SCORE -- "Counselors to America's Small Business" -- Provides no-fee mentoring and business COUNSELING AND LOW-COST WORKSHOPS to prospective and established small business owners and managers on a non-discriminatory equal opportunity basis. SCORE services are provided without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, and disability.  Persons with disabilities may request reasonable (special) accommodations (with a two-week advance notice).  For special accommodations, please click on Contact Us above and make your request.     

COUNSELING

Counseling focuses on such business issues as developing a business plan, legal organization, financing, accounting, marketing and selling, management and human resource issues, licensing, patent protection, government reporting requirements, and many more.

SCORE counselors are available daily at the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce (directly west of the Strom Thurmond federal building), 930 Richland Street (corner of Park and Richland Streets) in downtown Columbia. from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday by appointment for private, one-on-one confidential one hour free counseling sessions. Click Here for directions/map to Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Contact the individual branch offices listed below for counseling times outside Columbia. For counseling times in Columbia click directly below.

WORKSHOPS

STARTING AND RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS (a.k.a. Business Management Survival Skills)
is held periodically throughout the 2008 year. Whether you are just in the planning stage of starting a business or are already in business , this is an overview of the things that must be addressed to insure success. This workshop is presented by a panel of SCORE experts in the fields of management , marketing, finance and business planning. Workshop materials are provided that will aid you in creating a business plan and obtaining information on other business essentials. This workshop is strongly recommended for new start up businesses or for those currently in business who are facing challenges.
Click here for more details, or
Click here for Registration Form

EMPLOYMENT LAW SURVIVAL SKILLS is scheduled for Tuesday March 18, 2008.
One of SCORE's most popular special workshops. Presented by an outstanding labor law attorney. If you have employees, this workshop is one that will give you information that could save your company a great deal  of future expense and litigation. Bring your human resource director also.
Click here for more details, or
Click here for Registration Form

CREATING A BUSINESS PLAN FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS START-UP is scheduled for Tuesday May 20, 2008.
This important workshop provides useful and practical guidance to help entrepreneurs analyze their new business prospects for success before committing to its launch. The workshop topics include: How to write an effective Executive Summary; How to prepare the Management, Marketing and Financial sections of the plan; and guidance on making a successful presentation to lenders and investors.

Click here for more details, or
Click here for Registration Form

PATENTS, TRADEMARKS AND COPYRIGHTS is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, 2008.
How do you protect and profit from your great ideas? How do you prevent an infringement on your idea and design? How do you protect your name and trademark? Do you need a patent? What is the recourse when there is a violation? Presented by a patent attorney and a SCORE expert, this workshop will answer these and many other questions.