Small Business Fair to be held at the Princeton Public Library

On April 4, 2009, the Greater Princeton Area SCORE Chapter, counselors to America's small businesses, and the Princeton Public Library are hosting a Small Business Fair, to be held in the Library's Community Room from 11am to 3pm, and attendance is free. This fair, the first of its kind, is an example of the close working relationship and "partnering" between the Library and SCORE over the past four years to serve the small business community and potential entrepreneurs in the greater Princeton area.

The purpose of the event is to connect small businesses in the community with the resources available to assist them to succeed and grow in these challenging economic times. The fair will be an ideal opportunity to get helpful information at one time, and location that could prove invaluable to small business owners and entrepreneurs. People who are thinking about going into business for themselves or those who already have could benefit by stopping by for a few minutes to get helpful information and advice.

Besides SCORE's experienced volunteer counselors and the Library's representatives, other participants will include representatives from the Small Business Administration, the Small Business Development Center, New Jersey Economic Development Authority, Princeton Chamber of Commerce, Princeton University Students for Free Enterprise, PNC Bank, Magyar Bank, the law firm of Stark & Stark, New Jersey's Bio-1 Biotech partnership, Design Solutions, FranNet, and others.

SCORE, a resource partner of the Small Business Administration, is the premier, free business counseling and advice service in the United States.  Established in 1964, the SCORE Association, has provided assistance to nearly eight million small business owners, and currently operates over 380 chapters with more than 11,000 volunteer members across the nation. (See www.score.org)

The Greater Princeton Area Chapter, serving Middlesex and Mercer Counties, consists of more than 40 volunteer counselors, with experience in Accounting, Advertising, Finance, Human Resources, Operations, Planning, Law, Marketing, Sales, and numerous other disciplines. Last year, we counseled over 500 small businesses and emerging entrepreneurs in person. We also counseled more than a thousand individuals and firms via e-mail or telephone.

Due to the tremendous demand generated by the economic situation, our chapter has seen significant year to year increases in the number of clients served, and we have been recognized as SCORE "Chapter of the Year" in New Jersey for three consecutive years. This fiscal year, due in part to the economic crisis, there has been a 51% increase in the number of clients served thus far. All counseling, coaching , and mentering are provided for free, with complete confidentiality and privacy.