Small Businesses Consultancy Expands Into Marlborough
SCORE, a nonprofit group of retired business professionals that counsels small businesses, has opened an office in Marlborough.
SCORE - which stands for the Service Core of Retired Executives - provides free small business counseling and has been operating out of the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce offices since December, said Pat Bensetler, a former technology CFO who is now leading SCORE's efforts in the MetroWest community.
The Marlborough location is part of the Worcester Chapter of SCORE, which has other locations across Central Massachusetts in Worcester, Westborough, Whitinsville, Devens, Sturbridge and now Marlborough.
Even though the Marlborough operation has only been open a few weeks, Bensetler has already seen a flurry of activity, both from businesses seeking counseling and consultants willing to offer services.
"We've been underserved in this area," she said about Marlborough.
Opinions At The Right Price
From developing a business plan to creating financial documents to providing consulting services, SCORE officials provide a variety of services for clients. And, it's all done on a volunteer basis. The organization receives some funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration, but it's mostly all done at no cost, for no charge.
For example, Bensetler said one of her first clients was an individual who was considering purchasing a small business, but he wanted to get some outside expertise to see if it would be a good move. SCORE counselors reviewed the financial information with him and the company's business plan, and the investor decided not to make the business purchase.
"It just wasn't a good buy for him, and I'm glad he realized that when he did," Bensetler said.
SCORE officials also can develop small business marketing plans, including social media use. Consultations can range anywhere from those general topics to very specific questions about financial reporting and efficiency of business operations questions.
While the Marlborough location is new, the organization is not new to MetroWest.
Chet Fantozzi - a former director of manufacturing for Fosta-Tek Optics in Leominster and a SCORE adviser in Fitchburg -said the organization has been offering a seven-week training program at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School in Marlborough for the past few years.
The workshops invite bankers, lawyers and other small business professionals to teach interested parties about managing a company. The group's Worcester location is its largest in Central Massachusetts.
"Most of us used to be senior executives, but we have some younger people as well, and we have a variety of experiences, so we're happy to help out small businesses," Fantozzi said. "They're the heart of our economy."
Marlborough SCORE works out of the offices of the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce at 11 Florence St. on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, for two hours a day. Small businesses seeking counseling can contact SCORE and arrange a meeting with a representative by calling 508-485-7746.
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