FAQ?

What is the SCORE Association?
SCORE is a nonprofit association comprised of 10,500 volunteer business counselors throughout the U.S. and its territories. There are close to 400 SCORE chapters in urban, suburban and rural communities. SCORE members are trained to serve as counselors, advisors, and mentors to aspiring entrepreneurs and to business owners. These services are offered at no fee, as a community service. SCORE was formed in 1964 and nearly 7 million Americans have used SCORE services.

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 experience that can benefit your business. SCORE business counselors may be active or retired business owners, 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, through 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.