Discover tools, guides and expert advice to help you confidently shift from employee to entrepreneur. This hub connects you with the critical resources, strategies, and support you need to turn your business idea into reality. Let SCORE show you the path forward—every step of the way. Enter your ZIP code to find a free SCORE business mentor today.
Validate and refine your business idea with expert insights, practical tools, and guidance. Explore how to develop a winning concept, craft a solid business plan, or consider franchise ownership.
Stop climbing the corporate ladder and create your own! If you’re considering business ownership, it’s essential to use the best available resources so you can get it right the first time.
Join us for this detailed webinar from Jania Baley at FranNet. You will learn business and franchising basics, such as:
- The pros and cons of buying your own franchise business
- A look at franchise ownership & alternative career options
- Misconceptions about franchising
- Building equity as a strategy
- How to find the right franchise
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FranNet
FranNet assists individuals with
Ready to go from employee to entrepreneur? This comprehensive guide walks you through each phase of starting a business—from idea validation to grand opening. With SCORE’s mentorship by your side, you’ll have the expertise, resources, and confidence to make your dream a reality.
Lay a solid financial foundation for your startup with practical tools, expert insights, and guidance. From projecting cash flow to exploring financing options, our comprehensive resources will help you confidently plan, budget, and invest in your entrepreneurial success.
This interactive calculator allows you to provide inputs and see a full estimated repayment schedule to plan your capital needs and cash flow.
Discover how a husband-and-wife duo transformed their hospitality experience and COVID downtime into Leonessa, an Italian-inspired year-round restaurant in Yarmouth Port. With SCORE’s expert guidance, they perfected a unique dining concept, built a loyal local following, and proved that a strong plan—and plenty of passion—can turn any dream into a success story.
Explore different business structures, essential licenses, and permits—all to ensure your venture is built on a strong legal foundation.
When Laura and Matt Crandall launched KC Rock Band & Guitar School of Music, they quickly discovered that teaching students was only half the battle—running a sustainable business was the other. With SCORE’s expert mentorship, they navigated hiring, marketing, and real estate challenges to build a growing, well-harmonized enterprise. This success story shows how a passion for music, coupled with solid business guidance, can hit all the right notes.
Create a standout brand and marketing strategy with comprehensive resources, expert webinars, and real-world success stories. From building your brand identity to harnessing platforms like LinkedIn, these tools will help you connect with your audience, stand out in the market, and achieve sustainable growth.
Need to know how to build your LinkedIn company page? Want details on how to create your banner and logo images? Learn about special features you can use? Learn all this and more at this LinkedIn workshop!
After competing on American Ninja Warrior, Dominic Pham combined personal training, martial arts, and boxing to form Phamily Fun & Fitness. With SCORE’s guidance on marketing and finances, he turned his part-time passion into a rapidly growing venture—profitable within six months and now poised to hire staff and transition to full-time entrepreneurship.
Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for the transition from employee to entrepreneur. Discover a range of resources, including webinars and expert advice, to help you shift your mindset, explore different business ownership options, and gain the confidence needed to succeed in your new venture.
Join us for a webinar on the challenges of the W-2 Seesaw Economy. We will discuss alternative career ownership choices, such as franchise ownership, which provides the opportunity to be your own boss and create a better work-life balance.
Lay the groundwork for efficient day-to-day management. Explore critical resources, such as operating agreements, and gain best practices to streamline business operations, maintain compliance, and ensure a smooth workflow for your venture.
If you run a small business, you know how hard it is to keep up with your customers’ needs, especially when dealing with chargebacks. Despite your best efforts, customers can dispute a legitimately authorized transaction in less time than it took to complete the original purchase. This can create additional work for you and jeopardize the health and reputation of your business – all while the customer is committing “friendly fraud” along the way.
What Is Friendly Fraud, and How Does It Happen?
Friendly fraud, also known as first-party misuse, occurs when customers abuse the chargeback system by
Transitioning from employee to entrepreneur can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. SCORE mentors offer free, personalized advice to help you map out your journey—from validating your business idea to launching and growing your new venture. Simply enter your ZIP code below, fill out the mentoring request form, and get matched with a local mentor who will guide you every step of the way.
