Retirement left Coachella Valley SCORE Chairman Liz Hauer missing the world of business that had been a huge part of her life for so long. Hauer, who had enjoyed a "lengthy career in retail", realized she had much to give back. She now serves as business mentor at SCORE Coachella Valley and has been helping entrepreneurs to gain success for three years.
In an email interview, Hauer explained how SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer expert business mentors, can help small businesses get off the ground and expand toward individual goals. These one-one-one mentorships have been a valuable resource since 1964. Coachella Valley's branch of SCORE started serving small businesses in 1975, offering mentorship without charge.
“SCORE is an amazing resource providing free of charge one-on-one mentoring and expert workshops on every business topic," Hauer said in the interview. "The depth of specific industry knowledge that our mentors bring is remarkable and invaluable.”
Those who sign up for mentorship will find the branch ready with over 20 volunteers able to assist clients on a variety of needs, including creating business plans, considering retail strategies, obtaining funding, developing marketing plans and validating the need for a particular product. Hauer likens it to “one-stop-shopping” assistance because SCORE mentors are skilled in a variety of business disciplines, such as manufacturing, banking, hospitality, real estate and retail. More than 300 unique clients are benefited through 1,200 sessions per year, and SCORE continues to reach out to others in need.
The value of SCORE mentorship is affirmed by its considerable growth, which includes strides in developing effective digital communication. With tools like Zoom and FaceTime, SCORE can mentor anyone from anywhere, Hauer said in the interview. Zoom also makes it possible to conduct webinars on a variety of topics for clients through live or recorded sessions. These Zoom programs are available through the chapter website.
While a typical mentorship consists of hour-long appointments over a period of six months, some clients have worked with SCORE for years. Hauer said that when they first meet clients, their emotions run to extremes: Either they are very excited about the prospects for their new business or very discouraged because of difficulty getting their idea off the ground.
Both types of clients can be helped to reach their business goals through SCORE and those like Hauer who have a lifetime of knowledge to offer.