SCORE Can Help Grow Your Business

Maceo Z. Keeling, executive committee member-at-large for Asheville SCORE.

By Maceo Keeling

Have you got a lot of business savvy? Ever consider volunteering your time and business insight to help your community to prosper? Want to make a difference in our national economy?

Consider Asheville SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), whose members are the counselors to America’s small-business community. The Asheville Chapter is part of a national nonprofit association dedicated to entrepreneur education. We recognize that we have to think nationally, but act locally.

SCORE volunteers are real-world professionals with time-tested
knowledge. They donate thousands of hours each year to help existing
local businesses and entrepreneurs. Counselors are experts in areas such
as accounting, finance, marketing, management, and business-plan
preparation. They guide clients through a logical, step-by-step
development of new business ideas and help turn those ideas into a
startup company. Best of all, the counseling service is free and
confidential.

Asheville SCORE has one of the longest continuously
running chapters in the nation. In addition to specific counseling,
SCORE counselors offer business seminars, leadership coaching,
organizational development to help business owners survive and thrive
right here in Asheville.

Whether you’re just starting out with
your small business venture or have been at it for quite some time, you
know that the road to starting and operating a business is full of
challenges. There are many demands for expertise and, usually, limited
resources available to pay for them. That’s why SCORE and its talented
team of volunteers can serve as an informal advisory board to provide
insight and mentorship and, when needed, refer you to other local
service providers like Mountain Biz Works, The Block Academy, AB Tech,
AAFABA, and others.

Every new businesses needs to establish a
solid team comprising a CPA, a legal team, a bank, a board of directors,
and a coach or mentor. And to be most effective, your team needs to
reflect the character and ethnicity of our community. So does ours:
SCORE’s executive committee is being restructured to include more women
and minorities to better serve the diverse and underserved members of
Greater Asheville. We are reaching out in a collaborative effort with
the Urban News, Eagle Market Street Development Corporation, and WRES-LP
to get the word out in our community.

Asheville SCORE is located
in room 259 at 151 Patton Ave., the Federal Building. We are extending
our reach into the African American community with a presence in the
office of Eagle-Market Streets Development Corporation at 70 S. Market
Street on the Block. If you need assistance with your business, or are
interested in becoming a volunteer, contact SCORE on the web,
wwww.ashevillescore.org.

Maceo Z. Keeling is a native of Los Angeles, CA, where he graduated
from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in English and a minor in
Political Science. His continuing education include Platoon Leaders
Class, Office Candidate School US Marine Corps, Quantico, Virginia,
International Studies abroad in Madrid, Spain, and extended studies at
Harvard University.
Mr. Keeling is currently the owner of a robust consulting business here
in Asheville, Asheville Alliance Finance and Business Accelerators
(AAFABA.com). He also volunteers as an Executive Committee Member at
Large for Asheville SCORE.