From: http://www.bizjournals.com/

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, SCORE has grown from one small Minneapolis office in 1964 to a national organization that boasts more than 320 chapters, attracting 12,000 volunteers annually.

The premise is simple: Bring together small business owners with seasoned executives who can provide leadership, advice and guidance through all phases of company building, from creating a business plan to obtaining major funding. That type of relationship matchmaking can be stunningly powerful, according to Rick Barkley, current Chapter Chair of Minneapolis SCORE, and incoming director of that chapter.

“We have such a great history of bringing people together and creating a strong climate for startups and new businesses,” Barkley said. “Sometimes, company founders need advice from someone who’s been in their position, and since we attract a wide range of volunteers who have many different skills and abilities, from manufacturing to retail, we can provide that for them.”

SCORE (previously known as the Service Corps of Retired Executives) got its start when the Small Business Administration(SBA) recognized that small companies needed assistance with basics like goal setting and business plans. The SBA lacked the resources to create an extensive network of advice centers, and turned to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area for help, with its array of retired executives from companies like 3M, General Mills and Cargill.

For the past 50 years, as SCORE grew, the SBA directed clients to the organization so that loan applications would be stronger, Barkley noted. In addition to mentors, the nonprofit offers free online business tools, webinars and workshops, covering a range of topics like marketing, technology implementation, management practices, franchising, legal issues, and exit strategies.

Helping Hand

Benefits abound on both sides of mentor relationships. Volunteers have the satisfaction of giving back to the business community and using skills and insight gained over a lifetime.

“Our executives have so much experience, and much of it was learned the hard way,” said Barkley. “Now they have the ability to help others avoid mistakes and really get a great start for their businesses.”

For companies aided by SCORE, the relationships with advisors can be long-term, helping a business through multiple phases — from business plan creation to hiring employees.

“At the very beginning of our business, we realized we were really lacking in skills,” said Qiuxia Welch, who started Minneapolis-based Boom Island Brewing Co. with her husband, Kevin.

The pair were French horn players in the Minnesota Orchestrabefore their passion for Belgian-brewed beer led to starting their own brewing company. After a friend suggested SCORE, the couple began stopping into their local chapter to use the free computers and get assistance with a business plan. They applied to the mentorship program and were matched up with local executive, Marshall Jones, who’d also started a business with his wife.

“Not only did Marshall really help us understand the business, but he knew what it was like to start a business as a married couple, and he showed us that our personal growth together was just as important as our business growth,” said Welch.

Jones helped the Welches navigate the first two years of the business — from writing a business plan to getting funding to managing employees — but he also continues to meet with the couple weekly to make sure they’re following a path for sustainable growth.

Growth Track

As the Welches found, the issues related to a startup can be very different than those facing a growing company, so the use of SCORE during all phases of a business can be invaluable.

“As my business continues to grow and expand, I find myself going back to SCORE for different stages of my business growth, and they always help put things into perspective,” said Suzy McGrane-Hop, who started a Gilded Pear Gallery, a fine art consultancy and gallery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Since there are numerous counselors with different backgrounds, McGrane-Hop noted that there always seems to be the right person to answer her questions. She’s gotten help with marketing strategies, accounting, website development, and online marketing.

“SCORE has been a great resource from the very beginning of setting up my business to now,” she said. “They’ve been invaluable.”