Q: I just read where the month of May is designated as National Small Business Month. Does the local SCORE chapter have any involvement in celebrating the occasion?
A: You bet! The local SCORE chapter has a variety of events planned. Here is a quick rundown of what you can expect :
• Monthlong volunteer recruitment. Perhaps you are a small-business person who is curious about becoming a member of the local SCORE chapter. Find out what small business mentoring involves; become a presenter at our seminars and workshops; ad learn about a variety of volunteer actvities available.
• SCORE Small Business Roundtable on Thursday, May 19, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Bulls & Bears, 38 S. Potomac St. in downtown Hagerstown. Learn what bankers need to know in order to get you a business loan, and network with other small-business owners and operators. Purchase or bring your own lunch. Call 301-766-2043 to reserve a seat.
Events mark Small Business Month
Ask SCORE
• Annual awards dinner at Fountain Head Country Club on Friday, May 20. This year the chapter will honor three successful local small businesses that have benefited from their relationships with local SCORE mentors and resources.
• National Small Business Person of the Year Awards from May 23 to 25 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Small Business Administration, small-business owners and entrepreneurs from across the country will be honored for their accomplishments as the nation’s leading small businesses. Business owners, organizations, budding entrepreneurs and the news media can register. For more information, go to www.nationalsmallbusinessweek.com.
• SCORE’s seminar, How to Really Start Your Own Business, is set for Thursdays, June 2, 9, 16 and 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Hagerstown Community College’s Technical Innovation Center, Hagerstown Community College. Learn about small-business success factors, organization and management guidelines, understanding business finances, and marketing for profit and growth. Call 301-790-2800, ext. 236, to register. The cost is $59 for the entire series, $20 for individual sessions.
For confidental and free counseling, register at www.scorehagerstown.org.
• Robert A. "Bob" Poor is a local small-business owner/operator. He is a small-business counselor and a regular contributor to the Ask SCORE column. Questions may be emailed to him at r.poor@myactv.net or sent by mail in care of The Herald-Mail, P.O. Box 439, Hagerstown, MD 21741, ATTN: Ask SCORE column.
