Last week in D.C., SCORE 2011 Small Business Champion award winner Senator Mary Landrieu, Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, hosted a summit focusing on issues that impact African-American small business owners working toward becoming entrepreneurs. The summit was titled, “Closing the Wealth Gap through the African-American Entrepreneurial Ecosystem.”
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After he retired from his job as a financial specialist, Fair Lawn resident Howard Sirota, a long-time member of the Fair Lawn Jewish Center, tried playing tennis and bridge.
“It was fun,” he said, “but I wanted to give something back to the community.”
For the past 15 years, he has been doing exactly that, serving as a mentor for the Bergen County chapter of SCORE, based in Hackensack.
“When I help some people go into business, I feel very good about it,” he said.
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By: Latin Business Today Staff
6515 S Wenatchee Ct.
Aurora
CO
80016
United States
How SCORE Helped
Harold Massop Associates Architects (HMA) is a multidiscipline design firm founded in 1988 in Denver specializing in architecture, planning and interior design. The company is a SBE/MBE firm certified in the State of Colorado, the City and County of Denver and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Some of the Massop projects will be familiar to Denver and Colorado Springs residents including: NORAD/US Army Spacecom Operational Facilities, Kit Carson Memorial Plaza in Colorado Sprints, U.S. West (now Qwest) Office Building, Five Points Media Center, Cherry Creek Office Building, Rocky Mountain Electrical Supply in Denver.
HMA has endured many recessions since 1988. Harold invited SCORE in with its Business Check-Up Service in January 2009 to assure he hadn’t overlooked any operational detail in this, the worst recession the firm has faced. Since January 2009, three SCORE volunteers under the team leadership of Jack Scott have met with him once a month and continue to do so. The initial focus was on expense containment, then marketing, then loan management and now succession planning. HMA is a work in progress and a testimony to managing through the worst recession to hit the construction industry in memory.
Harold’s wife Carmen started her own gift basket business in January 2009. Ken Hootnick of SCORE assisted her with the startup.
Dan and Cindi Alire had a desire to own their restuarant atrer working for a number of years for other restaurants. They felt they would have the flexibility to do the type of menus and beverage services lacking in the existing restaurants in the community. SCORE recommended that a marketing plan be written to test the current market and analyze the competition. They found the target customer was looking for delightful dining experience combining both a Latin flair and relaxation in one destination. They opened for business in November of 2011 offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The customer reviews are very good and the business volume should increase.
Owner/Founder
Dan and Cindi Alire, co-owners
208 1st Avenue West
Albany
OR
97321
United States
My Successes
They have been featured in the local newspaper Democrat-Herald with a news article on new businesses in the Old Historic Downtown of Albany.
What's Great About My Mentor?
SCORE counselor listened well to their dreams and urged caution to do the homework before inventing into the business. The homework was sequenced to make it reasonable and thorough.
How SCORE Helped
SCORE provided guidance in the marketing strategy and financial projections to ensure a profitable business. SCORE resources also provided guidance on commercial lease agreement and what flexibility would be possible for lease-holder improvements. A business plan was also reviewed.
Education
Cindi Alire has over 25 years in the restaurant business and has catering and management experience. She has interiordecorating talents.
Dan Alire has many years of restaurant experience and also supervisory experience in manufacturing
Bridgeja' Baker, 14, owner of Creative Jewelry by Bridgeja’, was honored at the SCORE Foundation’s annual award ceremony for her unique vision, innovation and achievement. The young entrepreneur has been chosen as this year’s recipient for the Outstanding Minority-Owned Small Business award given by The SCORE Foundation; sponsored by AT&T.
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