Dear Readers:
March is Women’s History Month, so SCORE San Luis Obispo County and Santa Maria Valley takes this opportunity to spotlight all the women of our SCORE chapter for their service to the small business community. We also feature several prominent local women’s organizations, which advocate for women’s equality in all walks of life.
Across the United States, 42% of our country’s businesses are owned by women, a total 13 million firms employing 9.4 million workers.
And almost 60% of our SCORE chapter’s clients are women!
Yes, “Women in Business” is certainly more than merely a phrase, it’s an essential component of our country’s economic health!
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Joe Whitaker
Marketing Chair, SCORE San Luis Obispo
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Spotlight on: SCORE Client of the Month |
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Ben Bright,
Owner, Old Soul Speed & Custom
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It is said, “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”. Many people chase the dream of turning their hobby into an income source, but run into the same hurdle: running the business side of monetizing their hobby. Small business owner, Ben Bright, is among these dream-chasers. Ben, a lifelong classic car enthusiast, restores and customizes pre-1964 cars at his San Luis Obispo shop, Old Soul Speed & Custom. If Ben could spend his entire work day focused on cars, he says his work day would feel like playing in the garage. However, in order for Old Soul to provide for his family and make a living, Ben must also manage things such as billing, payroll, advertisement, customer relations, parts ordering, and bookkeeping; none of which come quite as naturally to him as tig welding or sheet metal shaping. He turned to the SCORE group during several phases of building Old Soul to help him develop these essential business skills.
Ben can pinpoint the beginning of his love of cars to accompanying his dad as a kindergartener to the Fremont Dragstrip. Despite not being able to dig his small fingers deep enough into his ears to quiet the roaring engines, a fire was lit within him at the dragstrip and burns even more brightly today. He remembers setting his sights on owning a 1932 Ford Roadster. As he grew up, he went to car shows, took auto shop as a zero period in High School, and was a founding member of the Santa Cruz Redliners, a car club where he met his first mentor. Working alongside an auto shop owner gave Ben the opportunity to work on a variety of classic cars and build automotive skills.
After graduating high school and moving to Scotland for two years as a missionary, his appreciation for American classic cars grew even more. He decided to attend vocational school and receive accreditation for things he had been doing on his own, with a desire to gain more knowledge. While attending vocational school, he received an associate’s degree in Applied Science, and furthered his skills in sheet metal shaping, chassis fabrication, trim & upholstery, and engine building. Ben says these skills led him to being chosen with one other student to build a car from the ground up for the school to debut at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Marketing Association) show, the largest automotive trade show in the world. The car built was meant to be a representation of what students are capable of producing after attending school.
It also gave Ben the opportunity to be selected as one the student builders when the TV show, Overhaulin’, came to the school. Hard work and proving his skills on this build led to an offer of employment after graduation, and Ben went on to appear in 10 seasons of the show, spanning 16 years, as an A-team builder. During this time, Ben was lucky enough to be mentored by Chip Foose, and many other highly skilled people in the industry. (The last episode, building a 1964 Chevrolet Impala convertible for NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, aired March of 2021). On the Overhaulin’ show, the team would take a car and do ground-up restorations in just 7 days. This was possible through dozens of people working all-hours (Ben himself averaging 120 hours a week on these builds), and donations of parts. Chip described the build process in terms of “Foose Math”: 20 workers x 10 hours a day, 7 days equals 1,400 hours on one build. (In a small shop setting like Old Soul, this many hours will span many months; even years!)
Despite the great experience and exposure of working on Overhaulin’, being a family man was a priority for Ben. He wanted to be home in time for dinner each night, not 4 hours away from home working long hours on Overhaulin’ builds. In order to work near his home and family, Ben wanted to open his own shop. He needed help “setting up shop” and getting the word out that he was open for business.
This led to Ben’s original introduction to the SCORE group. He met with them and gained the confidence to open Old Soul Speed & Custom 8 years ago. SCORE meetings & workshops on social media marketing helped him link the reputation he worked so hard to build on Overhaulin’ to his personal business. (Today, Ben doesn’t focus on social media marketing at all, as his waitlist is so long that he has more business than the shop can handle!)
After 8 years of business, Ben has once again turned to the SCORE group to tighten up the business side of Old Soul Speed & Custom. His goals for 2023 are to watch the numbers as more of a businessman than a hobbyist. SCORE is helping him improve cash flow, being more aware of cash-flow inhibitors/hurdles like what areas of the business have a higher profit margin, and better understanding monthly bookkeeping reports. Ben can see how the SCORE group has helped him through the different phases of business ownership.
One thing Ben has realized is, it takes a lot more time to build a reputation than to ruin it. With sky-high standards, Ben has struggled to find employees with similar standards and had to trim the Old Soul team back to a small, solid one. Ben is not willing to pump out “good enough” work at high speed. He has trained his Old Soul customers to know his high-standard work takes time, and they are willing to wait on the list for quality workmanship.
While he’s come a long way since opening the shop, Ben understands there is still a long way to go before the business can run like a well-oiled machine. He is grateful for the SCORE group’s help in getting him there.
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Spotlight on: SCORE Member of the Month |
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The SCORE San Luis Obispo Women Mentors & Volunteers |
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For Women's History Month, we felt it was appropriate to take a moment and recognize our SCORE women volunteers who help mentor clients and support our organization! We are thankful for their expertise and ability to help those looking to start a business or become more successful in their current business endeavors.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram, where we'll be highlighting the women who help make our Chapter successful throughout the month of March. Learn more about these (and other) female faces behind SCORE as we spend the month of March celebrating the women who volunteer with SCORE San Luis Obispo!
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Not pictured:
- BreeAnn Cox
- Sharon Gottesfield
- Ke Kai Keahola
- Melissa Traynor
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What Every Business Owner Should Know |
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Starting a Business
Written by Joe Whitaker
Assess Yourself - Are You a Fit?
One of the first steps you should take before deciding to go into business is to determine why you, the prospective business owner, want to go into business. Have you realistically calculated the rewards and challenges of owning a business? Do you have the essential characteristics to be a successful business owner? Are you ready to handle the common types of problems faced by small businesses? Are you prepared to make the commitment and take the risks? Are you sure that this is what you really want? These are important questions you need to ask yourself.
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March is Women's History Month! |
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March is Women's History Month, an international celebration honoring the contributions of women to history, culture, and society. Since 1987, it has been observed annually in March in the United States.
In honor of Women's History Month, we wanted to highlight some of the local organizations who are also dedicated to assisting women entrepreneurs and business owners.
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The Women's Network of San Luis Obispo County |
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About:
The Women’s Network of San Luis Obispo County remains steadfast for 44 years and continues to shepherd a collaborative community of inspired businesswomen. We nurture a welcoming space where women grow through educational opportunities, meaningful connections, and empowered professionalism. It’s our mission to celebrate relationships first.
Contact:
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Women's Network of San Luis Obispo County President: Pamela Baczuk
I am a personal style consultant with over 25 years' experience in the fashion industry. My goal is to provide my clients with the guidance in creating a refined wardrobe with the purpose of reflecting each one's unique spirit. When you know that the clothing you wear is right, you are projecting your best image.
As current president of SLO Women's Network, I am honored to assist the board in continuing the mission and goals of the organization to support women in business.
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Santa Maria Women's Network |
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About:
The Santa Maria Women’s Network is an organization designed to promote the professional and personal development of its members. Membership includes men and women from the business and private sectors of the community who gather to exchange information, provide mutual support, and assist in the overall advancement of women.
Contact:
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Santa Maria Women's Network President: Naomi Altergott
I am an independent agent/associate with World Financial Group. I am licensed in both CA & AZ, providing insurance and financial products that help protect and provide for a family’s financial goals. I am part of a campaign to educate 30 million families on financial literacy by the year 2030, by offering free financial literacy workshops. I am passionate about teaching people about how money works and how they can achieve financial independence by making small changes with how they spend or save their money. I believe that everyone should be able to have the opportunity to live a happy, healthy & wealthy lifestyle.
In addition to serving as current president of the Santa Maria Women's Network, I am a certified mentor for SCORE, and an ambassador for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber.
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About:
Mission Community Services Corporation (MCSC) formed in 1998 and is a 501(c)3 that has been host to the Small Business Administration Women’s Business Center (WBC) since October 2006.
MCSC's Women's Business Center is full-service, technical assistance and training resource for entrepreneurs of all stages. Special focus is directed to underserved low-to-moderate income minority women. Although we operate as the Women's Business Center we inclusively serve all small businesses. Our service territory covers San Luis Obispo, Kern, and Monterey counties.
MCSC is in its 15th continuous year and was recognized as the 2020 Women's Business Center of the Year for the San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast Region. In 2020, we served over 1,000 clients and assisted in:
Clients accessing over $2.5 million in emergency capital due to the pandemic
The launch of and sustaining of over 600 businesses
The creation and retention of over 1,100 new jobs
Clients achieving an overall sales increase of $1.9 million
Contributing $44 million in gross revenues to our local economy
Contact:
Phone: (805) 595-1357
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SCORE's Women Entrepreneurs Hub |
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SCORE's Women Entrepreneurs Hub showcases tailored resources and success stories from women business owners. Check it out here!
SCORE offers a lot of great resources for women in business including the following:
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March 9th, 2023 | 5:00pm - 6:30pm
In this presentation, presenter Terza Ekholm will cover how to turn any piece of art you create into potential profit.
- Profit is not just financial, it is an investment of your energy, time, heart, mind and soul.
- There are more physical products than ever to be created from your art, from books to wearables to digital products in and out of Web3.
- Marketplaces as well as marketing strategies will also be covered.
- Resource list as well as communities provided following Q&A
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March 15th 2023 | 11:30am - 1:00pm
This SCORE workshop on Google Search Engine Optimization (SEO) will cover the basics of website optimization through a checklist for beginners and be an opportunity to explore a few of the tools alongside local traffic and SEO expert Lacey Clifton-Jensen (@Chicadita). Workshop attendees will learn how to effectively jump to the top of the list in Google’s search algorithm with Google’s social platform and the steps to landing on the map the right way.
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March 16th 2023 | 5:00pm - 7:00pm
READY? SET. GO! Starting a business of your own is exciting but we bet you have lots of questions. If you are thinking of starting a business, or have just started one, this workshop is a perfect fit. Topics covered will include the fundamentals of getting started, business operation basics, business plans, and how to use and understand financial reports.
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March 23rd 2023 | 5:00pm - 6:30pm
A successful business, like a new house, is built on a plan for a solid foundation. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to construct a traditional Business Plan, which describes how your business operates and creates revenue. And, in depth, examine the two most important sections of the plan, Marketing and Finance.
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SCORE District-Wide Workshops |
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SCORE District 4 has a number of additional upcoming workshops to help grow your business! Here are some of the featured workshops happening around our district:
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March 16th | 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
You will be provided information on the following:
- Variety of ways to finance your business.
- What is available to businesses through SBA and other lenders.
- How to navigate the application process and beyond, including what you need to know to get financing.
- The different resources available.
- Learning to identify when you need help and where to go!
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March 15th, 2023 | 12:00pm - 1:30pm
You will be provided information on the following:
- What documentation is needed when meeting with a bank or credit union about a loan.
- If you and your business are ready for a loan.
- What collateral you might need.
- How to tell your financial "story" with numbers
- Terms and conditions of the SBA flagship loan program - SBA 7(a), 504, Community
- Advantage and Microloan Programs.
- Eligible use of proceeds.
- Max interest rate and loan maturity.
- Collateral and insurance requirements.
- Packaging fees and closing costs.
- How to apply.
This is a Hybrid Lunch and Learn Event: Check-in and Lunch Provided at 11:30AM; Workshop Offered In-Person at Sesloc Federal Credit Union Community Room, 3855 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo - Or - Virtual Via Zoom
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Additional SCORE Workshops Available from our Regional Partners! |
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Looking for additional workshops? Our SCORE partners in Ventura and Santa Barbara also have free workshops available to assist your business!
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Thank You to our Sponsors |
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Due to the charitable contributions of the following sponsors and donors, we are able to provide all of our services at no charge.Thank you!
Sponsors:
Donors:
- SESLOC
- Madonna Enterprises
- Advantage Answering
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Has SCORE helped your business? Give back to SCORE to help entrepreneurs succeed: Donate today.
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Brought to you by SCORE, America's free and confidential source of small business mentoring and coaching. SCORE is a nonprofit association of more than 13,000 volunteer business experts. SCORE offers free mentoring and low-cost workshops nationwide. A resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE has helped more than 9 million small business clients since 1964.
Call 1-800-634-0245 for the SCORE office near you or visit online at SCORE.
© Copyright 2012. SCORE Association. All rights reserved.
SCORE San Luis Obispo
SCORE's mission is to foster vibrant small business communities through mentoring and education. We believe that every person should have the support necessary to thrive as a small business owner. Our volunteers are committed to the development and growth of successful small businesses across America....one business at a time.
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