December 2020
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, writer and pioneering aviator
There’s never been a better time to write your business plan!
As we prepare to close out 2020 and welcome in a new - and hopefully brighter - year, it’s natural to start looking ahead toward new goals and big ideas for our businesses. Whether you’re looking to start a new business or want to evolve the business you’re already running, it’s important to go beyond a New Year’s resolution and create an actual plan to help you reach your goals.

Luckily, December is National Business Plan month! Still need to do this work yourself? It’s never too late to start planning ahead. Click the link below to read this month’s feature article and get our best tips to write a better business plan.


Feature Article:
Diversity & Inclusion
To Increase Diversity, U.S. Tech Companies Need to Follow The Talent
By Bhaskar Chakravorti, for Harvard Business Review

For years, big tech has had a diversity and inclusion problem. And despite commitments from Silicon Valley’s top companies, the numbers have not changed much in the last 5 years. At Google, for example, the 2020 annual diversity report shows just 5.5% of employees identify as Black and 6.6% identify as Latinx. Only 32.5% of employees identify as women.

According to this article from the Harvard Business Review, however, the move to remote work sparked by COVID-19 is an opportunity for tech companies - and other businesses around the country - to make diversity and inclusion a priority in 2021. The article recommends that companies seek talent from new places far away from their usual locations in order to attract a broader array of talent.

Client Spotlight
Mulholland Metal Restoration
Keith Mulholland & Michelle Mulholland, Owners

Mulholland Metal Restoration LLC opened in the middle of a pandemic. But despite it being a hard year for many small business owners, Keith and Michelle Mulholland have had a strong first few months and are looking ahead to growing their business in 2021. The business offers oil undercoating for vehicle protection, sandblasting services and metal coatings. 
 
Keith came up with the idea for Mulholland Metal Restoration after years of caring for his own truck and working to keep it from rusting. He said that while he knew the service was needed, the logistics of getting funding, finding real estate and getting the business started were overwhelming. But with the help of SCORE, Mulholland Metal Restoration LLC was able to continue on its track to open this past July. Since then, they’ve seen a steady stream of customers thanks to their public relations and marketing efforts and the supportive small business community in Weare.
Merrimack Valley NH SCORE Earns National Recognition for Outstanding Client Education

The national office of SCORE “Mentors to America’s Small Business” honored Merrimack Valley NH SCORE with national recognition for outstanding client education in 2020. The award recognizes the SCORE chapter for achievement of excellence thru workshops in support of local small businesses.

 Merrimack Valley NH SCORE has been a part of the local small business community for over 50 years. In the past 12 months, the chapter’s volunteers provided over 1,500 free face-to-face mentoring sessions and over 125 free workshops attended by over 3,700 aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Upcoming Workshop Schedule
SCORE’s workshops are currently still virtual and continue to cover key topics about running a business well during the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us and sign up for one of the upcoming workshops listed below!