Knowledge sought from seasoned pros

Area SCORE chapter expanding services

After years of training, many professionals spend the bulk of their career building their career, growing their business, and perfecting their craft. With all that knowledge and experience, these professionals are a wealth of information. For those professionals who enjoy sharing that knowledge and experience with others, SCORE is the perfect opportunity.

SCORE is the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors. These mentors are dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow, and achieve their goals. SCORE provides free and confidential advice, workshops, and resource materials for all small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Since 1964, SCORE has provided education and mentorship to more than 11 million entrepreneurs with over 300 chapters and more than 10,000 volunteers serving over 1,500 communities in the United States. SCORE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and a resource partner of the United States Small Business Administration (SBA).

One chapter, Prairie and Lakes SCORE, based in Fargo, was founded in 1965 and has provided help to thousands of small businesses in the area. In 2020 the group conducted 473 sessions with 256 clients and helped create 91 new businesses.

Prairie and Lakes SCORE is in the process of expanding its services to West Central Minnesota, including Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clay, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Norman, Ottertail, Wadena, and Wilkin counties.

The SCORE group is on the hunt for experienced professionals from around the area -- of any age, working or retired, with diverse backgrounds and experiences to serve in a variety of roles — from knowledgeable business mentors to local community advocates. Specifically, they are looking for the following roles:

• Business Mentor – Advise small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.

• Subject Matter Expert - Support mentors and business owners in answering questions related to your area of expertise.

• Local Workshop Presenter -- Deliver locally-developed business training.

• Chapter Support -- Assist your local chapter with marketing, finance, scheduling and other key support tasks.

These are all volunteer roles that fit with the volunteer’s time schedule. To learn more about SCORE and opportunities to volunteer, go to www.score.org (click on volunteer), email fargoscore@scorevolunteer.org, or call 701-239-5677.