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Greetings!
There is no better time than now to contact us for a business consultation. Start the New Year right with SCORE!
You might also want to take advantage of the Business Tools available at the SCORE website. SCORE is a nonprofit association of working and retired business professionals dedicated to providing NO-COST, personalized, and CONFIDENTIAL advice to small business owners like you.
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Boston SCORE
10 Causeway St.
Suite 265
Boston, MA 02222
617-565-5591
scorenews@verizon.net
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Do you know that there is a library in Boston dedicated to business? Read on!
The Kirstein Business Library is a branch of the Boston Public Library located at 20 City Hall Avenue, tucked behind the old Boston City Hall (which now houses Ruth's Chris Steak House Restaurant).
The Kirstein Library is an invaluable resource for entrepreneurs and has a wide range of source materials on subjects such as starting a business, tracking consumer spending, writing business plans, marketing and many other useful topics an entrepreneur could use. They have an unparalleled collection of trade journals as well as access to some very valuable free business references databases such as Dun & Bradstreet.
The librarians at the Kirstein are not your "old-fashioned" sit-behind-the-desk types, but are hands on, and available to help clients with questions and research.
The library offers public tours on the first Wednesday of the month at 9:30 am, and is available by phone at (617) 523-0860.
SCORE has been allied with the Kirstein Library since 2007, and SCORE counselors are available on Fridays at the Library by appointment. For more information on the library, go to its website. |
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Business Health Checkup
This brief questionnaire is designed to help you determine if you need to address key issues to keep your business healthy.
Financial Questions Has cumulative cash flow been positive for the last 12 months?
Is your gross margin (gross profit/revenue) higher than last year?
Is your operating margin or earnings before interest and taxes (operating profit/revenue) higher than last year?
Is your net margin or return on sales (net profit/revenue) higher than last year?
Market Questions
Is the overall market for your type of product or service growing?
Have you gained market share in the last year?
Are this year's sales better than last year (YTD)?
Customer Questions
Have fewer than 10% of your customers gone to a competitor in the last year?
Are at least 80% of your customers paying on time?
Employee/Management Questions
Have all your key employees remained with the company during the last year?
Do you feel you have the necessary talent among your employees to continue to operate effectively?
Do you systematically stay on top of changing customer needs or tastes, new competitors and other key issues through networking or communication with customers?
Are you prepared for these changes?
If you weren't in the business you're in, would you enter it today?
Are you doing better than last year?
Do you think your measurement tools are adequate?
Contact SCORE if you answered NO to any of these questions! |
Success Stories
Spotlight on SCORE Business of the Year Award Recipients
What business do you think a college pre-med followed by a graduate degree in English literature would want to start? Well, if you were Kiril Stefan Alexandrov, it would be the Big Skinny Corporation - makers of the world's thinnest and lightest wallets. Kiril was always obsessed by wallets because, although necessary, they are bulky and uncomfortable to wear. He continued to be uncomfortable through several other business ventures before he decided to design his own line of wallets. Kiril found SCORE early and met with their counselors often. His business has many facets - manufacturing, legal, marketing, retail, and packaging - and Kiril received coaching from different counselors at every step of the way.
The Big Skinny took six months of research and meetings with SCORE counselors before Kiril was ready to launch his products through internet sales. Two and one half years later his company is completely self-supporting and has already entered the retail market.
Bring your business idea to SCORE and allow our counselors to help you make your idea a reality, as SCORE did for Kiril. To see more about The Big Skinny Corporation and other in-business SCORE clients, please visit the Client Profiles section of the SCOREBOSTON.org website.
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Upcoming Events
BUSINESS WORKSHOP
February 12, 2009
Focusing on essential topics for new business owners this tried and true one day workshop will cover a variety of topics including - cash flow management, marketing, entrepreneurship and forms of business organization. An informal round-table discussion with SCORE counselors and other business owners will help you get greater clarity on your own business challenges.
See the panel below for further information and to register, or call SCORE Boston at 617-565-5591
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United States
Small Business
Administration
Did you know that SCORE and the SBA are closely aligned? We even share office space in Boston!
Visit the SBA Website
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Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business," a nonprofit association and resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration. SCORE is dedicated to entrepreneurship and the formation, growth and success of small businesses nationwide. Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 8 million entrepreneurs.
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© Copyright 2008. SCORE Association. All rights reserved.
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