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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the SCORE Association?
The SCORE Association, “Counselors to America’s Small Business,” is a nonprofit association comprised of 10,500 volunteer business counselors throughout the U.S. and its territories. There are 389 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.
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.
What qualifies SCORE members 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 will 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.
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 seminars. Asheville SCORE has a number of seminars that are keyed to the fundamentals that every small business owner must have. Our seminars cover the areas of writing a business plan, establishing your legal organization, how to finance your business, understanding risk management, basic business accounting, the keys to marketing, record keeping...and more.
How can SCORE help me in a changing economic environment?
In times of economic change, you must be diligent in preparing advance 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.
How can I contact SCORE for assistance?
You can contact SCORE in Asheville a number of ways. Just call (828) 271-4786, or send an e-mail to info@ashevillescore.org. Please also see our Seminars and Counseling pages for more detailed information about the Asheville SCORE chapter. You can also call the national SCORE office at 1- (800) 634-0245 for a referral to the SCORE chapter nearest you and make an appointment for face-to-face counseling. You can find additional resources and more SCORE office locations at the national SCORE website.