( ENSPIRE Community Spotlight ) ‘SCORE’ Works with Black Entrepreneurs by Removing Barriers and Offering Individualized Help to Black Small Businesses
ENSPIRE Contributor: LaShonda Thompson
For National Black Business Month, ‘SCORE,’ the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, spotlight resources to support America’s Black entrepreneurs and offer volunteer opportunities for experienced Black business owners.
The Megaphone of Main Street: The Impact of Covid-19, Impact on Black-owned Small Businesses, SCORE’s original survey data revealed that Black-owned businesses confront distinct challenges to success. They were more likely to seek–but less likely to receive–outside funding from public and private sources.
In response to these unique challenges, ‘SCORE’ offers a centralized educational hub called Score for Black Entrepreneurs that provides Black small business owners with access to personalized support and the resources they need to succeed, including:
- Educational content specially designed to support Black entrepreneurs.
- Live webinars and original online workshops.
- Free, remote, expert business mentoring.
Business owner and makeup artist Ursula Augustine of Ursula’s About Phace Rittenhouse Studio advised other entrepreneurs: “I would suggest they go to ‘SCORE.’ You’ll be working with the perfect mentor based on your needs, your industry, and your location, and they’ll be available to connect with you as needed to provide you with specialist advice and extra support to help grow your business into a successful and profitable business.”
Volunteering With SCORE
‘SCORE’ also actively recruits talented and experienced entrepreneurs and executives to become mentors, workshop presenters, or subject matter experts. Volunteers come from various personal and professional backgrounds, but they share a passion for lifelong learning, giving back to others, and enriching their local communities. Last year, the organization’s volunteers collectively donated 3,980,987 hours of service.
Mentor DeLisa Clift said, “Today SCORE has a very diverse group of individuals who are mentoring and volunteering within the organization… we can come together and meet our clients where they are.”
Click here to learn more about volunteering opportunities.
About SCORE
Since 1964, SCORE has helped 11 million entrepreneurs to start or grow a business. In addition, its 10,000 volunteers provide free mentoring, workshops, and educational services to 1,500+ communities nationwide, creating 45,027 new businesses and 74,535 non-owner jobs in 2020 alone. Visit their website at www.score.org. Follow @SCOREMentors on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The organization is funded [in part] through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Related Article: OneUnited Bank is Supporting Struggling Black Businesses – ENSPIRE Magazine
