’t know we exist and that our advice is not going to cost them anything,” Turner said. “There are a lot of businesses hanging on by a fingernail. A lot of small businesses we are seeing are on the edge.”

Common advice for struggling businesses involves having them write a business plan and having more structure — focusing on what they want to accomplish — where they want to go.

“We won’t write your business plan. You have to do it,” Turner said.

A business plan can take anywhere from six days to maybe a month to create, including revisions. “Once they have a business plan they come back and we evaluate their ideas,” Turner said.

Turner said some businesses would not be in the position they are now if they had more structure. “I see a lot of people who have no structure — they need to get some order.”

SCORE can be reached through the Napa Chamber of Commerce, 707.226.7455.

Article By Mike Treleven, Staff Writer, Napa Valley Register. Used by permission.

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Important additional info:
Meeting with a SCORE counselor provides three clear advantages that might not be available to most people.
Those advantages are:
1. SCORE appointments are confidential. One can tell a SCORE counselor exactly what the problem is and be certain the entire conversation is confidential.
2. SCORE counselors are qualified and professional.
3. SCORE counseling is free. There is never a charge or fee.
4. SCORE counselors are good professional listeners.
5. Many times people with a business that’s running well will meet with a SCORE counselor simply to discuss ideas or challenges.

www.score.org