Contents

SCORE Helps Habitat Warehouse Succeed in Business
SCORE Counselors Win Microsoft $10,000 Technology Makeovers
Kudos for Missouri dairy farm
Successful Business by Design
You and Your Bank- A Partnership for Success
Money to Grow On!
Eye on Expansion
Legal Potholes Can Make E-Commerce Bumpy
Ask an Expert
SCORE Association Reaches Milestone-7 Million Clients Served
SCORE Association Forms Alliance with White House Initiative

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For Immediate Release
Contact: Edward Fritsch, efritsch62272@everestkc.net

SCORE Helps Habitat Warehouse Succeed in Business
Retired Volunteers Put Retail Savvy to Work Aiding ReStore Warehouse in Kansas City

Kansas City, MO – When Heartland Habitat for Humanity began making plans to open a ReStore warehouse in the Kansas City area, they were prepared to go out and build a corps of volunteers, elect leadership and partner with local companies and organizations for donations and philanthropic support.

But Kansas City SCORE Chapter 19 member Ken Bayer spotted something else ReStore needed: retail business guidance to get the warehouse up and running successfully. Bayer, a retired 27-year Hallmark veteran, is also an officer with the Heartland Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat ReStore warehouses take donations of used and surplus building and construction supplies, white goods and furniture, reselling them to the general public at 20 to 80 percent off. The funds raised are returned to the affiliate in order to support Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to build affordable housing for low-income families in need. Heartland Habitat decided to pursue opening a ReStore last fall to support the administrative and building costs of building Habitat homes in Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties in Kansas, and Clay and Platte counties in Missouri.

        “Clearly, it’s important for ReStore to be successful in running the store and making profits that go back into the community,” Bayer says. “But the Heartland Habitat ReStore didn’t have anyone on staff with retail store experience.”
       The ReStore staff and Bayer saw it as a perfect opportunity for SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) to help. SCORE provides free counseling to start-up businesses, small business, entrepreneurs and many others through its volunteers, retired professionals with years of experience and expertise in a variety of areas.
          Bayer worked with the Kansas City SCORE chapter to put together a group of six counselors (including himself) with backgrounds in marketing, finance, insurance, real estate and retail, including: Gary Brickman (finance, Comptroller of the Currency veteran); Jerry Gilson (operations, J.C. Penny’s and Macy’s veteran); Mike Haughton (marketing, Macy’s veteran); Jack Dritley (marketing, IBM veteran); and Robert Weed (insurance, owned his own insurance company).
          “We initially met with the Habitat group weekly,” Bayer says. “The group had very optimistic projections and expectations, but they needed some guidance in the area of retail support. The SCORE counselors were able to provide the ‘reality check’ most business owners or start-ups need to be successful.”
          Starting from scratch, SCORE worked with ReStore to put together a budget and marketing plan. ReStore already had the site for the warehouse chosen, but it needed a lot of work to make it “retail friendly,” Bayer says.

          “As the project took shape, we provided expertise in flushing out the many particulars that go into such an undertaking. The old saying that ‘the devil is in the details’ proves ever so true,” Bayer notes.
          According to John Navarre, who manages the ReStore warehouse, “SCORE helped with planning before we opened, sharing their years of business experience in the retail setting. They helped us set realistic goals for our opening and gave us essential operational and financial advice.”
          Today, Heartland Habitat’s ReStore is up and running at its 520 South 55th Street location in Kansas City, Kan.

“Most important, they are within budget and without major start-up problems thanks to the guidance they received from SCORE counselors,” Bayer concludes.

The Kansas City Chapter of SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) is part of a national nonprofit association dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of the nation’s small business. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration. SCORE volunteers are real-world professionals with time-tested knowledge who donate thousands of hours to help small businesses succeed. Counselors are experts in such areas as accounting, finance, marketing, management and business plan preparation. The Kansas City Chapter is comprised of more than 50 volunteers who provide guidance and counseling to entrepreneurs in the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area. More information is available at http://www.scorekc.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact Information
March 14, 2006	Michael L. Keaton, Public Relations & Communications Manager 202/205-7637; 1-800/634-0245

SCORE Counselors Win Microsoft $10,000 Technology Makeovers

Washington, D.C.—Three SCORE counselors each received a Microsoft $10,000 SCORE Counselor Technology Makeover for taking part in an online training on Accounting Basics last fall. SCORE counselors who signed up were entered into a drawing for this grant award from Microsoft to SCORE. In addition, every SCORE counselor who took the tutorial received a copy of Microsoft’s Office Small Business Management Edition software by mail.

William Brown of Baton Rouge, La., Myles Crowe of Jackson, N.H., and John Lindsay of Parkville, Mo., will receive $3,000 in Microsoft software, a $5,000 credit toward the purchase of computer hardware with Tech Depot Hardware, and a $2,000 Office Depot merchandise card. These resources will help the counselors to better serve their clients.

SCORE CEO Ken Yancey says, “SCORE thanks Microsoft for providing our volunteer counselors with an online resource for lifelong learning and access to Microsoft software.” Yancey adds, “Through opportunities like this one, SCORE makes sure that our counselors have up-to-date resources they can use to help entrepreneurs succeed.”

Since 1964, SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business” has assisted more than 7 million aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners through counseling and business workshops. More than 10,500 volunteer business counselors in 389 chapters serve their communities through entrepreneurial education dedicated to the formation, growth and success of small businesses.

For more information about starting or operating a small business, call 1-800/634-0245 for the SCORE chapter nearest you. Or, visit SCORE on the Web at www.score.org.

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For more information, contact SCORE's public relations manager at 1-800/634-0245 or media@score.org.

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Kudos for Missouri dairy farm

By JOYCE SMITH

The Kansas City Star

The owners of Shatto Farms Inc. in Osborn, Mo., were named second runner-up for the 2006 National Small Business Person of the Year award Thursday in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Small Business Administration honored Robert “Leroy” Shatto and Barbara Shatto for restoring the family dairy farm to profitability.

Leroy Shatto married into a family that had been milking Holsteins since the late 1800s. Three years ago the Shattos were getting less for their milk than what Barbara’s father was getting 30 years ago, but expenses had more than tripled.

They were about to shut down the farm, but with help from the Service Corps of Retired Executives, several SBA-backed loans, and business consulting, they expanded production facilities and now bottle their own milk and then sell it directly to stores, along with other products under the logo Shatto Milk Co. The Shattos won the Missouri award before competing nationally.

“We’re so excited. We’re talking about the entire U.S. It’s unbelievable,” Barbara Shatto said in a phone interview from Washington. “Both my parents have passed away. I wish so much they could have been here. They would have been so proud of us. They hardly ever took a vacation.”

SBA officials said President Bush and Dick Cheney planned to have a glass of Shatto Milk with their lunch Thursday.

Eric A. Hoover of Conneaut Lake, Pa., was the SBA’s 2006 National Small Business Person of the Year. Hoover overcame childhood rheumatoid arthritis to build a thriving machine tool company, Excalibur Machine Co., from scratch. Andrew Field, founder and president of PrintingForLess.com in Livingston, Mont., was first runner-up.

First glance

■ Just three years ago, Leroy and Barbara Shatto pondered shutting down their dairy farm.

■ Their turnaround of the operation has prompted an award.

To reach Joyce Smith, retail and small-business reporter, call (816) 234-4692 or send e-mail to jsmith@kcstar.com .

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Successful Business by Design

A business plan is your blueprint for building a profitable business.

By Ed Fritsch

Just as a blueprint is the essential document for a building, a business plan is the essential document for a starting or growing a business. A business plan contains the information and guidance necessary for making important decisions; and the success of any business is directly related to the quality of the decisions. A business plan charts how your business should be conducted, sets benchmarks for measuring results and attracting funding.

There are three basic types of business plans:

1. The Presentation or Loan Package Plan — This plan explains to bankers, investors and other outsiders how your business can succeed. Use standard business vocabulary, omitting informal jargon, slang and shorthand and make it easy to understand. Include added elements, such as investors' requirements for due diligence information on all competitive threats and risks. A presentation plan should be a quality presentation, accurate and internally consistent.

2. The Working Plan — This plan is used for the daily operation of your business. It’s for internal use and can exclude information that would be important for outsiders. A working plan doesn’t have to be a high-quality presentation. Consistency of facts and figures is crucial. It’s not necessary to be careful about conforming to business writing styles, but it is important to be consistent with date formats and other important details.

3. The Mini Plan — This plan is a short version and may be just a few pages. Included is the business concept, financing needs, marketing plan, financial statements, cash flow, income projection and the balance sheet. It's a way to quickly test the feasibility of a business concept.

A Business Plan Outline

1. Cover Letter (if applying for loan)

Dollar amount needed
Terms and timing of loan
Type and value of your collateral
How you plan to pay off the loan

2. Business Plan Summary (includes the company’s strategies and critical success factors)

Business Description (i.e., business name, location, product/service, market/competition and management skills)
Business and personal goals
Summary of financial needs and how money will be used
Earnings projections and schedule of potential returns
Exactly how investors will be repaid

3. Market Analysis (the key to deciding if the business idea is profitable and for creating numbers in your financial data. This step needs early completion because other sections of the business plan depend on market analysis data.)

Description of market
Demographics, industry trends and target market
Why customers will buy from you instead of your competition
Details on your competition, and your own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

4. Products or Services

Description of products or services
Technical and legal aspects, trademarks, copyrights and/or patents
Comparison of competitor’s products or services showing competitive advantages and disadvantages
Opportunities for expanding product lines or services
How changes in product mix or services can affect profits

5. Manufacturing Process (if applicable)

Materials, equipment, sources of supply, production methods and facilities

6. Marketing/Sales Plan

Sales methods
Advertising plan
Promotional plans
Distribution methods
Customer service program
Merchandising program
How you will generate sales
How you will service customers

7. Risk Analysis

Description of all risks and how you will protect against them
Action plan for contingencies

8. Management Plans

Form of legal and management structure
Board of directors and officers (with responsibilities)
Resumes of key officers
Employment system
Number of employees
Plan of facilities and capital improvements
Operating plan and schedule of work processes for one or two years

9. Financial Data (second most important section)

Financial data is explained in terms of dollars, and the business’ past record and its expected future. This plan is the conversion of the business plan into terms of dollars.

Financial history
Five year financial projections (first year by quarters)
Detailed explanation of assumptions behind the final projections
Cash flow projections
Profit/loss statements
Balance sheets
Capital expenditure estimates
Breakeven analysis
Loan profile
Key accounting business ratios
How new funds will be used, including loans or personal financing
Potential return to investors compared to competitors and industry averages

10. Supporting Documents

Contracts
Leases
Legal documents
Credit reports
Non-disclosure agreements

Putting together a business plan may seem overwhelming, but a well-researched business plan is the blueprint for building a successful business.

Ed Fritsch is a counselor for SCORE specializing in business plan development. You can reach him at efritsch62272@everestkc.net or (913) 268-0356

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You and Your Bank-A Partnership for Success

Your relationship with your bank should extend beyond the periodic transfer of money.

By Ed Fritsch

As a business owner, you want “your money’s worth” from the bank that has given you a loan. The best way to achieve this is to develop a partnership with the bank.

Selecting a Banking Partner

Usually business owners don’t hesitate to hire an accountant to develop needed financial papers. Nor do they hesitate to hire an attorney when necessary. Your banker can provide another source of financial advice. But how do you select the right bank?

First, shop around in the banking community and choose a couple of banks that actively work with small businesses. Ask your accountant, attorney, insurance agent, or your business peers for their suggestions. Other organizations that may be helpful are chambers of commerce, professional groups and trade associations.

After selecting a few banks, visit each one and talk to the person who would likely be your agent in that bank. As when selecting any professional, look for compatibility. Assure the banker that you will share all of your financial information, both the good news and the bad.

Early Stage

A business is more than tax returns, profit and loss statements and balance sheets. When you begin a relationship with a banker, you need to be informed on what the bank needs to issue you a loan. The following includes some of the paperwork the bank will need. If you have these ready to go, you are more likely to avoid a rocky start to the relationship.

1 A business plan

2 How the loan amount was determined, including start up costs and cash flow projections

3 How the money will be spent

4 Your knowledge and experience in this type of business

5 The quality of accounts receivable

6 Credit history, tax returns and quality of collateral

7 Valid marketing analysis, industry trends and possible business cycles

8 Three years of company tax returns

The usual sequence of events in a loan transaction goes like this:

1. A business owner needs money.

2. The business owner submits required information to obtain a business loan.

3. The bank approves the loan and issues a check.

4. The business owner makes the required payments on time until the loan is repaid.

Simply going through this process doesn’t create a sound business partnership that will provide the greatest benefit for both the business owner and the bank. Although the business received the needed money and the bank profited from the loan, the relationship shouldn’t end there.

What is missing in this typical business loan process? A partnership. The goal of building a partnership is to create and maintain a win-win relationship.

Developing the Relationship

The goal is to build a strong relationship with your banker so that when times are tough, the relationship holds. One of the most important elements in the relationship is thorough and honest communication. You want to instill the banker’s confidence in your ability to repay the loan and possibly create potential for future growth. The best way to do this is to keep your banker informed about the state of your business through periodic reporting about what is happening and how you see the future. Be honest, and tell the both the good and the bad.

The advice and resources of an involved banker can be invaluable in helping you achieve your desired business goals. The good news, according to the banking industry, is that banks today are favoring the growth of small businesses because they are the job-generators in today's economy.

Services and advice a bank can offer to help grow your business and build a periodic relationship:

1 Periodic monitoring of your investments, accounts receivable and credit standing

2 Helping you to understand the language banks use

3 Offering workshops and meetings to network and educate small business clients

4 Reviewing your financial statements

5 Serving on your board of directors/advisory board

The bottom line to developing a partnership with your bank is to create a business partnership that can expand the growth of your business.

Ed Fritsch is a business counselor with the SCORE, Counselors to America's Small Business. For additional information about loan programs, visit the Small Business Administration’s Web site at www.sba.gov, or contact your local SCORE office for free financial counseling at (816) 235-6675.

Above article first appeared in the Kansas City Small Business Monthly, October 2005

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Money to Grow On!
Financing may be the answer, but business owners should ask some questions first.

By Ed Fritsch

    What company wouldn’t want more capital?
    While infusing more money into your company may seem like a “no-brainer,” there are some questions you should ask before you make the financing decision. What do I need the money for? How much money do I need? How and when will I repay the money? Can I afford the cost of the money?
    Once you have answered those questions and decided that you do, in fact, need additional capital, there are three main types of financing to pursue: debt, asset and equity.
    To choose which is best for your business, consider the following questions:

Why does the company require additional capital?
What stage of development is the company at?
What is the financial condition of the company?
What restraints will the new money put on the operations of the company?
What effect will the new money have on the ownership of the company?
How much money can owners contribute to the company?
How strong and committed is the management team?
What other assets might be available?
What obstructions to the financial marketplace exist?

Debt

    Debt must be repaid at a specific time. Lending sources include banks, companies, factoring companies and individuals. These sources look at two aspects of the financial profile: 1) How risky is the loan?, and 2) Can the company generate the cash needed to pay interest and repay the principal? Financial history and the status of the current assets of the company are the most important factors for the lender. The growth potential of the company is secondary.

Assets

    Asset-based financing refers to alternative or creative financing strategies you can use to create funding for your business when traditional lending institutions don’t offer a reasonable solution. An asset is defined as anything tangible or intangible with commercial value such as equipment, receivables or goodwill.

    Types of asset-based financing include:

Convertible debt is a loan that can be converted to equity in your company under certain circumstances. This option sometimes helps attract a potential lender.
Factoring is selling your accounts receivable to a third party for a discounted price. By selling your invoices, you can generate cash sooner than if you waited to collect money on your own. After paying you a discounted amount, the factoring resource takes title to your invoices and then collects them when they are due. Commercial finance companies, some banks and other financial companies will purchase receivables.
Equipment financing is leasing equipment, rather than buying it. This kind of financing is available from banks, finance companies and from equipment manufacturers and retailers.
Financing from customers and suppliers are loans and/or equity investments from the people who buy your goods and services or sell you theirs. This method can be used when you sell something that is unique or hard to find elsewhere, or because you've become a crucial link in their distribution network.
Strategic partnerships are alliances with other companies whose business expansion goals are similar to yours. Strategic partnerships can offer benefits beyond cash.

Equity

Equity is money given for a share of ownership in your company. Equity resources can be from individual investors, sometimes known as “angels,” venture capital companies, joint venture partners, and capital contributions from the company owners. Equity sources are more interested than lenders in the growth potential of the company. Their objective is to invest now and reap the rewards in years to come. Growth potential is based on the quality of management of your company, product brand strength, barriers of entry to competitors and size of the market for the product.
Equity investors include the following:

Angel investors are wealthy individuals who routinely provide seed capital to early-stage companies or start-ups. Angel investors are usually found through personal or professional contacts.
Venture capitalists are individuals or venture capital firms that raise funds from wealthy individuals and institutional investors who want to assign a portion of their holdings into potentially high return investments. Venture capitalists like to invest in companies that are successful and that have potential for substantial growth. Usually venture capitalists want management and/or board positions so they have some control over their investment.
Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs) are allied with the Small Business Administration (SBA). SBICs direct private investors' money, sometimes combined with government money or guarantees, to small, successful, fast-growing businesses.
Initial public offerings (IPOs) happen when shares of your company are sold to the public in the form of stock. IPOs are open to scrutiny from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), state regulators and the finance community. When publicly traded, company finances and internal operations become public knowledge.
Private placements are a way to sell company shares, not on the open public market, but to individuals. Using private placements gives the business the ability to maintain levels of control.

Before jumping into the search for financing, small business owners should first determine if financing is really necessary and whether the company can afford it. Then, evaluate and decide what is the best type of financing for your situation.

Ed Fritsch is a business counselor with SCORE, Counselors to America's Small Business. For additional information about loan programs, visit the Small Business Administration’s Web site at www.sba.gov, or contact your local SCORE office for free financial counseling at (816) 235-6675.

Above article first appeared in the Kansas City Small Business Monthly, June 2005

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Eye on Expansion

Is now the right time to take your business to the next level?

By Marcie Olinger

Congratulations, your business is doing well and you are one of the 50 percent who made it past that three-year mark. Now must be the time to take the next step in building your business, right? Well, not always.

There are many things you need to consider before moving up so that you make sure you’re not moving out.

Some of the things to think through before embarking on a new initiative are:

Is it going to build your body of satisfied, loyal customers?

Will it be of interest to the media? Don’t wait for them to discover what you’re doing, get out there and tell them about it.

Does it produce untouched opportunities?

Will it produce a cash flow that will be sufficient to cover added debt payments?

Can you gain economies of scale that will benefit the expanded operation?

Will this help you keep up with, or surpass, your competition?

Will it cause undue pain to your operations or your customers? If so, is this only short-term and can these things be overcome?

If it takes you out of your hands-on role, are you ready for that?

Does it get you more involved in the Internet? It’s here to stay, so you’d best be figuring out how to take advantage of it.

What Does Expansion Mean?

One of the first things you need to do is define what “expansion” means to your business. Have you taken your business plan out of the drawer, dusted it off and checked to see how you measure up to what you originally expected? If you have ideas of going to the bank (or angel investors or venture capitalists or even friends) to finance your expansion, one of the first things they are going to want to see is your business résumé—the “dreaded” business plan.

Your business plan is more than just a tool to finance your expansion. It gives you insight to where you have been, how you’re doing, what your expansion plans are, how you will change or increase your marketing/promotional/advertising efforts and how you will take advantage of the economies of scale that you need to create. It organizes your thoughts, shows that you understand the competition and helps you develop a timeline so that you know what needs to be done and in what order.

This is your chance to step back and look at where you want your business to go. It’s a great time to lean on the experience of your board of advisors (you’ve got one, right?!) to see what chance of success your big ideas have. A good board of advisors is more than just a sounding board. They have the expertise, knowledge, education and background to ask you the tough questions about where you are going. They may even have “been there, done that” and might be able to kick in a few good ideas on how to make your transition run more smoothly. It is easier to talk with your board of advisors and get solid input if you have a well-thought-out written business plan.

Did you find starting your business a little scary? Planning for growth is a little less scary than actually taking that first step, but don’t get caught up in over-planning. Your plans will never be perfect and the first step you take may even be the wrong one. But, that first step is what gets you moving and if you’re going to expand, you’re going to have to move. Remember, the definition of insanity is “doing the same things over and over and expecting a different outcome.”

Develop a Plan

You are going to have to step out of your comfort zone and try some new things. If you’ve planned for them and know what could go wrong (and maybe even developed some contingency plans), you are on the right path. You need to break the big goals down into smaller pieces, develop weekly objectives and decide what you want to tackle first.

Sure, there are businesses out there whose owners fly by the seat of their pants and never create a written plan. The question is, where might they be if they’d done a little planning, asked key questions, did some research, tried their hand at financial projections or experimented with some well-thought-out “what ifs”? Maybe they succeeded despite the lack of a formal plan, not because of it.

A good business plan is one of your most valuable management tools. It doesn’t have to be lengthy, or confusing or even perfect. But, it should provide step-by-step details on how you will translate your big ideas into a successful business expansion and what that means to your bottom line. Going through the process of putting your thoughts on paper often will help make sure you haven’t missed any significant factors that could hold you back, or even cause you to stumble into Chapter 11. It’s a modeling tool that helps you examine different options that lead to different outcomes. Knowing where you want to go helps determine which options yield the best results.

If doing something meant you had a 50 percent greater chance of success, would you do it? Considering your options, talking to other professionals, walking through different scenarios, running through the numbers and planning a step-by-step process all help increase your chance of success.

Putting it down on paper focuses your thoughts and makes it easier to tell others how your big ideas are going to turn into even bigger profits. It also will help you track the success of your new endeavor as you move forward. It’s amazing how much you can learn when you look back at what you’ve written to find errors that you would never make today.

Marcie Olinger is a counselor with SCORE, specializing in small business start-ups and franchising. You can reach her at (913) 825-3911 or molingeresource@everestkc.net.

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Legal Potholes Can Make E-Commerce Bumpy
Protect your intellectual property when joining the online business community.

By Art Shaffer

    The Internet has become the “great equalizer” in providing instant international access for businesses with a computer, an Internet connection and something to sell.
    Based on the most recent U.S. Census report, retail e-commerce sales for the second quarter of 2006 were $26.3 billion, an increase of about 23 percent from the second quarter of 2005. Total retail sales increased at a more conservative 6.6 percent during the same period. This large growth indicates that e-commerce activity is continuing to dominate the economy and that businesses without an online presence may be limiting their ability to capitalize on growth.

Great Potential and Great Risk
    With this great growth potential also comes great risk, based on the alarming number of increasingly sophisticated attacks directed toward computers, Web sites and Internet users. If you own a business that takes advantage of the Internet, you must constantly remain vigilant in establishing, policing and enforcing issues related to your computers, Web sites and Internet users.
    Some common issues related to a business Web site include policing against consumer confusion and the theft of client information, ownership and protection of computer images, computer graphics and computer code used in creating the Web site, controlling access to and use of the Web site content, linking and tagging.
     Most e-commerce Web sites have basic elements that can be protected using the existing legal framework. Use trade dress, trademarks and service marks to protect any branding used on the Web site and the look and feel of the Web site itself. Trade secret laws can help protect customer lists or other proprietary information. And copyright laws can protect Web site graphics, images and code.

Trademark and Copyright
    Protecting your Web site begins during the Web site planning process. For example, before registering a domain name, conduct a trademark search to make sure that someone else doesn't already have the right to use that domain name. If a trademark or service mark is available at either the federal or state level, then you may be able to protect the domain name from being taken by someone else.
    In addition, make sure that the name you choose isn't similar to a competitor's mark or confusing to a competitor's customers. If the domain name is confusingly similar to another's mark for the same category of goods or services, the competitor may be able to stop you from using the name. After researching the domain name, if it is available, you should register and file a corresponding trademark or service mark application.
    After determining that the domain name is available, make plans to own the content of your compay Web site. Any work developed, performed, completed or incorporated into the Web site should be subject to a written agreement in which all rights in the work are assigned to your company. Through the agreement, your company can acquire rights in the work., which it otherwise may not own when working with external partners. You should also make sure that any work not assigned to the company is not incorporated into the Web site. Once your company owns the work, including any content, images graphics or computer code, the work should be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office and officially transferred to the company.

Patenting Processes
    In addition to various Web site elements, such and content, images, graphics or computer code, you may also protect any unique process, method or function of the Web site through a patent. Keep in mind, however, that you must apply for a patent withi 12 months from the first date of public use.
    In summary, using various intellectual property laws, you can effectively and competively protect your Web site and on-line business from the competition.

   Art Shaffer is with the Intellectual Property Center. You can reach him at (913) 481 8140 or ashaffer@theIPCenter.com

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Strauss: Someone told me that SCORE is like a Peace Corps of entrepreneurs. Is that right?

Yancey: I think that is a very good analogy. We are the premier volunteer organization in the country dedicated to helping small businesses succeed. Our volunteers are successful businessmen and women who offer their experience and expertise to not only help foster new businesses but also help existing businesses grow. And we have been doing this for millions of entrepreneurs since 1964 in conjunction with the Small Business Administration.

A: Counseling is a big part of what we do. We offer any small business confidential, free, one-on-one business counseling. These sessions usually take place in one of our 389 centers around the country. Although a counseling session may only last for a single meeting, we encourage our volunteers to create long-term relationships with the entrepreneurs they work with.

Q: Do your counselors give general business advice? What if I was a restaurateur and needed help with my restaurant?

A: The assistance people get depends on their needs. We would hook a restaurateur up with one or more of our volunteers who had successful restaurant careers. Of course, we give general business advice as well. We often do that in our workshops.

A: SCORE offered 6,900 workshops and seminars last year. 137,000 people attended. Some are free, and those that are not are quite inexpensive – usually less than $50.

Q: I am sure the Internet has changed your business, as it has all businesses. Are there things you are able to do now that you didn't do before?

A: You bet. We now have 1,200 e-mail counselors at www.SCORE.org who offer fast, free, confidential business advice and solutions within 48 hours. By logging on to our "Ask SCORE" page, people can see a list of counselors, their areas of expertise, and can choose the counselor that best matches their business needs. The Web site also offers plenty of free business advice and tips.

A: They most certainly are. These are people who have run successful small businesses, or who worked in Fortune 500 companies, and want to share what they learned. The idea is to give back to the community. Eighty-five percent of our counselors stick around beyond the first year.

A: I have been with SCORE since 1993, and have been its CEO since 2000. I love helping entrepreneurs. SCORE's motto is "our business is small business." I believe in that.

Ask an Expert appears Mondays. You can e-mail Steve Strauss at: sstrauss@mrallbiz.com. And you can click here to see previous columns. Steven D. Strauss is a lawyer, author and speaker who specializes in small business and entrepreneurship. His latest book is The Small Business Bible. You can sign up for his free newsletter, "Small Business Success Secrets!" at his Web site —www.mrallbiz.com.

SCORE Association Forms Alliance with White House Initiative

Alliance Expands Free Business Counseling & Mentoring to

Asian American & Pacific Islander Small Businesses

Washington, DC-The SCORE Association "Counselors to America's Small Business" and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) announce a new alliance to increase awareness of SCORE counseling and training in the Asian American and Pacific Islander small business community.

SCORE Board Chair Jim Pyles, SCORE CEO Ken Yancey and WHIAAPI Executive Director Eddy Badrina will participate in a Memorandum of Understanding signing on Friday, February 4, 2005 in Kansas City, Mo. The event is being hosted by the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City.

The WHIAAPI seeks to: develop, monitor and coordinate federal efforts to improve Asian American and Pacific Islander participation in government programs; foster research and data collection for Asian American and Pacific Islander businesses and communities; and increase their level of participation in the national economy and their economic and community development.

"I am very excited that we are entering into this new alliance with the SCORE Association," says Eddy Badrina, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. "This opportunity allows SCORE to bring its vital business counseling services and mentoring programs to Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs and business community nationwide."

"We are pleased to work together toward our common goal of providing access to SCORE counseling in small business communities across the country," says SCORE CEO Ken Yancey. "This alliance will help SCORE serve Asian American and Pacific Islander businesses, and will help us recruit more business counselors from this community."

Kudos for Missouri dairy farm

By JOYCE SMITH

The Kansas City Star

SCORE Association Forms Alliance with White House Initiative

Alliance Expands Free Business Counseling & Mentoring to

Asian American & Pacific Islander Small Businesses