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Delisa Clift, a SCORE Mentor
For National Volunteer Month, we’re highlighting some of the volunteers that are the lifeblood of SCORE. Without every volunteer, we wouldn’t be able to provide you with the help and resources to start, and grow, your business. DeLisa is a mentor at the SCORE Savannah Chapter. She works with small business owners and entrepreneurs to build and grow their small businesses by drawing on her own experience. Want to work with someone like DeLisa or share your business acumen? Learn how you can volunteer or request a mentor to get small business help today!
What is your role with SCORE?
As a Certified SCORE Mentor, I deliver valuable, timely, and practical advice to interested clients. I am a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in small business certifications, inclusion and diversity, and transportation and logistics. As a member of the executive board and women initiative national board, I work with other board members to strategically plan services and programs that will enhance the services we provide to our clients and create an inclusive approach to mentoring.
What inspired you to start volunteering with SCORE?
I wanted to share my experiences as a serial business owner/franchisee with others. After years of mentoring with another organization that provides a year of mentoring for transitioning military, veterans, and spouses, I still had a lot more to share. After considering other mentoring opportunities, I decided to connect with SCORE. I submitted my interest to SCORE and have not looked back since. My goal is to share as much as I can. I want to leave this world of business owners better than I found it.
What does your work at SCORE look like?
The initial client session establishes the client/mentor relationship and defines what that relationship will look like going forward. I ask the client to tell me three things that they expect to gain from the mentoring session. These goals allow me to work in steps with the client so that mentoring does not feel overwhelming. I help the client clarify their business goals and create action steps to help them move forward. I give my clients “homework” to complete before our next session, and they let me know how much time they will need to complete the homework. We then set a placeholder on the calendar for the next mentoring session.
What is your favorite part of volunteering with SCORE?
My favorite part of volunteering is the is the diversity of the clients that I can mentor. I also enjoy watching as the clients successfully launch or expand their businesses.
