Elliot Baritz long knew that the Fairfield County SCORE was one of the best in the nation; and now he has the award to prove it.
Baritz is the chairman of the Fairfield group, which was anointed the chapter of year out of 389 by the national SCORE administration.
SCORE, which stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives, is funded by the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) and through grants and member contributions. SCORE counselors are unpaid volunteers who are retired business executives and owners.
SCORE and the SBA honored Baritz and Fairfield County SCORE during Small Business Week 2007 in Washington, D.C.
Fairfield County SCORE provided 3,645 services through counseling and workshops last year ”” an increase of 39 percent from the year before. The chapter works with libraries, universities and colleges to provide free business workshops; attendance was up 56 percent over the previous year.
“We”™ve known for years this is one of top chapters,” Baritz said.
The Fairfield chapter applied for the award five years ago and was named a finalist. This year, in just its second attempt in the contest, the Fairfield chapter won the award.
“It is a result of a good marketing effort to get the name out,” he said of the chapter”™s success. “We get a lot of word-of-mouth, and recommendations of previous clients. Our follow-up rate (of clients returning for additional services) is 76 percent, which very few chapters have.”
The Fairfield chapter has 47 counselors, who have business expertise in a wide array of categories.
Counselors make personal visits with clients who are starting their own business, and also conduct group workshops. SCORE counselors can provide services such as assistance with writing a business plan, advice on securing startup loans, answers to legal questions, and much more, said Baritz.
For example, Baritz, who has been a SCORE counselor for nine years, formerly ran a metal stamping business with 100 employees.
The award, he said, validated that the Fairfield chapter “does most things right.”
“Our clients have a high degree of satisfaction, we know that.”
One such client is Shannon Converse, who started a business, My Tutor and Me, with her husband, Fred, five years ago.
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The couple went to SCORE when they were thinking about starting their own business and received help writing a business plan and brainstorming ideas of what services the business would offer.
“It was really nice that they provided counseling and guidance at no cost to us,” she said.
Now, the business, which offers in-home tutoring placement and referral, is thriving. Converse said the businesses”™ net profits have doubled for the past three years.
She said the one of the couple”™s original counselors, Ray Wolfe, still checks in with them to see how the business is doing.
“He”™s almost like a cheerleader, it”™s very encouraging,” she said. “That has been very motivating.”
Since 1964, SCORE has assisted more than 7.6 million aspiring entrepreneurs and small-business owners through counseling and business workshops, according to the SBA. More than 10,500 volunteer business counselors in 389 chapters serve their communities through entrepreneur education dedicated to the formation, growth and success of small businesses.
“Fairfield County SCORE has made a tremendous impact in the lives of local entrepreneurs,” said Ken Yancey, SCORE chief executive officer. “The chapter’s volunteers have really helped their community by providing mentoring that helps small-business owners succeed.”
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