The consulting industry has grown exponentially in the last decade reaching $254 Billion last year and showing a 7% growth in 2017. Business leaders know they don't have all the answers so they hire outside consultants to bring a new perspective to challenges.
You know the old saying - you can't see the forest for the trees - and that is precisely the dilemma business leaders find themselves in, no matter the size of the business. Small business owners usually have the same challenges as major corporations, just with fewer zeroes on the balance sheet.
The problem is that a consultant has a particular area of expertise and business challenges are usually quite complex and one consultant cannot necessarily have all of the skill sets necessary to help solve a challenge like reversing declining sales. What are the various factors involved? Major corporations hire multiple consultancies to collaborate on projects. Clearly a small business owner does not have that financial ability.
This is the niche that SCORE fills for small business owners. SCORE mentors often work in teams with clients. Each mentor brings a particular area of expertise and they work in teams with the client to find solutions to all of the component parts of a business challenge.
FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE
Irene Dec
Irene Dec hails from a successful international career with a Fortune 500 company. She traveled the world reorganizing departments, hiring and firing people, opening and closing offices and making sure budgets were adhered to, profits were made and employees motivated and happy. Irene has a Masters' Degree in Mathematics and has taught university level calculus to MBA students at Montclair State University. She was named one of ComputerWorld's 24 IT People to Watch, a Premier IT Leader in 2000, as well as New Jersey's "26 Intriguing Women of New Jersey Business". 
Paul Gross
Paul Gross graduated from Wharton and Harvard and began his career selling insurance. He sold policies the old-fashioned way - by cold calling prospects. He eventually began purchasing insurance agencies and started merging smaller agencies into bigger agencies. By the time he was ready to retire a few years ago, he owned the 15th largest privately held insurance agency in the country with a staff of 500 in 17 offices across the country.
SCORE Palm Beach
SCORE Palm Beach is a non-profit whose mission is helping local small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs grow and thrive by offering mentoring, workshops, business consulting and counseling services, networking opportunities, events and partnerships within the Palm Beach / South Florida business corridor.
SCORE-ing Your Business' host Penny Pompei served as Chapter Chair for our local SCORE Palm Beach Chapter, located in beautiful downtown West Palm Beach.
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About the Author(s)
Key Topics
- Business Plans/Startup Assistance
- Marketing, Public Relations & Sales
- Strategy & Planning
- In Business
- Startup
- Encore (50+) Entrepreneurs
- Rural Entrepreneurs
- Veteran Entrepreneurs
- Women Entrepreneurs
- Young Entrepreneurs
- Accommodation & Food Services
- Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting
- Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation
- Finance & Insurance
- Health Care & Social Assistance
- Other Services (except public admin.)
- Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services
- Real Estate & Rental & Leasing
- Transportation & Warehousing
