February 3, 2025 • 30 mins
Jessamyn discusses SCORE with volunteer mentor, Suvendoo Ray and Betsy Dougert, VP of External Relations for SCORE, a mentoring nonprofit that offers resources to new and small business owners at no cost.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Missus.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Jessamin McIntyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your community Voice
presented by iHeartRadio Seattle. And joining me now is Suvendu Ray,
who is a volunteer member of SCORE on the tail
end of National Mentoring Month.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Sevendo, how are you today?
Speaker 3 (00:14):
I'm doing very well.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Thank you, Thank you for your time. Now.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I have a lot of questions about SCORE and the
mentoring that you guys do here, So why don't you
tell me a little bit about the organization and exactly
what they do for people.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Seattle a chapter of SCORE, which is a national organization
partially funded by the US Congress.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
We do three main things.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
One is that we offer workshops to clients, small business owners, startups.
The workshops can be based on how to write a
business plan, how to do profitability analysis, how to do taxes,
all those things we offer those workshops. Second thing we
do we offer one on one mentoring. Many of our
(00:59):
volunteers is all top level execs and major corporations. After
they're retire, they become volunteers to extend their knowledge and their.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Experience to new business owners.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Third thing we do is a lot of community engagement
by engaged in various community, or they're starting a new business,
or they're from a different uh passive life. So we
do a lot of community engagement to keep everything kind
of proceeding that way. So basically we are looking at
the volunteers and the clients. Modern tiers are people who
(01:32):
have the experienced clients are mostly no startup companies, how
to start a company, how to run a company, and
how to you know, dispose up the company, all those things,
how to run a business and everything here in Seattle
is offered for free of charge.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Wow, that is a lot that you guys offer over
at Score against Vendu Ray joining me from SCORE, I
just wanted to know how you got involved. It sounds
like you have some hard hitting volunteers there. What exactly
do you do when you're not volunteering and how did
you get involved with SCORE.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I got involved with Score back in twenty twenty after
my retirement from my previous life.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
And when I started the.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
SCORE, I was doing a lot of workshops like teaching
marketing classes and you know, how to sell things. Then
I was doing a lot of mentoring. About a year
and a half ago that came to me to say, hey,
you know why don't you think about running the chapter
as our chermany and so I kind of took on
that challenge about since twenty twenty three, end of twenty
(02:37):
twenty three, so that's been kind of my focus for
the last you know, about a year and a half
or so. So basically because we do have quite a
few volunteers. We got close to two hundred voluntiers, which
is one of the biggest chapters in the country. So
we keep a lot of people engaged in a lot
of people's mentor a lot of people's offering workshop. Just
(03:01):
to give you an example, if you look at the you know,
a year of twenty twenty four, you know, we did
about close to twenty five.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Hundred clients mentor wow, you know.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Yeah, and we offered workshop just in a Seattle branch
around six thousand man, Okay, I know, six thousand clients.
So it's a huge chapter. And we do make a
contribution to creating a lot of small businesses and lots
of jobs.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Yeah, that sounds amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
And you know, you mentioned your involvement started in twenty
twenty that was a hard time for our businesses to
get off the ground, and I think that people are
still climbing out of it right now. In your previous life,
you mentioned that you started after you retired, So what
about your previous job life, your own life, your personal
life made you want to get involved with SCORE.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Well, in my previous life, my work was mostly when
you're flying at big airplane, I told it so I
used to tell our planes over the world, And after
about thirty five years of doing that, when I was
still relatively young and in good spirit, and I wanted
to continue that effort by now working and mentoring small businesses.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
My previous life, I used to work with the big entrepreneurs,
you know, airline owners and so on.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
But now I want to extend my knowledge from that
sector into small businesses. And the exciting power of Party
Score is that every small business I mentor, or I
talk to, or I offer workshops to, we all had
different backgrounds. It's a very very exciting field to see
all these small companies setting out all these different kind
of businesses. And to me, that's pretty exciting.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
It really is.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Svendu Ray is joining me from SCORE, mentoring organization that
helps small businesses and new businesses, and Svendu I wanted
to ask a little bit more specifically. I mean Seattle,
for instance, is a city that generally does support small
and new businesses. We see that a lot as compared
to other cities across the country. But again, it is
(05:07):
not a small endeavor to get involved. What kind of
things if let's say I came in I had a
small business right now, I went to one of your workshops,
what kind of things could I learn?
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Workshop? You can learn?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
We offer many, many workshops, hundreds of workshops, all different fields.
You know how to market your shop, you know, how
do you write a business class? So, for example, let's
say you came to us, say, hey, I'm uh, you know,
I want to start a new business. Let's say it,
and I'm going to just take a random and let's
say a painting painting business. Okay, so we can we
offer you that. The two main things because okay, where
(05:39):
are you? The first thing we do, you got two choices.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
You can sign up for any.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Of the classes, which is all online at Seattle dotscore
dot org. So you can register for those classes and
attend those workshops. Many of these workshops are offered live
over the internet.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
The second thing is you can do is that Okay,
I took this class. We have ninety participants. Not all
of my answers, not all my questions got answered. So
I want to meet up with a mentor one on
one to develop let's say business plan. So you can
take a biggest plan class, get the you know, the
(06:16):
macro essence suffect. But how do I tie that with
myself as a new business. So what we do We
assign you with a mentor that has that expertise.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
So then what you do.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Then you have one on one mentoring session for as
long as you want. We got mentor or different mentors
depending that you need to change. Let's say one day
you came to write a business plan. One of our
mentors might be really bright in that field. Next time
you say, you know what, I've got the business plan done,
I want to look at.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
The cash flow. But the person that was a mentor
you or c.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Will bring in a different mentor, the co mentor with
you who has expertise and cash flow, so you can
grow start the business, grow the business as you go along,
having all these people that are completely behind you. And
the great thing is it's all done at no charge,
which is a big challenge because when you go out
(07:08):
to the market a small business person. Let's say you're
starting a small business. For you to go hire a consultant,
how to write a business plan or how to do
a cash flow can't be fairy expensive. So what we
do we offer our services by mentoring, so we always
give you a neutral view to what you're looking at.
We don't tally, oh, go do this. What we try
(07:30):
to do we try to get people to think through
is to what are the choices? What are the pros
and con of these choices you make? Because, like I said,
if you.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Are a painter, you are a painter, right right.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
You might be fantastic at pinking a house or a building,
but maybe you asking a question, Hey, you know what,
I want to grow my business thirty percent and how
do I do that? Or when you're starting your business,
how do I start a business?
Speaker 4 (07:56):
For example? You know we're educating you where to go
to get your license?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Seem hard to get you the first policy is done,
all those things we take you to step by the time.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Wow, that's pretty amazing.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
So it sounds like you not only help launch, but
you help assist along the way as people's businesses are
off the ground and developing.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
I mean there are many of these businesses that keep
in touch with them for years and years. Basically what
we go on to you don't need us anymore, but
they always keep in touch because you know. See the
thing is that you know when people are mentoring is
this sounds like the two way street. Okay, it's not
a job, it's it's a.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Two way street.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
We build relationships with these businesses and they'll build reasonship
with us because in the future they may need us,
or they're friends who are not the.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Buginess may need us. So it's a.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Two way communication to two way relationship.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Wow, that is really special.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
One of the things that I always like to do
on the show is ask my guests some story, some memory.
I mean, it sounds like you've had so many clients
come through. I'd imagine that you have a couple of
access stories you might be able to share.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Absolutely, what we do is we celebrate a success story
every quarter. So one of the things that Seattle chapter does,
we have what's called it Busneys's b i z ny
w z So I did put your email address in
that sea to get in the future businews.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
So there we.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Talked about and every publication comes out every quarter. We
also got bulletin a success story between.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
A client and a volunteer.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
So for example that you know, one of the things
we did last quarter was about a brewery. You know,
a person started a brewery in Seattle area and picked
one from mentors to take that person to how to
open the brewery, how to grow, how to build new brewery.
So that became a success story. So typically every quarter
(09:51):
we got lots of success stories, so we actually we
go publish them, you know, one success story a quarter
at least because there's so many busines to start up
and all different kinds.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
So you know, that's how.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
We keep the clients and peers. And this business goes
out with that to the clients and the volunteer. It
goes out to libraries, it goes to banks, it goes
to all different people, like to over forty thousand people
with this business and you just a brand new thing
that we came up with. So we always celebrate the
success stories at least once a quarter because it shows
(10:26):
it shows the future volunteers. Remember our goal is to
get more volunteers and get more clients, right, that's how
we grow our business. Of course, you've done a volunteer basis.
But so that's how we grow our business because we
want to go out and show to the people who
are thinking about starting a business how to start a
business and look great success story.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
You've given back from your experience in the corporate world
and the sales world and the business world. Do you
get people coming back who have gone through your program
quote unquote graduated started a business who come back as
volunteer years.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Yes, we have had cases what people go and you know,
when when people are starting a small business, member a
small business, the most I always said that your most
important resource is your time. You can only work sixteen
hours a day. Okay, after that he got rest or
whatever you got to do. So in the beginning when
(11:21):
they starts, someone are starting a business. They cannot go
hire twenty people right if if if you look at
the major industries in our country, many of this business.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Are three to five people.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
So so and there's spend a lot of time getting
the business started, getting the business going. But yes, they
do come back to mental eventually because they because they learned.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
It right, they are a testament to the program.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
You'll do absolutely and that's why we also engage community activities,
like we go to a college to show what score
score does? You know, It's like it's like a hidden due,
but we try to get it out there more often
so people when people realize that this is what score does,
we you know, we get a lot of people coming
through for a workshop mentoring, so both volunteers and clients,
(12:11):
they'll step into it.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
That's pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
And again Sundu Ray is joining me from school. I
think a lot of people when they hear mentoring months
and a mentoring program, they think scholastically. And you are
actually teaching people business acumen that they can use in
the graduated real world beyond school.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yes, we are not taking from a great white tower now,
so we actually these are people who have done businesses.
The guy that helps you, the person is coming. The
person that helps you, like you tactics. That person knows
how to do that right, okay, so they can stow
you how to go do about it. You know, they
can show you, well, you're the task flow. You know,
(12:51):
if you move around these numbers, maybe it will make
a difference.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
You know.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
The thing is that mentoring is, like I said, it's
a very much two way street. You learn about their
business when I when I get you know, I do
a lot of mentoring as well. Or I used to
just repute because of my other responsibility.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
Hear, you always learn about their business. I said, Hey,
how do you do that?
Speaker 3 (13:11):
It's kind of cool, right, So I get something out
of it and they get something out of me. Hey,
how do I, you know, increase my sales? So how
do I do my marketing? How do I go after
the you know.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
The messes?
Speaker 4 (13:22):
So so it's always a two way street.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
That's why mentoring is really a great activity because, like
I said, it's a two way street.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
To finish things up.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
What you would tell people who were in a position
like you were in twenty twenty, who are listening right now,
why they should get involved if they're thinking about it.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Yeah, you know, like I said, we do attract lots
of other tiers. We have a new volunteers coming in
all the time. And do you know for it to
be another tier to score, we have to go through
a very rigorous process. They have to study part and everything, okay,
with a known method of study. Find the mentors and
people that come to pitch workshop. They got to go
(14:02):
to the same process. So we have to make sure
of other teers that are doing the work, they're all certified.
We need to to the score standards so that when
people come in they have to go to a certification process.
I mean they could be ex chairman of a major corporation,
but they still have to go to our certification process.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
That is awesome.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
So bendu Ray, you are doing a ton of fantastic work.
I am completely enthralled. I'm you know, looking this up
right now. I mean you might see me in a
workshop sometime soon.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
That'll be great. No, No, that's the life is about learning, right,
You never learned anything.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
I'm going to learn some more.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Yes, exactly. We're never done. We're never done. We're all students.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Yeah, but that's why the mentors all they hang around.
I mean we've got mentors done twenty five years.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I'm like, wow, that's shocked. I mean that in a
good way. I'm shocked because that they know what.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
I'm learning something out of it.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Like you said, it's a two a street.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Well, thank you so much for your time and teaching
us all about score. We really appreciate and you have
a wonderful rest of your weekend.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
You have great good too. Nice talking with you again.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
This is Jessamin McIntyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your
community Voice, presented by iHeartRadio Seattle. And now to get
a bigger picture view of everything that SCORE does. Joining
me now is Betsy Dogart, who is the vice president
of External Relations for SCORE as we wrap up with
National Mentoring Month in twenty twenty five. Betsy, first of all,
I want to thank you so much for your time.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
How you doing today, I'm doing great.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Thank you so much for having us and giving me
a chance to talk about SCORE.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Yeah, I'm really excited about this.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
I got very interested in reading about you and talking
to Sue Bendu Ray, who is a volunteer mentor here
in Seattle, which is one of the bigger chapters in
the country.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
So I want to.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Start with your role at SCORE as vice president of
external Relations.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
What does that entail?
Speaker 5 (15:49):
So, as the vice president of External Relations, I have
the amazing job of sharing the story of SCORE all
across the country through our media, public relations, social media,
community partnerships, and government relations work. And it's a wonderful story.
We have ten thousand volunteer mentors all across the country.
(16:11):
Mentors like su Vendu, who comes from every state in
the nation. They have expertise in all different industries and
anyone who wants to start or grow a small business
can tap into the SCORE network and access this wonderful mentoring.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Yeah, it's great.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I just wanted to get a little bit of background
on SCORE itself.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
How and why was it founded?
Speaker 5 (16:33):
Great questions. So we have actually been around for sixty
years at this point. The year is our sixtieth anniversary.
We were founded as a resource partner of the US
Small Business Administration actually in Wilmington, Delaware, by a group
of retired DuPont executives who had a ton of business
(16:54):
expertise and a desire to give back. And since then
we have grown to this amazing vol into your core
ten thousand mentors strong, and really grown the program to
provide support to anyone who wants to start, or troubleshoot
or grow their small business. We also have a lot
of people who just have an idea and a dream
(17:15):
and aren't sure how to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
That's great to know too.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
You don't have to come with a business plan for
you guys to spruce up. You can just come in
with this is what I'd like to do.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
Absolutely, yeah, we will help you with that business planning.
One of the very most popular resources on our website
is the one page business plan, So that shows.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
You that it can be simple.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
It needs to be well thought out and well done,
but it doesn't have to be a huge long document.
It can be simple and it can take you right
where you need to go. And our mentors are very
experienced in helping business owners or would be small business
owners create.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
That user friendly is awesome when you're navigating an unknown world,
so very much appreciated from a lot of people. Before
we started talking in this interview, we talked off. I
was saying that my husband is signing up for a
workshop and I'm probably going to go with him, just
to learn a little bit more about the resources that
are available. And I'd imagine that you get a lot
(18:10):
of people that have zero to very little experience in
the business world.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
Exactly right. Yeah, I hope you both really enjoy that workshop.
I absolutely think you should go. It really is amazing
how many of our business owners are working double time.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
A lot of them are working.
Speaker 5 (18:26):
By day in one role, maybe a nine to five,
and starting a business that night time, or maybe they
are currently operating a small business and launching a second
small business. So all of our tools are designed to
really help people out who are tight on time, need
good clear answers, and just need help getting where they
need to go.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Betsy Dogart joining me from SCORE.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
She is the vice president of External Relations here on
Seattle Voice. I'm Jessaman McIntyre and from everything that you've
told me so far and everything that I've been able
to read about SCORE, I imagine what.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Drew you to the organization. But how'd you get involved?
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (19:02):
So, I've actually been with SCORE for nine years now.
I can't believe it. It has been an amazing nine years.
One of my favorite things to do is to get
to know our amazing mentors who are volunteering their time
every day to do what they do best. So these
are experienced business people. All of our mentors are folks
(19:24):
who either have a corporate executive background or an entrepreneurial
background themselves.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
Some are currently.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
Working, some are retired. But what they all have in
common is this desire to give back and to help
other business owners by sharing their own stories of what's worked,
what best practices there are, and even sharing stories of
what hasn't worked, some of their own business failures, so
that our clients can avoid making those same mistakes themselves.
(19:54):
So it really is those mentors who inspire me to
do what I do every day and supporting them behind
the scenes.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
I love to hear it, and I got so interested
in this organization the more and more that I learned. Now,
Souvendu told me all about the local chapter up here
in Seattle, which I mentioned is a very large chapter.
But you said ten thousand volunteers across the country. What
kind of growth have you seen nationally?
Speaker 5 (20:19):
Yeah, so we do have over two hundred different chapters
in global communities. But what's really neat in addition to
that is we have a one Score network that connects
all of those chapters across the country and allows the
mentors to share resources from chapter to chapter and also
our clients, the small business owners themselves, to tap into
(20:41):
that Onescore network as well for knowledge and education and
information sharing. So there has been a ton of growth
in the time that I've been with SCORE as we
really learn how to maximize all of our resources and
amplify each other's work.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
That's pretty awesome because you know, do this and don't
do that. The successes. I know that you guys monthly,
at least here in Seattle share success stories, and I
love hearing those. But i'd have to imagine, other than
helping those small and new business owners themselves, that there's
a strong local impact in the communities in which those
businesses operate.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Yes, that's absolutely true.
Speaker 5 (21:21):
The local element is key because our mentors aren't just
giving their knowledge and their expertise and their advice. They're
also making community connections. And that's something that our business
owners tell us is equally as helpful and as impactful
as the mentoring itself is. For the mentors to know, Okay,
(21:41):
you're starting this kind of business, we're going to bring
in this person with this level of expertise, or you're
starting this kind of business, we need to think about
the following regulations, which might be local or hey, let's
get the word out about your business by talking to
our local media station. They would be very interested in
this story. So that's the value of the local connections.
(22:02):
But then we do have this broad national network that
ensures no matter where people are in the country, they
can tap into that broader nationwide pool of knowledge, of expertise,
of connections, so it really is the best of both worlds.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Before.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Yeah, it sounds like there's a lot of cross pollination
and a lot of idea sharing. Do you guys have
national conferences for all the volunteers to get together or
is it more of an online thing where everybody just
has the ability to communicate with each other whenever they'd like.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
So it's a little bit of both.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
Some years, we do have a national conference for our volunteers.
Every year for our small business owner clients, we partner
with the SBA on National Small Business Week.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
That is a.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
Multi day online conference that takes place in the very
beginning of May typically, and it is designed to mirror
the look and feel of an in person conference. There
are all sorts of edge educational workshops, keynotes, speakers, There's
a networking lounge.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
Where business owners can talk to each other.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
There's an exhibitor hall where business owners can stop by
different booths and learn about products and services that might
be helpful to them. So I would definitely encourage anyone
listening to keep an eye on our website and look
out for that and attend if you can. It's totally free,
and actually that's something that I haven't really said so
far that I.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Would love to highlight.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Please do because yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
So, because Court is primarily federally funded, we are able
to keep the vast majority of our services completely free.
Our mentoring is always free, and our educational workshops are
either free or if we need to cover some kind
of material cost like making a textbook, they'll be very
very low cost. So, you know, sometimes people are sort
(23:52):
of curious about that, like why is it free?
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Is there a catch?
Speaker 5 (23:56):
Am I going to get in and you're going to
upsell me? And so I love to just we m
and tell people it is free because you have prepaid
this with your federal tax dollars. So please take advantage
of these services. They are here for you, and we
are ready and willing to welcome you into the Score family.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
I was going to ask you about the funding. Suvendu
did mention that to me, and it is awesome. You know.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
I think some people.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Watch Shark Tank and the shows like that all the
time and they wonder, Okay, am I going to have
to pay a percentage of my business to you coming
out of here?
Speaker 1 (24:29):
I'd imagine that's not the case.
Speaker 5 (24:31):
That is certainly not the case. No, there will never
be a charge for any of our mentoring. All of
our mentors keep their mentoring sessions strictly confidential, so business
owners don't need to be worried about their information or
anything proprietary ever leaving the mentoring session. But since you
mentioned Shark Tank, I would also love to highlight that
(24:52):
some of our chapters run local business pitch competitions that
are kind of a Shark Tank style. You know, business
owners work with a mentor to qualify and then pitch
their products for various prizes. Sometimes we'll work with outside
sponsors and partners in order to award monetary prizes, but
(25:13):
sometimes there are things like opportunities to present products to
a larger audience.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
So a while ago we had.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Partnered with the with HfN and so the winners of
that had a chance to pitch their products to executives there.
And more recently we did a sixtieth anniversary pitch competition
and that one did have pretty significant monetary prizes thanks
to our generous sponsors. So just keep an eye out
on your local score website or on the national website,
(25:41):
which is score dot org. We're always highlighting opportunities and
events like that that business owners can take advantage of.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
That is a wonderful thing to know because that goes
well beyond the mentoring. That's why I first wanted to
talk to you as about this National Mentoring Month was
in January.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Let's highlight you now, and all of.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
A sudden, it's wow, you can really get yourself in
front of the people you want to.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
That's awesome.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
Exactly right. We're a very well networked and resourced group
of people.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
Our mentors have.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
Been in business for years and are willing to use
any and all of those connections to help business owners.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
So you're exactly right that.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
It goes well beyond mentoring and into community connections and
education and opportunities for the future.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Again, this is Betsy Dogert, vice president of External Relations
for Score Jessamin McIntyre here with Seattle Voice, and one
of my favorite things on this show is to ask
my guests about a personal story, you know, a personal
success story that they've seen, or just a favorite moment
during their time with any organization.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Do you have one you might be able to share?
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Ooh, it's really difficult to choose.
Speaker 5 (26:50):
There are so many beautiful stories. And I would say
more Bradly, my favorite part about working at SCORE is
getting to see small business owners dreams come true. These
are folks who have a passion for the product or
the service that they provide. They want to positively impact
their communities. They provide jobs and they really make a
(27:12):
difference in the communities that they live in.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
And so every.
Speaker 5 (27:16):
Day, you know, that is what I focus on when
I need motivation and encouragement, is just looking at these
folks who are working so so hard to make their
dreams come true and just being so happy I can
support them. And then in terms of a personal story,
I can I can tell you a family story.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
So my own sister in law is a small business owner.
Speaker 5 (27:38):
She is a wedding planner in Charleston, South Carolina, and
she was a SCORE client years ago and was pretty.
Speaker 4 (27:45):
Young, She's younger than I am.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
And she worked with a SCORE mentor who helped her
realize that she was ready to go into business for herself.
At the time, she was working for someone else at
a very successful company. She was busy, she was running hard,
and she had this dream to start her own business.
And when she sat down with a Score mentor who
looked over her books, looked over her connections in the
community and where she would source clients and business from.
(28:09):
He told her, believe it or not, you're ready to
go now, and she was, and she launched her own
small business, and that is that's what she works in
to this day. She's incredibly successful and she may have
eventually gotten there, but she would not have gotten there
as quickly or as well without her score mentor.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Man, these are the stories that get me excited to
go to a workshop. I'm telling you, all right, I'll
wrap things up again.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Betsy Dokert with me. What would you tell people?
Speaker 2 (28:38):
We covered a lot of the people that are looking
into starting businesses or growing them, But what would you
tell people who are thinking about volunteering or getting involved
in the mentoring program?
Speaker 5 (28:49):
Oh, that would be wonderful. We are always welcoming new volunteers.
The qualifications are that you need to have significant business experience,
but we welcome volunteers of all ages, every part of
the country, every area of business industry, and we will
help train you to be able to translate your knowledge
(29:09):
to clients because it's one thing to know all this
business expertise that's another thing to be able to teach
it to other people. And we have a whole SCORE
mentoring methodology that enables business people to become mentors, to
become educators. So we are absolutely doors are open for
new volunteers.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
We would love to have you.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
That is so great.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
I'm sure that this will reach somebody out there, maybe
hopefully people, hopefully many, many bodies will come in following
this interview. Thank you so much, Betsy for your time
and good luck in the future with SCORE.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
Thank you so much. Good luck at the workshop.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Definitely let me know how it goes. I will definitely
keep in touch. Thank you for listening.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
This has been Seattle Voice presented by iHeartRadio Seattle. I'm
Jessamin McIntyre and for show ideas or to find out
how your voice can be heard, email Seattle Voice at
iHeartMedia dot com.
Missus.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Jessamin McIntyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your community Voice
presented by iHeartRadio Seattle. And joining me now is Suvendu Ray,
who is a volunteer member of SCORE on the tail
end of National Mentoring Month.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Sevendo, how are you today?
Speaker 3 (00:14):
I'm doing very well.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Thank you, Thank you for your time. Now.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I have a lot of questions about SCORE and the
mentoring that you guys do here, So why don't you
tell me a little bit about the organization and exactly
what they do for people.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Seattle a chapter of SCORE, which is a national organization
partially funded by the US Congress.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
We do three main things.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
One is that we offer workshops to clients, small business owners, startups.
The workshops can be based on how to write a
business plan, how to do profitability analysis, how to do taxes,
all those things we offer those workshops. Second thing we
do we offer one on one mentoring. Many of our
(00:59):
volunteers is all top level execs and major corporations. After
they're retire, they become volunteers to extend their knowledge and their.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Experience to new business owners.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Third thing we do is a lot of community engagement
by engaged in various community, or they're starting a new business,
or they're from a different uh passive life. So we
do a lot of community engagement to keep everything kind
of proceeding that way. So basically we are looking at
the volunteers and the clients. Modern tiers are people who
(01:32):
have the experienced clients are mostly no startup companies, how
to start a company, how to run a company, and
how to you know, dispose up the company, all those things,
how to run a business and everything here in Seattle
is offered for free of charge.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Wow, that is a lot that you guys offer over
at Score against Vendu Ray joining me from SCORE, I
just wanted to know how you got involved. It sounds
like you have some hard hitting volunteers there. What exactly
do you do when you're not volunteering and how did
you get involved with SCORE.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I got involved with Score back in twenty twenty after
my retirement from my previous life.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
And when I started the.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
SCORE, I was doing a lot of workshops like teaching
marketing classes and you know, how to sell things. Then
I was doing a lot of mentoring. About a year
and a half ago that came to me to say, hey,
you know why don't you think about running the chapter
as our chermany and so I kind of took on
that challenge about since twenty twenty three, end of twenty
(02:37):
twenty three, so that's been kind of my focus for
the last you know, about a year and a half
or so. So basically because we do have quite a
few volunteers. We got close to two hundred voluntiers, which
is one of the biggest chapters in the country. So
we keep a lot of people engaged in a lot
of people's mentor a lot of people's offering workshop. Just
(03:01):
to give you an example, if you look at the you know,
a year of twenty twenty four, you know, we did
about close to twenty five.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Hundred clients mentor wow, you know.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Yeah, and we offered workshop just in a Seattle branch
around six thousand man, Okay, I know, six thousand clients.
So it's a huge chapter. And we do make a
contribution to creating a lot of small businesses and lots
of jobs.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Yeah, that sounds amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
And you know, you mentioned your involvement started in twenty
twenty that was a hard time for our businesses to
get off the ground, and I think that people are
still climbing out of it right now. In your previous life,
you mentioned that you started after you retired, So what
about your previous job life, your own life, your personal
life made you want to get involved with SCORE.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Well, in my previous life, my work was mostly when
you're flying at big airplane, I told it so I
used to tell our planes over the world, And after
about thirty five years of doing that, when I was
still relatively young and in good spirit, and I wanted
to continue that effort by now working and mentoring small businesses.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
My previous life, I used to work with the big entrepreneurs,
you know, airline owners and so on.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
But now I want to extend my knowledge from that
sector into small businesses. And the exciting power of Party
Score is that every small business I mentor, or I
talk to, or I offer workshops to, we all had
different backgrounds. It's a very very exciting field to see
all these small companies setting out all these different kind
of businesses. And to me, that's pretty exciting.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
It really is.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Svendu Ray is joining me from SCORE, mentoring organization that
helps small businesses and new businesses, and Svendu I wanted
to ask a little bit more specifically. I mean Seattle,
for instance, is a city that generally does support small
and new businesses. We see that a lot as compared
to other cities across the country. But again, it is
(05:07):
not a small endeavor to get involved. What kind of
things if let's say I came in I had a
small business right now, I went to one of your workshops,
what kind of things could I learn?
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Workshop? You can learn?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
We offer many, many workshops, hundreds of workshops, all different fields.
You know how to market your shop, you know, how
do you write a business class? So, for example, let's
say you came to us, say, hey, I'm uh, you know,
I want to start a new business. Let's say it,
and I'm going to just take a random and let's
say a painting painting business. Okay, so we can we
offer you that. The two main things because okay, where
(05:39):
are you? The first thing we do, you got two choices.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
You can sign up for any.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Of the classes, which is all online at Seattle dotscore
dot org. So you can register for those classes and
attend those workshops. Many of these workshops are offered live
over the internet.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
The second thing is you can do is that Okay,
I took this class. We have ninety participants. Not all
of my answers, not all my questions got answered. So
I want to meet up with a mentor one on
one to develop let's say business plan. So you can
take a biggest plan class, get the you know, the
(06:16):
macro essence suffect. But how do I tie that with
myself as a new business. So what we do We
assign you with a mentor that has that expertise.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
So then what you do.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Then you have one on one mentoring session for as
long as you want. We got mentor or different mentors
depending that you need to change. Let's say one day
you came to write a business plan. One of our
mentors might be really bright in that field. Next time
you say, you know what, I've got the business plan done,
I want to look at.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
The cash flow. But the person that was a mentor
you or c.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Will bring in a different mentor, the co mentor with
you who has expertise and cash flow, so you can
grow start the business, grow the business as you go along,
having all these people that are completely behind you. And
the great thing is it's all done at no charge,
which is a big challenge because when you go out
(07:08):
to the market a small business person. Let's say you're
starting a small business. For you to go hire a consultant,
how to write a business plan or how to do
a cash flow can't be fairy expensive. So what we
do we offer our services by mentoring, so we always
give you a neutral view to what you're looking at.
We don't tally, oh, go do this. What we try
(07:30):
to do we try to get people to think through
is to what are the choices? What are the pros
and con of these choices you make? Because, like I said,
if you.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Are a painter, you are a painter, right right.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
You might be fantastic at pinking a house or a building,
but maybe you asking a question, Hey, you know what,
I want to grow my business thirty percent and how
do I do that? Or when you're starting your business,
how do I start a business?
Speaker 4 (07:56):
For example? You know we're educating you where to go
to get your license?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Seem hard to get you the first policy is done,
all those things we take you to step by the time.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Wow, that's pretty amazing.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
So it sounds like you not only help launch, but
you help assist along the way as people's businesses are
off the ground and developing.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
I mean there are many of these businesses that keep
in touch with them for years and years. Basically what
we go on to you don't need us anymore, but
they always keep in touch because you know. See the
thing is that you know when people are mentoring is
this sounds like the two way street. Okay, it's not
a job, it's it's a.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Two way street.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
We build relationships with these businesses and they'll build reasonship
with us because in the future they may need us,
or they're friends who are not the.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Buginess may need us. So it's a.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Two way communication to two way relationship.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Wow, that is really special.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
One of the things that I always like to do
on the show is ask my guests some story, some memory.
I mean, it sounds like you've had so many clients
come through. I'd imagine that you have a couple of
access stories you might be able to share.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Absolutely, what we do is we celebrate a success story
every quarter. So one of the things that Seattle chapter does,
we have what's called it Busneys's b i z ny
w z So I did put your email address in
that sea to get in the future businews.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
So there we.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Talked about and every publication comes out every quarter. We
also got bulletin a success story between.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
A client and a volunteer.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
So for example that you know, one of the things
we did last quarter was about a brewery. You know,
a person started a brewery in Seattle area and picked
one from mentors to take that person to how to
open the brewery, how to grow, how to build new brewery.
So that became a success story. So typically every quarter
(09:51):
we got lots of success stories, so we actually we
go publish them, you know, one success story a quarter
at least because there's so many busines to start up
and all different kinds.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
So you know, that's how.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
We keep the clients and peers. And this business goes
out with that to the clients and the volunteer. It
goes out to libraries, it goes to banks, it goes
to all different people, like to over forty thousand people
with this business and you just a brand new thing
that we came up with. So we always celebrate the
success stories at least once a quarter because it shows
(10:26):
it shows the future volunteers. Remember our goal is to
get more volunteers and get more clients, right, that's how
we grow our business. Of course, you've done a volunteer basis.
But so that's how we grow our business because we
want to go out and show to the people who
are thinking about starting a business how to start a
business and look great success story.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
You've given back from your experience in the corporate world
and the sales world and the business world. Do you
get people coming back who have gone through your program
quote unquote graduated started a business who come back as
volunteer years.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Yes, we have had cases what people go and you know,
when when people are starting a small business, member a
small business, the most I always said that your most
important resource is your time. You can only work sixteen
hours a day. Okay, after that he got rest or
whatever you got to do. So in the beginning when
(11:21):
they starts, someone are starting a business. They cannot go
hire twenty people right if if if you look at
the major industries in our country, many of this business.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Are three to five people.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
So so and there's spend a lot of time getting
the business started, getting the business going. But yes, they
do come back to mental eventually because they because they learned.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
It right, they are a testament to the program.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
You'll do absolutely and that's why we also engage community activities,
like we go to a college to show what score
score does? You know, It's like it's like a hidden due,
but we try to get it out there more often
so people when people realize that this is what score does,
we you know, we get a lot of people coming
through for a workshop mentoring, so both volunteers and clients,
(12:11):
they'll step into it.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
That's pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
And again Sundu Ray is joining me from school. I
think a lot of people when they hear mentoring months
and a mentoring program, they think scholastically. And you are
actually teaching people business acumen that they can use in
the graduated real world beyond school.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yes, we are not taking from a great white tower now,
so we actually these are people who have done businesses.
The guy that helps you, the person is coming. The
person that helps you, like you tactics. That person knows
how to do that right, okay, so they can stow
you how to go do about it. You know, they
can show you, well, you're the task flow. You know,
(12:51):
if you move around these numbers, maybe it will make
a difference.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
You know.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
The thing is that mentoring is, like I said, it's
a very much two way street. You learn about their
business when I when I get you know, I do
a lot of mentoring as well. Or I used to
just repute because of my other responsibility.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
Hear, you always learn about their business. I said, Hey,
how do you do that?
Speaker 3 (13:11):
It's kind of cool, right, So I get something out
of it and they get something out of me. Hey,
how do I, you know, increase my sales? So how
do I do my marketing? How do I go after
the you know.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
The messes?
Speaker 4 (13:22):
So so it's always a two way street.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
That's why mentoring is really a great activity because, like
I said, it's a two way street.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
To finish things up.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
What you would tell people who were in a position
like you were in twenty twenty, who are listening right now,
why they should get involved if they're thinking about it.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Yeah, you know, like I said, we do attract lots
of other tiers. We have a new volunteers coming in
all the time. And do you know for it to
be another tier to score, we have to go through
a very rigorous process. They have to study part and everything, okay,
with a known method of study. Find the mentors and
people that come to pitch workshop. They got to go
(14:02):
to the same process. So we have to make sure
of other teers that are doing the work, they're all certified.
We need to to the score standards so that when
people come in they have to go to a certification process.
I mean they could be ex chairman of a major corporation,
but they still have to go to our certification process.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
That is awesome.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
So bendu Ray, you are doing a ton of fantastic work.
I am completely enthralled. I'm you know, looking this up
right now. I mean you might see me in a
workshop sometime soon.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
That'll be great. No, No, that's the life is about learning, right,
You never learned anything.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
I'm going to learn some more.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Yes, exactly. We're never done. We're never done. We're all students.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Yeah, but that's why the mentors all they hang around.
I mean we've got mentors done twenty five years.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I'm like, wow, that's shocked. I mean that in a
good way. I'm shocked because that they know what.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
I'm learning something out of it.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Like you said, it's a two a street.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Well, thank you so much for your time and teaching
us all about score. We really appreciate and you have
a wonderful rest of your weekend.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
You have great good too. Nice talking with you again.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
This is Jessamin McIntyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your
community Voice, presented by iHeartRadio Seattle. And now to get
a bigger picture view of everything that SCORE does. Joining
me now is Betsy Dogart, who is the vice president
of External Relations for SCORE as we wrap up with
National Mentoring Month in twenty twenty five. Betsy, first of all,
I want to thank you so much for your time.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
How you doing today, I'm doing great.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Thank you so much for having us and giving me
a chance to talk about SCORE.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Yeah, I'm really excited about this.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
I got very interested in reading about you and talking
to Sue Bendu Ray, who is a volunteer mentor here
in Seattle, which is one of the bigger chapters in
the country.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
So I want to.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Start with your role at SCORE as vice president of
external Relations.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
What does that entail?
Speaker 5 (15:49):
So, as the vice president of External Relations, I have
the amazing job of sharing the story of SCORE all
across the country through our media, public relations, social media,
community partnerships, and government relations work. And it's a wonderful story.
We have ten thousand volunteer mentors all across the country.
(16:11):
Mentors like su Vendu, who comes from every state in
the nation. They have expertise in all different industries and
anyone who wants to start or grow a small business
can tap into the SCORE network and access this wonderful mentoring.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Yeah, it's great.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I just wanted to get a little bit of background
on SCORE itself.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
How and why was it founded?
Speaker 5 (16:33):
Great questions. So we have actually been around for sixty
years at this point. The year is our sixtieth anniversary.
We were founded as a resource partner of the US
Small Business Administration actually in Wilmington, Delaware, by a group
of retired DuPont executives who had a ton of business
(16:54):
expertise and a desire to give back. And since then
we have grown to this amazing vol into your core
ten thousand mentors strong, and really grown the program to
provide support to anyone who wants to start, or troubleshoot
or grow their small business. We also have a lot
of people who just have an idea and a dream
(17:15):
and aren't sure how to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
That's great to know too.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
You don't have to come with a business plan for
you guys to spruce up. You can just come in
with this is what I'd like to do.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
Absolutely, yeah, we will help you with that business planning.
One of the very most popular resources on our website
is the one page business plan, So that shows.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
You that it can be simple.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
It needs to be well thought out and well done,
but it doesn't have to be a huge long document.
It can be simple and it can take you right
where you need to go. And our mentors are very
experienced in helping business owners or would be small business
owners create.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
That user friendly is awesome when you're navigating an unknown world,
so very much appreciated from a lot of people. Before
we started talking in this interview, we talked off. I
was saying that my husband is signing up for a
workshop and I'm probably going to go with him, just
to learn a little bit more about the resources that
are available. And I'd imagine that you get a lot
(18:10):
of people that have zero to very little experience in
the business world.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
Exactly right. Yeah, I hope you both really enjoy that workshop.
I absolutely think you should go. It really is amazing
how many of our business owners are working double time.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
A lot of them are working.
Speaker 5 (18:26):
By day in one role, maybe a nine to five,
and starting a business that night time, or maybe they
are currently operating a small business and launching a second
small business. So all of our tools are designed to
really help people out who are tight on time, need
good clear answers, and just need help getting where they
need to go.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Betsy Dogart joining me from SCORE.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
She is the vice president of External Relations here on
Seattle Voice. I'm Jessaman McIntyre and from everything that you've
told me so far and everything that I've been able
to read about SCORE, I imagine what.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Drew you to the organization. But how'd you get involved?
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (19:02):
So, I've actually been with SCORE for nine years now.
I can't believe it. It has been an amazing nine years.
One of my favorite things to do is to get
to know our amazing mentors who are volunteering their time
every day to do what they do best. So these
are experienced business people. All of our mentors are folks
(19:24):
who either have a corporate executive background or an entrepreneurial
background themselves.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
Some are currently.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
Working, some are retired. But what they all have in
common is this desire to give back and to help
other business owners by sharing their own stories of what's worked,
what best practices there are, and even sharing stories of
what hasn't worked, some of their own business failures, so
that our clients can avoid making those same mistakes themselves.
(19:54):
So it really is those mentors who inspire me to
do what I do every day and supporting them behind
the scenes.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
I love to hear it, and I got so interested
in this organization the more and more that I learned. Now,
Souvendu told me all about the local chapter up here
in Seattle, which I mentioned is a very large chapter.
But you said ten thousand volunteers across the country. What
kind of growth have you seen nationally?
Speaker 5 (20:19):
Yeah, so we do have over two hundred different chapters
in global communities. But what's really neat in addition to
that is we have a one Score network that connects
all of those chapters across the country and allows the
mentors to share resources from chapter to chapter and also
our clients, the small business owners themselves, to tap into
(20:41):
that Onescore network as well for knowledge and education and
information sharing. So there has been a ton of growth
in the time that I've been with SCORE as we
really learn how to maximize all of our resources and
amplify each other's work.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
That's pretty awesome because you know, do this and don't
do that. The successes. I know that you guys monthly,
at least here in Seattle share success stories, and I
love hearing those. But i'd have to imagine, other than
helping those small and new business owners themselves, that there's
a strong local impact in the communities in which those
businesses operate.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Yes, that's absolutely true.
Speaker 5 (21:21):
The local element is key because our mentors aren't just
giving their knowledge and their expertise and their advice. They're
also making community connections. And that's something that our business
owners tell us is equally as helpful and as impactful
as the mentoring itself is. For the mentors to know, Okay,
(21:41):
you're starting this kind of business, we're going to bring
in this person with this level of expertise, or you're
starting this kind of business, we need to think about
the following regulations, which might be local or hey, let's
get the word out about your business by talking to
our local media station. They would be very interested in
this story. So that's the value of the local connections.
(22:02):
But then we do have this broad national network that
ensures no matter where people are in the country, they
can tap into that broader nationwide pool of knowledge, of expertise,
of connections, so it really is the best of both worlds.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Before.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Yeah, it sounds like there's a lot of cross pollination
and a lot of idea sharing. Do you guys have
national conferences for all the volunteers to get together or
is it more of an online thing where everybody just
has the ability to communicate with each other whenever they'd like.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
So it's a little bit of both.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
Some years, we do have a national conference for our volunteers.
Every year for our small business owner clients, we partner
with the SBA on National Small Business Week.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
That is a.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
Multi day online conference that takes place in the very
beginning of May typically, and it is designed to mirror
the look and feel of an in person conference. There
are all sorts of edge educational workshops, keynotes, speakers, There's
a networking lounge.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
Where business owners can talk to each other.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
There's an exhibitor hall where business owners can stop by
different booths and learn about products and services that might
be helpful to them. So I would definitely encourage anyone
listening to keep an eye on our website and look
out for that and attend if you can. It's totally free,
and actually that's something that I haven't really said so
far that I.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Would love to highlight.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Please do because yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
So, because Court is primarily federally funded, we are able
to keep the vast majority of our services completely free.
Our mentoring is always free, and our educational workshops are
either free or if we need to cover some kind
of material cost like making a textbook, they'll be very
very low cost. So, you know, sometimes people are sort
(23:52):
of curious about that, like why is it free?
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Is there a catch?
Speaker 5 (23:56):
Am I going to get in and you're going to
upsell me? And so I love to just we m
and tell people it is free because you have prepaid
this with your federal tax dollars. So please take advantage
of these services. They are here for you, and we
are ready and willing to welcome you into the Score family.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
I was going to ask you about the funding. Suvendu
did mention that to me, and it is awesome. You know.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
I think some people.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Watch Shark Tank and the shows like that all the
time and they wonder, Okay, am I going to have
to pay a percentage of my business to you coming
out of here?
Speaker 1 (24:29):
I'd imagine that's not the case.
Speaker 5 (24:31):
That is certainly not the case. No, there will never
be a charge for any of our mentoring. All of
our mentors keep their mentoring sessions strictly confidential, so business
owners don't need to be worried about their information or
anything proprietary ever leaving the mentoring session. But since you
mentioned Shark Tank, I would also love to highlight that
(24:52):
some of our chapters run local business pitch competitions that
are kind of a Shark Tank style. You know, business
owners work with a mentor to qualify and then pitch
their products for various prizes. Sometimes we'll work with outside
sponsors and partners in order to award monetary prizes, but
(25:13):
sometimes there are things like opportunities to present products to
a larger audience.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
So a while ago we had.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Partnered with the with HfN and so the winners of
that had a chance to pitch their products to executives there.
And more recently we did a sixtieth anniversary pitch competition
and that one did have pretty significant monetary prizes thanks
to our generous sponsors. So just keep an eye out
on your local score website or on the national website,
(25:41):
which is score dot org. We're always highlighting opportunities and
events like that that business owners can take advantage of.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
That is a wonderful thing to know because that goes
well beyond the mentoring. That's why I first wanted to
talk to you as about this National Mentoring Month was
in January.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Let's highlight you now, and all of.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
A sudden, it's wow, you can really get yourself in
front of the people you want to.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
That's awesome.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
Exactly right. We're a very well networked and resourced group
of people.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
Our mentors have.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
Been in business for years and are willing to use
any and all of those connections to help business owners.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
So you're exactly right that.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
It goes well beyond mentoring and into community connections and
education and opportunities for the future.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Again, this is Betsy Dogert, vice president of External Relations
for Score Jessamin McIntyre here with Seattle Voice, and one
of my favorite things on this show is to ask
my guests about a personal story, you know, a personal
success story that they've seen, or just a favorite moment
during their time with any organization.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Do you have one you might be able to share?
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Ooh, it's really difficult to choose.
Speaker 5 (26:50):
There are so many beautiful stories. And I would say
more Bradly, my favorite part about working at SCORE is
getting to see small business owners dreams come true. These
are folks who have a passion for the product or
the service that they provide. They want to positively impact
their communities. They provide jobs and they really make a
(27:12):
difference in the communities that they live in.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
And so every.
Speaker 5 (27:16):
Day, you know, that is what I focus on when
I need motivation and encouragement, is just looking at these
folks who are working so so hard to make their
dreams come true and just being so happy I can
support them. And then in terms of a personal story,
I can I can tell you a family story.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
So my own sister in law is a small business owner.
Speaker 5 (27:38):
She is a wedding planner in Charleston, South Carolina, and
she was a SCORE client years ago and was pretty.
Speaker 4 (27:45):
Young, She's younger than I am.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
And she worked with a SCORE mentor who helped her
realize that she was ready to go into business for herself.
At the time, she was working for someone else at
a very successful company. She was busy, she was running hard,
and she had this dream to start her own business.
And when she sat down with a Score mentor who
looked over her books, looked over her connections in the
community and where she would source clients and business from.
(28:09):
He told her, believe it or not, you're ready to
go now, and she was, and she launched her own
small business, and that is that's what she works in
to this day. She's incredibly successful and she may have
eventually gotten there, but she would not have gotten there
as quickly or as well without her score mentor.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Man, these are the stories that get me excited to
go to a workshop. I'm telling you, all right, I'll
wrap things up again.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Betsy Dokert with me. What would you tell people?
Speaker 2 (28:38):
We covered a lot of the people that are looking
into starting businesses or growing them, But what would you
tell people who are thinking about volunteering or getting involved
in the mentoring program?
Speaker 5 (28:49):
Oh, that would be wonderful. We are always welcoming new volunteers.
The qualifications are that you need to have significant business experience,
but we welcome volunteers of all ages, every part of
the country, every area of business industry, and we will
help train you to be able to translate your knowledge
(29:09):
to clients because it's one thing to know all this
business expertise that's another thing to be able to teach
it to other people. And we have a whole SCORE
mentoring methodology that enables business people to become mentors, to
become educators. So we are absolutely doors are open for
new volunteers.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
We would love to have you.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
That is so great.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
I'm sure that this will reach somebody out there, maybe
hopefully people, hopefully many, many bodies will come in following
this interview. Thank you so much, Betsy for your time
and good luck in the future with SCORE.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
Thank you so much. Good luck at the workshop.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Definitely let me know how it goes. I will definitely
keep in touch. Thank you for listening.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
This has been Seattle Voice presented by iHeartRadio Seattle. I'm
Jessamin McIntyre and for show ideas or to find out
how your voice can be heard, email Seattle Voice at
iHeartMedia dot com.
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