By By MARCIA STEFFENS / Niles Daily Star
NILES – The old adage is you can't get anything for free. That isn't entirely true.
There are some dedicated volunteers who have years of experience and wisdom which they are willing to share with those starting or growing a business.
These retired men and women donate their time to SCORE, formerly Service Core of Retired Executives, now known as Counselors to America's Small Business.
SCORE Chapter Chair Jerry Marchetti of Edwardsburg brought material and a display board to the Millenium Steakhouse Thursday noon to show the members of the Kiwanis Club of Niles/Southwestern Michigan.
"It's totally free," he said.
A former Sear's manager for 30 years, Marchetti has worked with SCORE in South Bend, Ind. for 12 years.
But now those in southwest Michigan have another choice with an office opening in Cassopolis, at the Inovateus Business Center, 701 Park Shore Drive, Cassopolis.
The center, formerly a governmentally owned incubator for businesses, was purchased by Leonard Kanczuzewski of Cassopolis. He has eight clients who are able to work the first years of their business at reduced rent and shared services.
Having SCORE and its extensive library and materials in the same location is a perfect fit.
This new location is the 53rd SCORE office in Michigan. There are 389 nationally.
"We have the advice and the experience," Marchetti told the Kiwanis members. Club member Eileen Toney of Chemical Bank chose Marchetti as the speaker to introduce the other members to the advantages SCORE offers.
Often, she said, people come to the bank wanting to borrow money for a new business, but they have no idea about how to make a business plan, or how important it is to have one, she added.
Toney's bank also partners with the Small Business Administration, which is located in the same building in South Bend, Ind. with SCORE.
SCORE volunteers have access to more than 200 sample business plans, which can be adapted for many different businesses, Marchetti said.
Since opening in South Bend in 1982, there have been many clients from the Niles area, he said. There are 26 counselors in South Bend and six in Cassopolis. They also participate in job fairs and business expos and offer workshops.
The biggest turnout was at a recent one at the Cass District Library, with 30 people in attendance. "Some had been laid off early or retired and wanted to continue to work," he said.
Marchetti gave the members the same free packet each client receives, full of information meant to help both those who are just beginning with an idea, others who are struggling, to those whose idea is working and they are ready to expand.
They spend about one and a half hours with a client and input information into their computer base, he said. They also offered counseling via email.
When questioned, he said they are also honest and may "tell them to do more homework."
You never know what will work.
Or they may be ready to go. Marchetti told of one woman whom they counseled. Her picture hanging idea ended up selling 3,600 in one day on eBay.
Matching their resources and counselors with businesses – "it's a real win-win," he said.