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CANTON INC SCORE
FTER STEPHEN M I C H A E L S OPENED HIS EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS FRANCHISE IN 2015, LIFE BECAME A BLUR. “I work so much I don’t slow down to actually work on my business,” Michaels said. Anthony Chirumbolo, CEO of Custom Utilicom, worried that the company had outgrown its management structure after it grew from seven to 52 employees in 13 years. “We’ve had some opportunities in the past that we have not been able to capitalize on,” Chirumbolo said. Both men found common ground—and solutions—through the Small Business Growth Network.
WORKSHOPS AND CLIENT SESSIONS SCORE holds workshops on common business issues and offers personal counseling. Canton SCORE held 87 workshops and 721 counseling sessions in 2017. Clients historically have been companies just starting out. “We try to get them to see the reality of
CantonIncMagazine.com
PARTNERSHIP The Small Business Growth Network is a partnership between the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and Canton SCORE. SCORE, an affiliate of the Small Business Administration, pairs small businesses and nonprofits with retired executives who share their experience and advice. Canton’s chapter—named National Chapter of the Year in 2016—has about 42 counselors who advise small business owners in Stark, Tuscarawas, Harrison, Carroll and Holmes counties. The partnership is described as a win-win by all participants: SCORE gained access to clients for their volunteer services, and the Chamber gained a service for the small businesses that make up roughly 80 percent of its more than 2,000 members. “Why have two organizations running parallel?” asked Dennis Saunier, Chamber president and CEO. “Instead of us trying to re-create what SCORE is doing, we reached out to them.”
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