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The small business community faces unique challenges in the months ahead as business owners, entrepreneurs, and start-ups deal with the unpredictability of an economy so easily influenced by the public healthcare crisis brought on by the COVID pandemic. The role of a SCORE mentor has never been more critical as record numbers of new businesses are being started, and the "Great Resignation" is challenging the operations of established ones.
Become Your Trusted Small Business Advisor
Rich Young has been a SCORE mentor since 2008, and in the past thirteen years, he has developed long-term relationships with many of his clients. He has a simple formula for working with clients that is a critical element of each mentor request that he is assigned.
"I've learned that creating a relationship with our clients based on trust is critical to having a successful outcome. My experiences in dealing with people and developing the ability to work with employees at all levels of the organization effectively have been essential in my role as a mentor. They have contributed significantly to having long-term client relationships."
- Rich Young, SCORE volunteer mentor
Level the Playing Field for a Small Business
The advantages of having a mentor can tip the scales for the success of a small business. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) calls mentoring the missing link to small business growth and survival.
"Research has shown us that small businesses that receive mentoring early in the development of the business achieve higher revenues and increased business growth. A survey by the UPS Store found that 70 percent of small businesses that received mentoring survived more than five years – double the survival rate of non-mentored businesses. The same survey found that 88 percent of business owners with a mentor said that having one was invaluable."
- SBA.gov blog
The first resource the SBA recommends for mentoring in their small business survival blog is SCORE, and volunteer mentors like Rich Young are the guides on that road to success.
Investing Your Time to Secure a Small Business Dream
SCORE mentors are prepared to offer expertise and practical "know-how" for emerging entrepreneurs and established small businesses. Volunteer mentor Rich Young has found a skill helpful that is more difficult to quantify.
"People that come to SCORE for assistance often lack confidence and therefore need reassurance that we can assist them without making them feel intimidated and overwhelmed. Taking the time to make the client feel secure in the relationship and gaining their trust is the first step toward helping them. Once trust has been established, my work career's specific knowledge and experiences can be utilized based on the client's needs."
- Rich Young, SCORE volunteer mentor
The time spent as a SCORE mentor, which can often amount to a second career after retirement for many dedicated mentors, is not without its return on investment.
"I was very fortunate to have had some success while working and felt the need to give back to the community by donating time to organizations where my skills might have some value. I've found that when a SCORE client thanks me, it is such a great feeling. They are genuinely appreciative of the time and assistance we offer, and it is so rewarding to know that we're helping someone achieve their dream."
- Rich Young, SCORE volunteer mentor
