SCORE Mentors

09/24/2026

“Starting Mothership Coffee Roasters was personal for me.”

For Juanny Romero, coffee became a vehicle for creating the kind of connection and community she wished she had growing up. A child of immigrants from the rough side of Queens, she built Mothership Coffee Roasters around a simple mission: create meaningful connections through great coffee.

Fifteen years later, that mission has grown into six cafes, regional retail partnerships, and coffee sourced from women-owned farming cooperatives.

Along the way, SCORE has been part of Juanny’s journey, providing mentorship, encouragement, and the perspective she needed to grow from a passionate entrepreneur into the CEO of a multi-chain, multi-vertical business.

But for Juanny, success isn't just about how much the business has grown. It's about what that growth makes possible: supporting women coffee producers, investing in her community, and creating spaces where people can connect.

Her advice to other entrepreneurs? Embrace mentorship. The right guidance can help you break through limiting beliefs and see what's possible.

09/22/2026

“Yesterday was only our first conversation, but deciding that I don’t need to figure everything out alone already feels like progress.”

After being matched with a SCORE mentor, entrepreneur Mehal Jivan is already seeing the value of having someone in his corner to challenge his thinking, spot blind spots, and help him stay accountable to his bigger vision.

“The right mentor helps you ask better questions and become a better leader.”

Sometimes, progress starts with realizing you don’t have to do it alone.

09/22/2026

For SCORE mentor Hasan Saifullah, mentorship is a two-way street. 💙

Through SCORE, Hasan brings his experience as a growth strategist to early-stage founders, helping them navigate the challenges of building a business from the ground up.

But every mentoring conversation gives something back. The entrepreneurs he works with challenge his thinking, offer new perspectives, and help him continue growing as a leader and advisor.

And being part of a community of fellow mentors makes the experience even more meaningful.

That’s what makes mentorship so powerful: entrepreneurs gain guidance and perspective, while mentors grow alongside them.

Ready to put your experience to work? Become a SCORE mentor. 💙

09/21/2026

09/21/2026

📚 Low-cost business learning opportunities await!

Join a SCORE Santa Fe & Northern NM webinar or workshop this week and 🚀

09/19/2026

Love seeing our super diverse audience at the Conference yesterday…high school seniors to grandmothers…and everything in between! So gratifying!!

09/18/2026

Knowing your industry is one thing. Building a business around that expertise is another.

Andrea had spent years working in clinical research as a study coordinator, clinical research associate, and project manager. She knew the field. But launching her own consulting practice meant learning the business side, too.

That's where SCORE came in.

“SCORE workshops helped me learn about how to form my LLC, government contracting and consulting,” Andrea says. More importantly, her mentor, James Lewis, became someone who helped her stay on track, see what was possible, and “vanquish self-doubt.”

Today, Andrea leads the Durham Research Collaborative, drawing on years of experience and a commitment to continued growth. Her company was named to the Dallas Business Journal's 2022 40 Under 40 list, with continued success on the horizon.

“I attribute my success to tacit knowledge, the type of knowledge that can’t be taught in a classroom but instead comes from life and professional experience as well as an inherent desire to grow as a person and professional.”

For Andrea, that growth didn't stop when she became an entrepreneur. It became part of the journey.

09/17/2026

A heartfelt thank you to the City of Santa Fe Office of Economic Development, a major sponsor of the 7th Annual SCORE Women in Business Conference! 💫 Santa Fe Office of Economic Development

Your incredible support helps make gatherings like today possible and strengthens entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout our community.

We are so grateful for your partnership and continued commitment to Santa Fe’s small business community! ❤️

09/17/2026

And we’re heading in! ✨ Everyone is making their way into this beautiful space at the Scottish Rite Center for the Morning Conversation at the 7th Annual SCORE Women in Business Conference.

A room full of ideas, inspiration and connection. Let’s get started! 💫

09/17/2026

“Making decisions in isolation is really intimidating.”

For Kat, building a farm business meant making big decisions without always knowing what was “normal” or what to expect. She wanted an experienced perspective to challenge her assumptions and help her move forward with confidence.

That’s where SCORE came in.

Working with her mentor, Bill, Kat used SCORE’s cash flow tools to determine whether her small farm could support a loan and what amount made sense for her business.

Today, her quarter-acre farm produces salad greens, prepared salads, and dressings, with three greenhouses, a truck, a walk-in cooler, and a growing community of customers who swear her salads are the best they’ve ever had.

Kat has grown 50% into her second season, proving that you don’t need acres of land to build something that grows.

09/07/2026

Pin it to the SCOREboard 📌

What's one resource, podcast, app, or book you'd recommend to every entrepreneur?

We'll use the comment section as a sounding board to offer resources and support.

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Have something YOU want to ask other entrepreneurs? DM us to submit your prompts. 📩

09/04/2026

“​​With SCORE you have someone in your corner who can ask you the right questions, connect you with experts, and help you access a world of opportunity.”

For Amanda Chavero, founder of Dear Donor, building a business meant turning a decade of nonprofit experience into a new kind of opportunity: helping small organizations do more without significantly increasing their overhead.

But expertise in her field didn't automatically mean knowing how to build a business.

So Amanda turned to SCORE.

Her mentor, Mark Lancaster, helped her develop a long-term vision, navigate HR questions, distinguish growth from scale, and even plan for maternity leave as her business expanded.

The results came quickly. In Dear Donor's first full year, Amanda raised more than $700,000. The following year, with two employees on her team, she raised $3.2 million with a 40% success rate.

Today, Dear Donor is helping nonprofits build capacity and secure the resources they need to make their missions possible. And Amanda is doing it with the confidence and perspective she gained along the way.

“I love helping my clients capture their dreams,” she says, “and I appreciate SCORE’s help in realizing mine.”

09/03/2026

Quote of the day.

09/03/2026

"You can run a business really well and still be unhappy if the business model doesn’t match your own rhythm and flow."

Excellent read!!

09/02/2026

Kenneth McLaurin, Founder of Evolution Skincare & SHIS and SCORE client, was recently invited to share his work at Atlanta Tech Week.

Reflecting on the opportunity and the people and communities that have helped shape his journey, he said:

“No one builds something meaningful alone.”

From challenging him to think differently to providing mentorship, resources, and connections, SCORE has been part of Kenneth’s journey as he continues to grow his business and expand his vision for its impact.

His story is a reminder that sometimes the right conversation, connection, or piece of advice can change the trajectory of what you're building.

Way to go, Kenneth! We can't wait to see where you GROW next.

08/31/2026

Tax season doesn't only come once a year for many small business owners.

If you're self-employed, run a partnership or own a corporation, the IRS may expect you to pay taxes four times a year rather than in one lump sum each spring.

Learn more in our latest article, brought to you by Block Advisors by H&R Block.

Find out why quarterly taxes matter to your business and how you can take care of them.

08/31/2026

Sometimes tax season arrives before your records are ready. The good news is that the IRS offers a simple tool built for exactly this moment: the tax extension.

The key is understanding what an extension actually does and what it doesn't do.

Learn more in our latest article, brought to you by Block Advisors by H&R Block.

Lear what tax extensions are, what they aren't and how to use them effectively for your business.

08/31/2026

Join SCORE Mentors this TUESDAY at 1 PM for their 'Hiring Employees, Contractors or Family – Avoid Costly Tax and Payroll Mistakes' webinar! 💼

Learn the key differences between employees and independent contractors, understand worker classification requirements, and MORE!

Join here ➡️: https://f.mtr.cool/i7rwhzrlw9