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Testimonials
| Skuddlebutts |
| From Administrator |
About SCORE: Not all SCORE success stories involve meeting with mentors. Danny Glover, who now owns Skuddlebutts, a catering company dating back to 1939, credits the local chapter website with resources that helped him purchase the company he had been working for.
“I found useful documents that I used in my business plan, 3-year P&L statements, personal financial statements, etc.” he said. “I am more than happy to write a testimonial for SCORE, as I think it is a great, useful program for entrepreneurs who don’t have the resources necessary to begin or run a business.”
Since purchasing the popular BBQ caterer in its original Downers Grove location, Danny has opened a new carry out location in Glen Ellyn for pizzas, sandwiches and more. He has even started renting tents, tables and chairs to enhance his growing food business.
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| Make It Happen DuPage |
| From Administrator |
About SCORE: With a shot of encouragement from SCORE, Mary Nurse founded Make It Happen Dupage, LLC in April 2009. Fox Valley SCORE mentors Dean Katsaros and Lee McFadden assisted with several start up decisions including name availability, web-site advice and cost control.
Mary often says, "SCORE gave me the confidence and push I needed to believe that I can do this" and attributes many of her initial business decisions to the words of wisdom offered by both Dean and Lee. "They encouraged me to start the company without a partner and without a lot of overhead costs. Originally, I was a bit timid to go out on my own and I thought I should rent an office of some sort. The SCORE mentors offered an honest assessment of my plans without being discouraging."
Mary's strong public relations and marketing background coupled with good business decisions ensured that Make It Happen DuPage, LLC was an immediate success. The company continues to be a leader in the event marketing business and currently manages three area Farmer's Markets, the county's largest Job Fair, several health based events, art and craft shows, and contracts individual events with small businesses. Make It Happen DuPage recently expanded enough to add on a partner, allowing Mary a chance to explore other opportunities.
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| Sycamore Technical Recruiters |
| From Administrator |
About SCORE: Recruiting Firm Grows in Down Market
Who says were in a lousy job market? Certainly not Sycamore Technical Recruiters, which expects to double its business in 2011. The Illinois firm, which specializes in food and chemical industry placements nationwide, opened its doors in 2010 with a little help from SCORE mentors Dave Leifheit and Dennis Sester.
According to Ursula Dargis and her business partner Owen Wilkins, Dave and Dennis helped us put together a sound enough business plan to qualify for a bank loan a feat practically unheard of in todays banking environment, especially for a start-up. It didnt hurt that Dave was a retired banker who knew how bankers think.
Since the loan approval, Dennis and Dave have continued to encourage us to stretch and grow, Ursula said. The result is that the firm is planning to add at least two more recruiters and expects to double revenues again in 2012. Dennis and Dave are excellent sounding boards, pointing out potential pitfalls and offering alternative ideas, Ursula said. In fact, we like to think of them as our board of directors.
As an indication of things to come, the most recent mentoring session focused on space acquisition, infrastructure requirements and funding growth out of retained earnings.
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| Saving the Day |
| From Administrator |
About SCORE: Sometimes meeting with SCORE doesnt result in starting or growing a business. Here is a note we received from a client who felt well-served by advice she wasnt expecting:
After our meeting, I walked away knowing that you all weren't convinced that this was a valid opportunity, so I did some more research and discovered that this WAS a scam. I had arranged a meeting with the owner, and once I was given the owners name, I found what I was looking for. He was kicked out of Texas by the insurance commissioner, and there are reports all over the internet on how he offers this "deal" I discussed with you, but never fulfills his part of the deal.
Thank you all for meeting with me and being excited for me. Thanks most of all for seeing what I chose not to see. You saved me TONS of money and headaches.
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| Bellyrub Klub |
| From Administrator |
About SCORE: Jobs beget jobs. When the Bellyrub Klub created eight new jobs to provide doggie day care in Lombard, a western suburb of Chicago, owners of the dogs were able to hold jobs they might not otherwise have been able to take. Sue Aikman is happy to make this leveraged contribution to our struggling economy with her growing business. And she is grateful to Bruce Zimmerman and Lee McFadden from SCORE for mentoring her through the process over seven sessions held over the past two and a half years.
"When I initially met with Lee and Bruce, I had started promoting canine care and training from my house and had developed a fairly sizable client base by word of mouth," Sue said. "When I leased my first space for the business, I had to begin managing my time more effectively. No longer was I able to just say yes to everyone's request. I had to start planning, putting costs together, hiring staff, creating pricing guidelines, defining services, making drop off and pick up schedules, etc."
Sue quickly outgrew her first space and found a larger one that required a significant build out. "Lee and Bruce knew I was in desperate need of help managing finances, determining what services I could financially support, making budgets and business plans, and preparing loan documents for the bank. As they helped me prioritize, I was learning how to work ON the business instead of IN the business. They were also very good at holding me accountable."
The Bellyrub Klub continues to grow, and Sue who comes from a computer consulting background, has proven to be a quick study as well as a dog lover. She is active in the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the Animal Behavior College as an ABC Mentor Trainer, and the Delta Society with two dogs on a Therapy Dog Team.
Sue now does a lively business in dog-related retail items, as well as dog-specific seminars and workshops. Her new facility even provides for overnight boarding. And she uses an e-mail newsletter to offer canine tips and promote an imaginative stream of special offers and events.
"Lee and Bruce are always just a phone call or e-mail away," Sue said, "and it's comforting to know that. I expect to need them for a while to come and hope that someday I can do for someone else what SCORE has done for me."
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| Former SCORE Client Giving Back |
| From Rita Riordan |
About SCORE: Twenty-five years ago, I was in the third trimester of a physically challenging pregnancy. I was working for Bell Labs in New Jersey for a great boss who sent me to an HR person to learn what my leave permissions would be (my doctor recommended total rest from my 7th month onward). There was no FMLA back in those days. I was entitled to leave for 1 week prior to my delivery date. One of my colleagues at the Labs suggested that I look into starting my own business as his wife had done. That was the on-set of my first entrepreneurial adventure.
I attended a Women Entrepreneurs of Northern New Jersey open meeting and spoke to the group chair after the event. Her first recommendation was to get a SCORE counselor. I went through the local SBA and was contacted by a retired banker from NYC. He was brilliant! I'd already done cash, budget and marketing assessments when I met Ron for the first time. There was no email in those days, so we conversed via phone and snail mailed my business plan back and forth.
My first year business net profit was almost $150K, which, in 1985, was pretty darn good. The second year, my business net profit had doubled. I started a test preparation and tutoring company and I had more difficulty finding good teachers than students. I sold the business in 1987 for $250K to one of the teachers who had worked for me. My start-up "skin in the game" was $3,500 which came out of my teachers' retirement fund. I didn't take out any loans but starved capital to get things going. The sole reason I sold the business was because my old boss at the Labs wanted me back, but I would be moving home to the Chicago area.
Needless to say, my success with that venture into small business ownership was hinged very closely to the very generous, wise, and instructive SCORE volunteer who gave me so much guidance, helped me avoid so many pitfalls, encouraged me when I made very stupid mistakes, and aided me in making key alliances with local business professionals.
I can only tell you how very grateful I am to be in a position to return what was so generously given to me all those years ago. Ron was my hero, and I can only aspire to be as great a mentor as he was for me.
Thank you for encouraging me towards membership. I promise to give 100% in every way I can.
-- Rita Riordan
(Rita is in training to become a new SCORE mentor at our Lisle offce.)
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| Helios USA |
| From Steve Ostrenga, CEO |
About SCORE: With the assistance of SCORE, Helios USA, LLC, a solar manufacturer, has decided to locate its first manufacturing facility in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley. The facility, which will be fully operational by Q4 2010, will create over 50 new, permanent clean energy jobs in Wisconsin. Helios USA expects to begin hiring by late summer 2010.
Helios USA manufactures high-performance solar modules for use in residential, commercial, industrial, and utility-based solar electric systems. The company's reliable, high-efficiency modules, backed by a generous warranty, create new market opportunities by making solar electricity more attractive and economical.
SCORE was integral in developing Helios USAs marketing, operational and financing strategies. Beginning in February of 2009, Steven Ostrenga, the CEO of Helios USA, met with Thomas Schrader, SCORE counselor based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mr. Schraders previous experience as President of a natural gas company provided great insight into defining market segments and equity financing.
From an operational perspective, Jim Sopp, SCORE counselor based in the Chicago area, gave valuable feedback on supply chain negotiation and discussion of plant loading efficiencies.
Finally, Dick Boemer and Jim Longe, SCORE counselors based in Milwaukee and Racine, Wisconsin respectively, not only provided in depth analysis of the financial statements, but also provided strategies in regard to financial structure and debt financing.
SCORE counselors were a key success factor in launching the business. They provided technical expertise, strategic feedback, were quick to respond, and were available seven days a week. I will forever be indebted to them, explained Steve Ostrenga, CEO of Helios USA.
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| CD Phone Home, Inc. |
| From Edith McDonald |
About SCORE: Carlos Gutierrez buys used cell phones, repairs them and resells them.
His website is so well designed that he is high on Google's list when a search looks for Nextel phones. He gets 750 to 1000 hits a day and turns them into 10 to 50 sales. He's been in business since January 2009, grossed $403,000 last year and came to SCORE because he could expand his business if he could borrow enough money to buy more phones. His source for these phones is stores where they are turned in on new models.
We counseled him through the banker, accountant, insurance agent, and lawyer list and challenged him to go home and write the first page of his business plan that night.
He did! Took it to his bank and they asked for some numbers. He created an account summary. They asked for a balance sheet; he made one. When he could put his numbers on their template, they gave him a line of credit for $25,000. It's what he wanted: cash to buy larger lots of phones.
When the loan came through, he called to thank us for our help and tell of his success. Last week I caught up with him again and found he'd moved upstairs to a larger office space. CD Phone Home, Inc. is located in the incubator building where SCORE has its Fox Valley Office. He has added a second employee and is using $12,000 of the line of credit. This allows him to buy larger lots of used phones and lower his costs. He's paying 2% over the market. His average sale is $105.
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| Formosa Grooming |
| From Lisa and Joseph Tortora |
About SCORE: Before we started our grooming business, we contacted SCORE to understand what we needed to own a business. SCORE gave us directions and homework to help us to get ready. Along the preparation, we also went back to make sure if we were on the right track and also get more homework.
SCORE helped us to see the big picture from the idea to an actual store - all the way to keeping it in operation. Also, knowing that at anytime we can receive support from the SCORE team is a valuable asset in running a successful business.
About Formosa Grooming:
Lisa and Joseph first visited with their SCORE counselors in September, 2008 and began to prepare to open their first business. They spent several months completing their professional training and certifications, getting organized from a legal and accounting perspective, and opened their business in their home in July, 2009. For their initial advertising campaign, Joseph went door to door throughout the neighborhood passing out flyers.
In December, 2009 they opened their new storefront facility at 87th street and Route 59 in Naperville, bringing over the 100 customers they developed from their home business.
With their combination of outstanding professional abilities and focus on customers both 2 and 4 legged, their business is expanding rapidly.
Lisa was born in Formosa. In Portuguese, Ilha Formosa means beautiful island. In Naperville, Formosa Grooming means beautiful dogs groomed by beautiful people. |
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| Foiled Cupcakes |
| From Mari Luangrath |
About SCORE: Cupcake delivery in Chicago.
Foiled Cupcakes is a gourmet cupcake bakery serving Chicago and its western suburbs. We bake fresh and delicious cupcakes by the dozen and deliver them to you straight from our Chicago kitchen to your door.
Mari Luangrath, owner and entrepreneur, first met with her SCORE counselors in July 2008, and the Initial consultation consisted of an objective analysis of the business model with feedback on acute ways to improve the offering. Subsequent follow-up sessions were scheduled to address strategies to market, operate, grow, and increase profit margins.
Foiled Cupcakes acquired/leased the necessary physical assets, hired its initial staff, developed and began to implement a marketing plan, then launched its website in July 2009, offering delivered cupcakes to Chicago and its western suburbs with a unique combination of customization, quality, customer service, and, well - just fun.
Through the innovative use of social networking marketing, a great product, and even better customer focus and service, Foiled Cupcakes has become an instant success in the initial target market. Foiled Cupcakes has well over 5,000 followers on Twitter, 1,300+ facebook fans and is not only listed first when conducting a Google search for foiled cupcakes;" it is the entire first page of the Google search results.
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| Byrne Transportation Services, LLC |
| From John Byrne |
About SCORE: We are a veteran-owned small business that is a subcontractor to a prime contractor working under the DTCI Program for the Dept. of Defense. Our area of expertise is working with specialized equipment to move large items. For the Dept. of Defense, these would be items such as tanks, helicopters and humvees.
We contacted SCORE to help us assimilate this business into our current operations, as we were very small and needed to grow. Controlling growth can be as daunting a task as downsizing. We didn't want to assume way too much debt and inhibit our ability to grow in the future. At the same point, we didn't want to send any signals that we were unwilling or unable to keep up with our customer needs.
SCORE was invaluable in coaching and assisting us in developing a strategic plan. They also met with us frequently to help us deal with issues as we encountered them. They were also able to maintain a more global view while we were in the trenches fighting the battle.
As of today, I am proud to say that with the assistance of SCORE we have moved to a new office, acquired a strong banking relationship, acquired the necessary offce and technology, and hired 10 new employees. We are also positioned to continue our growth as SCORE has given us the skill set and strategy to move forward.
We can't thank Robert Walsh and Wayne Barcheski of SCORE enough for sharing their experience and knowledge. |
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| Bella Ink |
| From Melissa Danaher |
| About SCORE: Bella Ink, a greeting card company, had grown from a home-based business into a recognizable brand available in hundreds of card and gift shops across the country in just over three years. I am an artist and had no idea how to run a business. I contacted SCORE when I knew that we were going to be a viable business. I realize that to have seasoned business people help me along the way was crucial in our success. I had my first meeting with Lee McFadden and Bill Carver. They talked to me about balance sheets, cash flow projections and accounting. I quickly lined up an accounting person, knowing this was not my forte! Several months later I came back with balance sheets and sales numbers. I could tell by the puzzled look on their faces that things weren't adding up. I would have never in a milllion years been able to pick up on the inconsistencies in the numbers. It was just not my thing! Thanks to them, I hired a NEW IMPROVED accounting person and got back on track. At the next pivotal meeting we discussed selling our products to big box stores. They explained that those can be good accounts to have but to be careful of margins, discounts and special treatment, as well as contracts about returning merchandise that didn't sell, etc. They made the point that we are doing so well selling to boutique shops that I should really think hard about selling to the BIG GUYS. We crunched numbers and although we were flattered by the "idea" of being in some big name stores, it was not the right time for us as a business. Once again, this saved us! Their experience has really helped us in crucial times in our business. Their insight and expertise is priceless. I honestly don't know what I would do without them! |
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| LOLLIPOP PORTRAIT, INC. |
| From Kate Dwyer, CEO |
About SCORE: I want to take a moment to thank you for all you have done to help Lollipop Portraits, Inc get started.
Your advice can not be measured. Your expertise in EVERYTHING helped me set up my corporation for success. I came to you looking for a trusted advisor and found a lasting friendship. I am honored to call you "coach" and will always be indebted to you and the SCORE team.
I credit SCORE for helping me with setting up success in all areas of my business and will continue to recommend Naperville SCORE to everyone I meet. |
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| Emerald Marketing, Inc. |
| From Tim Sullivan |
About SCORE: Emerald Marketing, Inc. needed to develop a business plan for a new service it is offering: community magazine publishing. The primary differentiation of this service involves a partnership with the various taxing bodies in a community. Finding bank financing for the venture was a critical part of the business plan. We went to SCORE for help. Working closely with two SCORE, counselors, Lee McFadden and Bruce Zimmerman, we spent months developing a business plan and refining the business model. The end result was a comprehensive business plan with clearly defined financials, objectives and goals.
The SCORE executives that we work with have gone over and above in helping us structure a successful business. We would not have been able to accomplish our financing goals without them. The business plan and financial support are now in place to allow us to offer and deliver a highly regarded publication service to the marketplace. |
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