SCORE Announces 'Business Plan Assist' Program to Aid Entrepreneurs in Effective Planning

WASHINGTON, July 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SCORE, – www.score.org – mentors to America's small businesses, debuts the Business Plan Assist program which pairs expert small business mentors with current and aspiring small business owners to aid them in creating business plans that will guide their startup or strategize for growth.

According to a 2010 survey by Palo Alto Software, entrepreneurs who completed a business plan were twice as likely to grow their business or obtain capital. And further analysis found that writing a business plan correlated with increased success in every one of the business goals surveyed including: obtaining a loan, getting investment capital, making a major purchase, recruiting a new team member, thinking more strategically and growing the company. 

Over the past 50 years, SCORE has assisted over 10 million entrepreneurs in planning and executing successful strategies in their small businesses. This includes clients from the start-up phase like Green Grocer Chicago whose owner, Cassie Green, said "My mentors helped me create a roadmap for my business and see that I was approaching it from the wrong direction" and whose subsequent success has allowed her to recently open a second retail location. SCORE also assists in-business clients like Aurico Reports who regularly call on their mentor, or in their case a team of four SCORE mentors, to evaluate their business's current state, identify opportunities for growth and create a plan to achieve these goals. Their resulting success allowed Aurico Reports to add 12 new full-time positions in 2012, over 20 years after their founding. 

SCORE's new Business Plan Assist program pairs any aspiring or current small business owner in the U.S. with a certified SCORE mentor suited to their industry and business stage and with extensive experience in business planning. Business owners can choose to connect online, by phone or in person at one of SCORE's 320+ chapter locations across the country.


In addition to one-on-one assistance, the Business Plan Assist program includes supplemental opportunities for business plan education including:

• Comprehensive business plan templates, resources and articles available online at www.score.org
• A live Q&A webinar addressing common business planning questions
• A live tweetchat featuring the knowledge of an expert in small business planning

"This is a fantastic opportunity for small businesses owners to have their business plan questions and concerns met with expert advice," said SCORE's Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Bridget Weston Pollack. "For 50 years, our mentors have helped entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life through effective planning and we look forward to the next 50 years of helping even more small businesses plan for their success."

Find out more and get started with SCORE Business Plan Assist at www.score.org/business-plan-assist

About SCORE
Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 10 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE provides small business mentoring, workshops and education to more than 375,000 new and growing small businesses. More than 11,000 business experts volunteer as mentors in over 320 chapters serving local communities with entrepreneur education.

For more information about starting or operating a small business, call 1-800/634-0245 for the SCORE chapter nearest you. Visit SCORE at www.score.org. Connect with SCORE at www.facebook.com/SCOREFans and www.twitter.com/SCOREMentors.

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