SCORE Helps Local Entrepreneurs Build Their Dream

On a lark in 2003, brothers Chris and Kevin Barnett decided to start their business, Darwin Chambers Co., which builds environmental chambers that are controlled for factors including temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, oxygen, light and more, in the same place many entrepreneurs begin: their basements. With clients in a variety of industries, from pharmaceutical to aerospace to laboratory, the business began to take off.

“We had a pretty quick success building and selling small incubators for general laboratory use and rapidly progressed to many sizes, from small benchtop models to large walk-in rooms, serving a wide audience,” says Chris Barnett.

As quickly as the business began to grow, though, the Barnett brothers encountered challenges. “You name it,” says Chris.

With mounting challenges of a growing business, the Barnett brothers were introduced to SCORE by a co-worker who, underhandedly, decided it would be in the company’s best interest to find outside guidance for their quick-moving ship, according to Chris. “I found the notion humorous at the time but saw value in the idea of experienced advising,” he says. “As the years have gone by, however, I look back and realize that the SCORE program was, and still is, a valuable resource and stabilizing influence on our company.”

Small Business Monthly spoke with Chris Barnett on more of the benefits he found partnering with SCORE.

Did you seek a mentor to address a specific problem? If so, which mentors have you worked with, on which problems? Our main mentors have been Carl Troutman and Tom Hughes. Carl and Tom came from somewhat parallel, but more mature, industries and have been able to shine light on areas we had yet to encounter or had questions about. Whenever questions came up where other SCORE mentors could help, Carl and Tom were quick to bring them in to advise.

How often did you/do you meet with your mentor? Meetings have varied from an initial once a week or so to gather information to a regular monthly or bimonthly schedule? How has your mentor helped your business? (For example, have you successfully launched? Increased revenue? Achieved a specific goal? Added employees?) In addition to the above, during the past five years or so, we have certainly had more quantifiable results: a tripling of sales, a more than doubling of workforce to 55 people, continually rising profitability, better products and happier employees.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting a small business?

A. It’s now or never.

B. Don’t listen too hard to negativity, but do listen to reality.

C. If you’re going to give up all of your sleep on some nights, it better be for something you really like doing.

D. Talk and listen to someone who has been there.

E. With the right mentality, the positive will greatly outweigh the negative.

What would you tell a business owner who’s thinking of meeting a SCORE mentor for the first time?  How can anyone deny the value of an unbiased, experienced pair of eyes? Even those who have had formal business training can benefit from someone who knows what they are talking about holding your feet to the fire.

SCORE is an entirely volunteer force of professionals supported by the SBA and is a not for-profit entity—in other words, this is a motivated bunch looking to help build up small businesses. The cost is free (though voluntary donations help keep them rolling), so in that respect the value is unbelievable. More than any of the above, the folks that donate their time and effort to assist small businesses like ours are obviously friends you may not even know are there for you.