- May 11, 2024
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For the second time in three years, SCORE of Volusia-Flagler was named the Chapter of the Year for east-central Florida.
BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER
Nonprofit business-consulting organization SCORE of Volusia-Flagler has been recognized as one of the Top 20 SCORE chapters in the country — in addition to being named the SCORE Chapter of the Year for east-central Florida for the second time since 2010.
A resource for small business owners and entrepreneurs, SCORE is an organization of retired professionals who volunteer their time to help businesses plan, secure funding and weather slow periods.
Locally, John Higgins and his wife Emily Higgins are the lead consultants for Ormond Beach. They host regular workshops at the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce, 165 W. Granada Blvd., and individual sessions by appointment.
“Most of the people have never been in business before and really have no clue how to go about it,” Emily Higgins said. “Some have done some research and have some idea, but others don’t.”
It’s the workshops, Chapter President Roger Leverton said, which have been the key to the chapter’s success and recognition.
Leverton said the chapter sees approximately 1,250 people annually at its workshops, where consultants discuss everything from starting a business to social media strategies and customer service.
John Higgins, who was a banker, said the biggest hurdle prospective small business owners approach him with is funding.
“I think that sometimes when people come to talk about the funding, I think we put a pin in their balloon sometimes and they get a reality check,” he said. “Sometimes they’re looking at pie in the sky.”
So he and his wife attempt to bring the client back to “reality,” he added, as well as help develop new ideas for possible funding.
Emily Higgins, a retired accountant and the chapter's treasurer, started working with SCORE about a year ago. John Higgins joined about two months after.
Because of the economy, she said banks aren’t issuing as many small-business loans, and grants are even rarer. She said she often has to recommend small business owners use what little personal finds they have to start the business.
When it comes to Ormond Beach, John Higgins said the city has worked hard to create a positive business environment, but prospective business owners need to realize that while a small community can be an advantage, there are also limitations.
“I don’t want to put down Ormond Beach,” John Higgins said. “But Ormond Beach tends to be a snowbird community. Our street right now is pretty empty because the snowbirds are going up north.”
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