SCORE Cincinnati Client Success Stories

Retiree Creates Vacations Success NextLevel Vacations, is an online resort vacation wholesaler. Its president, Berrece Andrews, was inspired to form his business while on vacation in the Caribbean in 2005, just one month after retiring from P&G. He considers his SCORE counselors Bill Haman and Jerry Agin key members of his business team. He also found SCORE seminars to be of great value because they were relevant and you could choose what topics were important to business development at the time. NextLevel revenues in its first year were in the six figures, and Andrews estimates he’ll have annual revenues of a million dollars by 2010.

Sweet Success EMBRACE SWEETS - Here's an example of a Mom and Daughter team who strengthened their family ties as they worked together and created a growing, multi-award-winning business. They produce and market gourmet foods. Their customers are elite retailers and hotels - and the business is located in an inner-city, turnaround area. They called their SCORE Counselor a "God send.

Oaktree Communicates OAK TREE COMMUNICATIONS - Melinda Zemper takes the mystery out of Public Relations, for her clients - and her SCORE Counselor took the mystery out of creating a business plan with realistic long- and short-term goals. In less than one year, her business grew into having a solid business base of clients. Her meetings with SCORE have continued - and, as always, they have all been cost-free.

A Bright Start for Owner Eos Hair Studio Shannon Kurup has been a licensed managing cosmetologist for 13 years, but there were times she didn't feel comfortable getting her hair done. "I'm a mother. I have two boys and a lot of times I would be reluctant to go to a place ... you feel like you can't bring the kids," she said. So when she and husband Anand talked about opening a new hair studio, Kurup wanted to make her business family-friendly, both in atmosphere and price. "I just want everyone to feel they can come here," she said.

BBQ is smokin' Look for Money the SCORE Way
Raising money for growing a one-year old business in a highly competitive field, seemed impossible for a Forest Park, KY business owner who was turned down by every bank he visited. Read how teaming with SCORE, the KY African-American Chamber of Commerce and the SBA, had given him new hope of getting his loan.

Fishing and Hunting Business Plan Lynch Pin to Fantastic Growth
Not only is this story one of growth (about 700% in eight years) but it was fun all the way. If you like fishing, boating and making lots of money, check this one out, now. Here's a tough one to beat.

Disabled [Non-Profit] Nonprofit Profits from SCORE's Guidance
Whoever said that a faith-based nonprofit can't/shouldn't be run like a business? Read about the way SCORE helped a husband and wife team beat the odds as they put handicapped folks to work producing highly saleable religious products for today's market.

KY Horse Stables SCORE Helps Solve Cash Flow Mystery
Very little created fear for this entrepreneur until she got to her financials - especially cash flow. Read how with SCORE's help, it happened - the realization of how every element of a business is in one way or another connected to every other. The SCORE Counselor remained just a phone call away as this unusual business rounded the turn and took off as a winner.

Blaines Men's Clothing Store Startup Help for Experienced Exec
He had 10 years of senior management experience with a major clothing retailer. Yet, when it came time to start his own business, he needed help. The help came from a SCORE Counselor who not only understood the business but stayed with this startup until it was well established - and beyond.

Reruns for Wee Ones a Children's Resale Shop How Success Breeds Success
Sometimes we don't know what the next steps should be when we reach a pinnacle of success and seek more growth. The SCORE business plan methodology works for every kind of business and helps managers see light at the end of the tunnel. Here's a story of a business at that point, in a tough marketplace.

Pride Cast Metals Inc. Seizing the Moments of Opportunity
A couple of engineers decided to take over a discontinued segment of their employer's business. It took courage, money, and a passion for success. But soon it became apparent that more business was needed and with the help of SCORE, new opportunities were discovered, plans were developed, and growth from a 17 to a 140 employee company ensued. Read the whole story about how this was done.

Pass It On Pet Supplies Entrepreneurial Innovation Fertilized by SCORE Seminar
Puppies can be expensive and in her less than satisfactory search for bargain pet products, a business was born. Using her high energy, intensity, and intuitive genius, this entrepreneur took a half-day SCORE Seminar, worked with a Counselor, and in short order, a business dubbed "Pass it On Pet Supplies" was up and operating. Here is her story.

Eger Products Scoring a Turnaround for Losing Manufacturer
This molder of plastics needed a turn around when it found itself losing ground in a growing industry. According to its V.P. and General Manager, asking for help was easier than implementing what the SCORE Counselor was suggesting that they do. It took 15 sessions with the SCORE Counselor and the turn around was achieved - profitability and growth restored.

Nnodum Corp. From Pharmacist to Medicine Man
It can be tough coming from a foreign country and making it here in the US but that's what happened with Nnodum Iheme. Learn how, after 10 years in this country, a pharmacist became a successful manufacturer and distributor of a unique over-the-counter product named Ziks - with the help of SCORE.

My Gal Friday Inc. SCORE Helps Novice Owner
Julie just couldn't get everything done for herself and her family. So, assuming that others might have similar problems, she quit her job in pharmaceutical sales and, with the help of a SCORE Counselor, launched a successful personal concierge service. Soon, and with SCORE help, she expanded the business to include highly profitable corporate clients.

Retiree Pension Forces Self-Employment
After 32 years, the pension just wasn't enough to permit retirement so Curtis, with help from SCORE started his own business. He knew everything there was to know about elevators but virtually nothing about starting a business. Today he has his own successful consulting business and knows that his next try at retirement will be under his own control.