One-On-One Counseling

One-on-One Counseling is available free of charge to persons who are already in business and to those individuals who have taken concrete steps to start a new business, such as having begun the business planning process, attended one or more SCORE Workshops or have committed some of their ideas and plans to writing. A Pre-Counseling Workshop is available without charge to those who are considering starting their own business, but haven’t yet made the decision to proceed and are looking for information to assist them in making a final decision. Please indicate below the status of your business plans so that we might most effectively assist you:

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An effective Counseling session should focus on your specific needs and questions, however discussions may identify additional issues to consider. The Counseling session should conclude with agreement about additional work and future Counseling objectives. It is not expected that a detailed business plan will exist at the time of the Counseling, although we are prepared to discuss it with you if such a plan is available.

A request for information on a specific subject or question is best handled by calling the SCORE office in Nashville at 615-736-7621 between the hours of 9:00 am and Noon, Monday through Friday. The Counselor on duty can usually provide answers or direct you to the appropriate resources.

One-on-one counseling offers a personal path through the questions that every entrepreneur faces, from shaping an early idea into a written plan to steadying a company that is already running. Sessions are conversational rather than transactional, giving business owners space to think out loud with a volunteer counselor who listens carefully before responding. The goal is not a quick fix but a clearer sense of direction, helping each person set realistic goals and move forward with greater confidence in their own decisions.

For those still weighing whether to launch a venture, a pre-counseling workshop provides a structured setting to explore motivations, risks, and readiness without pressure to commit. Conversations cover the practical realities of startup life, including time demands, financial exposure, and the personal qualities that tend to support long-term success. Participants leave with a stronger grasp of what lies ahead and a better sense of whether now is the right moment to take the next step toward building their own business.