For The Life Of Your Business
Written by Will Krisanda   
Thursday, 25 August 2011 15:07
Starting or opening a new business is a challenge in any economic climate, but entrepreneurial endeavors conducted in the midst of a recession may be seen as a waste of time and money. With the help of SCORE, however, it may be easier than you think.

SCORE is a national nonprofit organization that is dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and mentoring small businesses to start, grow, and succeed. A network of 13,000 volunteers provides business owners, and anyone interested in starting a business, with the proper tools and resources.

Northeastern Pennsylvania has its very own SCORE chapter, located in downtown Scranton, at the Scranton Enterprise Center, on 201 Lackawanna Avenue. The NEPA chapter began in 2008 and consists of 20 members covering eight counties surrounding Scranton.

Members of SCORE are former business owners, executives, and experts in the field of finance, human resources, and engineering.

Confidential, no-charge, one-on-one counseling; low-cost workshops; e-mail communication; and business plan revisions are just a few of the many services SCORE provides small business owners and entrepreneurs.

“We advise you what you need in your business plan, but we won’t write it for you. We’ll give you homework,” said Bill Evans, president of the Northeastern Pennsylvania chapter. “We’ll tell you what to put in a business plan and advise you to find out about your competitors.”

According to a 2010 Gallup survey of SCORE’s clients, the organization has helped start more than 2,000 new businesses, creating 2,779 jobs in Pennsylvania. There are four branches of SCORE in Northeastern Pennsylvania, located in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Honesdale, and Monroe County.

“We do this because most of us have experience in this area, and we believe we know something that may be of help,” Evans said. “We had a client say to us a few years ago that if he had known about SCORE 20 years ago, his business would have been 10 years further along.”

When Karen Passarelli became the owner and manager of MayFlower Florist shop, located at 74 Bridge Street, in Tunkhannock, she needed advice on how to manage the business. After speaking with a member from the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce about SCORE, she contacted a representative.

“I had been working at the flower shop for 15 years and had an offer to buy the business,” she said. “I didn’t even begin to know how to negotiate or how much paperwork I was looking at. The representative from SCORE answered all my questions, and if he didn’t have the answers or the wisdom, he resourced me out to someone else in the organization who was an expert in that field. He gave me all sorts of ideas that were ‘outside the box’, which I never thought about. It really worked for me.”

Getting the word out about NEPA’s SCORE chapter has been a challenge due to a small   marketing budget; however, the positive feedback from clients, word-of-mouth recommendations, and partnerships all have helped SCORE   become more well-known throughout the area. A partnership with the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) helps fund the organization.

In light of the recent economic climate, there has been an increase in clientele on a national level.

“The core challenge for a start-up business is funds, but that’s always been difficult,” Evans said. “One reason our clientele has increased nationally is that when people are laid off they think, ‘Well, maybe I can go into business for myself and they’ll come to us.’ We’ll take them through the process and start them with a business plan.”

SCORE was founded in 1964, with headquarters located in Herndon, Virginia.    There are 364 chapters of SCORE throughout the United States, according to www.score.org.

Northeastern Pennsylvania’s chapter does  not entirely consist of retired members of the community. There are several members who are still working, but volunteer their time to the organization. Evans noted that SCORE is always looking for more volunteers, both retired and working members of the community, especially with the integration of social media and technology in business.

“SCORE is a great resource and a great organization. It’s a blessing to have a chapter in our community, and I’m lucky to have them as a resource,” Passarelli said. “The representative that helped me years ago comes to the shop; he is a customer now.”

For more information about SCORE on a national level, visit its website at www.score.org. For information about the Northeastern Pennsylvania chapter, visit www.nepascore.org or call (570)-826-6502. Anyone with an interest in volunteering should e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .