​New monthly group supports women entrepreneurs

Cincinnati SCORE provides no-cost mentoring and low-cost small business workshops to business owners throughout the region.

Good tells more about this new effort.

Q: What has been your involvement with SCORE?

A: I spent 24 years working as a regional vice president for a $4 billion human resource outsourcing company. When I retired in 2002, my husband and I moved to West Chester Twp., and I joined SCORE, where I've had variety of roles, including chapter chair and southern Ohio district director. I feel joyful seeing businesses grow and moving forward. Working with other SCORE counselors is a never-ending learning experience. It's a lot of fun.

Q: What is the women’s CEO roundtable?

A: The roundtable is a group of SCORE women mentors and SCORE women business owners who meet and discuss business issues once a month. We all support each other and have suggestions to help. Membership is free.

Last year during Small Business Week, SCORE held three open houses with women clients—a breakfast, a lunch and an after-work meeting. We had more than 200 women attend. We asked them how SCORE could help them grow their businesses, and the CEO roundtable was at the top of the list.

Q: Why are opportunities for women entrepreneurs important?

A: Recently, SCORE increased the number of both women and minority mentors in our ranks to better reflect and serve our clients. Currently, 58 percent of our clients are women and 39 percent are minorities, so it makes sense for us to reach out to experienced female and minority businesspeople and recruit them as expert mentors. SCORE is committed to remaining a vital and relevant partner to small business in our area, meeting the changing needs of our clientele.

Q: What happens during a typical roundtable meeting?

A: We meet in the Skip's Express Café in Kenwood — and everyone gets to present a highlight of the week or month and discuss a specific business problem if they have one. We keep all the information confidential to the group. We have speakers and encourage members to network and work together, too.

Q: What are your goals for this group?

A: Our goals are to expand the group and help more women grow their businesses. We may start a men's roundtable.

Q: How can someone get involved?

A: SCORE clients can ask their mentors and join immediately. If a woman CEO is not a SCORE client, but owns a business, we ask that you become a SCORE member or mentor, then join the roundtable.

Women CEOs and new entrepreneurs can contact me through the SCORE downtown office at (513) 684-2812. They can also go to the SCORE website and learn about obtaining a SCORE mentor, engaging in team mentoring or attending a SCORE small business seminar at www.greatercincinnatiscore.org.

Q: Are there any upcoming events?

A: We have two big events coming up this spring and summer, which are sponsored, in part, by grants from the national SCORE office.

One is a food innovation event called The Business of Food on May 8 at the Sharonville Convention Center, featuring Marilyn Harris, host of the weekly radio program, “Cooking With Marilyn” on WKRC.

The other event is called Christmas in July, July 8 at Washington Park in downtown Cincinnati. It will feature SCORE local small business owners selling their wares and gift items. For more information, visit our website at https://greatercincinnati.score.org.