All Courses

Who is this course for? Open to all; required of all new volunteers to SCORE

This brief, foundational 12-minute orientation provides a general overview of SCORE and the resources available to you as a SCORE volunteer. Required for volunteers and strongly recommended for all other volunteers.

Who is this course for? Open to all; required of all new volunteers to SCORE.

This seven minute module provides a brief introduction of SCORE's mission and vision. The module explains each of the values and how these values influence our actions.

Who is this course for? Open to all; required of all new volunteers to SCORE

This seven minute course provides an introduction of the structure of SCORE around the country and at the national office. The module also explains the various funding sources at a chapter level as well as at a national level.

Who is this course for? All SCORE Volunteers, (provisional and active) including Mentors, Subject Matter Experts, Workshop Presenters and Volunteers.

By taking this course, all SCORE Volunteers will

• Fulfill the annual agreement to adhere to the SCORE Code of Ethics
• Understand SCORE’s and SBA’s Whistleblower Policies and Procedures
• Answer frequently asked questions related to the SCORE Code of Ethics
• Be given an opportunity to practice applying the SCORE Code of Ethics to real-life scenarios

Who is this course for? Open to all; required for all mentors to SCORE.

Being a Certified SCORE Mentor means you have tapped into best practices based on feedback from other SCORE mentors and clients. Enhance your business experience by completing this 5-part certification program. Completion of this course benefits all volunteers and mentors as it walks you through SCORE's client-focused methodology. This methodology has been proven to help mentors connect better with their clients.

The SCORE Introduction to Engage module should take about 12 minutes to complete.

Engage is essential in tracking all relationships with our clients and their success over time. Additionally, Engage records all volunteer performance data and includes reports to measure the growth in chapter services. In this module, you will gain an understanding of how Engage is organized, the 3 user journeys and finally, you will also learn of some of the key benefits and features the system offers.

Who is this course for? Open to all; required for all mentors to SCORE

In this course, you will learn about the tools SCORE uses to continually measure our effectiveness. Specifically, you will learn about the Client Engagement Survey, Volunteer Engagement Survey, Net Promoter Score Survey (NPS), and Follow On and One & Done Rates. The course will give you an in depth look at how the NPS and Follow On and One & Done rates are calculated and how to access and use your results to continually improve service to clients. This course should take you 10 minutes to complete.

Simple Steps to Starting Your Business is the most successful workshop series for SCORE clients throughout the country.

Viewing the 5 modules of this workshop fulfill the workshop requirement for volunteer onboarding. You must exit the module and go back to the course landing page to launch the next module.

These modules introduce clients to key business considerations, such as the myths and realities of entrepreneurship, different business options to pursue, the components of business ownership, legal and financial considerations, and the business plan basics.

Who is this course for? Open to all; required for all Video Mentors.

This course can help prepare anyone interested in mentoring by video communication (ie., Google Hangouts, Skype, FaceTime, GoToMeeting, zoom, etc.). This module reviews video mentoring as an additional option to serve clients, steps for getting started, and best practices for hosting a video mentoring session. It also includes a review of how to record your client communication and session notes in Engage. For chapters that are already on Engage, please use this guidance on the Support Center.

Who is this course for? Open to all

This is the first module on our Mentoring Skills Track. Listening is a process that involves receiving, interpreting, and responding to messages-both verbal and nonverbal. It is a cornerstone of communication. Over the course of this module, you will explore how listening and asking powerful questions can transform effective communication at all levels and create more successful Mentor-Client relationships.

This module includes a facilitator’s guide to conduct a group viewing and discussion of the SCORE 101 Powerful Listening and Questioning module. The document can be accessed on the Course Material Page. 

Who is this course for? Open to all

This module explores the meaning of facilitation in multiple contexts. Upon completion of this module, you will be able to identify the qualities of effective facilitators, and learn the steps and techniques for facilitating in a variety of scenarios relevant to successful Volunteer-Client relationships.

Who is this course for? Open to all

Understanding Generational Divides provides a deeper understanding of each generation, including Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and Millennials. This context will support you in building a strong client/mentor relationship, and help you learn how to work most effectively together. 

This module includes a facilitator’s guide to conduct a group viewing and discussion of the SCORE 104 Understanding Generational Divides module. The document can be accessed on the Course Material Page.

Who is this course for? Open to all

Understanding Communication Styles helps volunteers identify their own communication style and that of their clients; and then how that mutual understanding can lead to more effective mentor-client relationships. 

This module includes a facilitator’s guide to conduct a group viewing and discussion of the SCORE 105 Understanding Communication Styles module. The document can be accessed on the Course Material Page. 

Who is this course for? Open to all. 

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for the client is listen and understand. Reflective listening skills can help mentors foster a strong client/mentor relationship. In this module, volunteers will learn more about drivers of client engagement, reflective listening, tactics for becoming a better listener, and emotional Intelligence. Volunteers will also look at a few SCORE mentor success stories that demonstrates empathy in practice.

This module includes a facilitator’s guide to conduct a group viewing and discussion of the SCORE 106 Empathy in Practice module. The document can be accessed on the Course Material Page

Who is the course for? Open to all. 

Each person is unique. Excellent client engagement requires the ability to adapt to the client’s needs. Taking the time to understand your client will help you effectively connect with them throughout the mentoring process. In this module, we’ll offer tools around: tactics for getting to know your client, ways people process information, and communication preferences.

This module includes a facilitator’s guide to conduct a group viewing and discussion of the SCORE 107 Tools for Connecting with Clients module. The document can be accessed on the Course Material Page

Understanding Generational Divides provides a deeper understanding of each generation, including Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, Millennials, and the newest generation on our radar – Gen Edge or Gen Z. Each generation thinks, acts, and communicates differently. This content will support you in building a strong client/mentor relationship and help you learn how to work most effectively together.

This session was recorded at SCORE's 2017 Volunteer Virtual Conference. 

In this session, you’ll gain skills to connect with clients for the long haul. Our clients tell us that having empathy, compassion, warmth, and simply being there for someone are drivers of their engagement. This session will equip mentors to build their skills to assist in this arena.

This is a session from SCORE's Volunteer Virtual Conference 2018. 

In this session, Dr. Tim Gilligan, Director of Coaching at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Excellence in Healthcare Communication will talk about what matters -- expertise vs. relationship building in delivering effective care to cancer patients.

This is a session from SCORE's Volunteer Virtual Conference 2018. 

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS: HOW TO USE THE BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS AND BUSINESS PLANS introduces participants to the concept of the business model canvas and how and when it might be used instead of or in addition to traditional business plans (marketing, financial, or a full, traditional business plan).

This was recorded at the 2017 Volunteer Virtual Conference. 

SCORE mentors can help their clients validate their business concepts using the Business Model Canvas developed by Strategizer as explored in VirtCon 2017. BMC provides a manageable way to plan their launch. The two most important elements in BMC are the Value Proposition and Customer Segments. V2 explores how to help your clients formalize their model and then validate it before moving beyond these key elements with additional investment of time and resources. 

This is a session from SCORE's Volunteer Virtual Conference 2018.