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SCORE Lancaster-Lebanon and our volunteer certified mentors are committed to providing the best possible service to help business owners achieve their goals and entrepreneurs, or start-ups realize their dreams of launching a small business. In 2022 the 80 active mentors of our Chapter provided 3,203 mentoring sessions and donated 4,022 mentoring hours. We can offer that high level of services because of the dedication of our mentors and with the assistance of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), most still active in full-time, demanding careers, who offer their service in a specialized business area.

Taping Into Local Business Expertise Benefits Clients

We were fortunate to welcome an exceptional new SME recently. Jennifer Leigh Brown, Senior Vice President, Marketing Communications Director at Fulton Bank, brings a wealth of knowledge as a strategist, marketer, and creative leader to benefit the clients of SCORE Lancaster-Lebanon. Jennifer has over 20 years of experience developing brand, content, user experience (UX), and digital marketing strategies and communications for Fortune 500 companies, consumer and business-to-business (b2b) brands.

Marketing is one of the main areas of focus for many of our clients. Many suggest that a successful marketing plan starts with a strong brand strategy. Having a subject Matter Expert that can offer seasoned experience in these areas will be a substantial benefit for all of our clients.

“Brands are a way to communicate your vision. A brand is about who you are, what you do, and what your company stands for. It’s more than an identity or logo. It is the entire experience a customer has when interacting with your business. Branding is one of the most important ways to differentiate yourself from the competition and stand out in a crowded marketplace. It can influence purchase decisions, build credibility, and make employees proud. And it can also do the opposite if done poorly or not at all. Simply put, brand matters.”
             - Jennifer Leigh Brown, SCORE SME

Making informed choices in an ever-changing landscape of digital marketing options and a crowded marketplace is essential. Knowing what changes to anticipate is invaluable for our SCORE clients. We asked our new SME what she thought small business clients should be planning for in 2023.

“Shifts involving consumer privacy, data, and digital advertising are changes that will impact companies relying on cookies. SCORE clients who have been using cookies and third-party data to track website visitors and target audiences online will need to find alternative ways to deliver ads and determine effectiveness. Businesses will need to rely more on first-party data collected with user consent to build reliable customer profiles. Without it, it will be more challenging—and more expensive—to reach customers.”
          - Jennifer Leigh Brown, SCORE SME

Opportunity to Make a Lasting Impact in the Community

Lancaster is a uniquely generous community, and SCORE Lancaster-Lebanon has significantly benefited from that spirit. Most of our volunteer mentors are retired but often donate close to the same time and commitment they gave in their professional careers. We now see a new generation of SCORE volunteers still active in the workforce. At the same time, they lend their time and talents to benefit SCORE’s mission of helping the small business community in Lancaster to flourish.

“Whether you are a working professional, full-time caregiver, or happily retired, life is a balancing act. We all have the same amount of hours in the day, but we don’t all get to choose how we use them. I am grateful to be able to work and volunteer, and there will always be challenges. But there will never be more hours in the day, so I try to make the most of each one.”
         - Jennifer Leigh Brown, SCORE SME

There is no lack of community benefit organizations in Lancaster. There would be a broad array of choices for any volunteer to consider contributing their talents towards. We are ever humbled and grateful when these gifted professionals choose SCORE Lancaster-Lebanon.

“I have a great deal of admiration and respect for entrepreneurs and individuals who have the drive and confidence to run their own businesses. I have always been a supporter of local businesses, especially having worked in downtown Lancaster for many years. The impact of the pandemic made me more aware of how important assisting the community is and how even the smallest of ways can have a big impact.”
      - Jennifer Leigh Brown, SCORE SME

Jennifer is available to serve with co-mentoring opportunities. She is familiar with the following:

Individual Skills

• Advertising
• Design & Marketing
• Media & Publishing
• Website Development

Individual Expertise

• Advertising
• Branding
• Digital Marketing
• Marketing
• Marketing Strategy
• Social Media
• Websites