PromoIndustry.Guru sponsors Candid Conversation with Adrienne Barker, MAS
In this interview, SCORE district director Carol Shaughnessy discusses her eight‑year journey with SCORE Mentors, describing the volunteer‑driven structure of the organization and her leadership across Arizona and Utah chapters. She explains how SCORE responded to crises, from door‑to‑door outreach after Hurricane Sandy to pivoting to webinars and Spanish‑language workshops during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The conversation covers the partnership with Pima County Library, which funds and promotes business workshops, and the challenges of delivering those programs when libraries closed. Carol notes the existence of a nationwide real‑time virtual mentoring hall, though her chapters have not yet participated. She shares observations on Tucson’s retail reopening, the lingering safety concerns, and the broader impact of the pandemic on small businesses. Personal motivation is revealed through a childhood experience of her father’s business loss, driving her desire to help entrepreneurs avoid similar pain. The interview also touches on SCORE’s marketing efforts, new staff and interns, and upcoming national events, including a virtual awards ceremony. Throughout, the tone remains conversational and enthusiastic, highlighting both operational details and personal passion for supporting small businesses.
Chapters
I can. It's Shaughnessy.
You're asked that a lot, right? That was awesome. Carol Shaughnessy. So Carol has got a huge position with SCORE, which is— I want to talk about that. And I just want to say out loud, Carol was such a help to me and allowing me to be the VP of Marketing for Southern Arizona. Just really, I'm so honored to have that position, and then taking the time to meet with me in libraries to go over Constant Contact. And thank you for that too, that was really fantastic. I know you are actually my mentor, and, and you've been someone that I've watched and I really esteem to be, and I hope that I can do what you're doing. And so, and not only do you love business, so excited to talk, you love travel too. So who is Carol? Tell us who you are.
Well, I'm currently the district director for SCORE Mentors. It's a volunteer gig. Everybody at SCORE Mentors is a volunteer except for maybe 20, 25 people at our national organization. So I've been here almost 8 years, actually. 8 and a half years. I've held pretty much every position in the chapter, and then the district director position became open and I was asked to take it over. So that's been fun. It's been really great to share best practices between the chapters and help give each other a leg up. It's been really wonderful.
And why, like, Utah and Arizona? That's interesting. Why the two states?
Because they didn't have anybody in Utah. And they said, hey, Carol, you've been traveling to Utah for quite a while because I had friends up there. So they just said, here, you got Utah. And that was 4 chapters at the time, but 3 of them were extremely small. And at some point after I became the district director for those chapters, national changed the minimum criteria for a chapter to have a certain number of mentors. Certain number of workshops, certain number of mentoring sessions each year. And so 3 out of the 4 Utah chapters did not meet those minimum qualifications and were absorbed into the Salt Lake City. So now there's just one Utah chapter.
Wow. Very interesting. But now in COVID-19, SCORE is so important. It really, it's kind of showing people that we are not only here, but we are a resource that you need. So I want to— because I don't know, we would never have thought having a pandemic, though we probably should have expected that history would repeat itself. But have you ever— can you ever remember another time where score was, you know, held up so high and people now want to know more about score?
Well, honestly, you know, 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy We're, we're both on a much smaller scale. Of course, we have one of our Southern Arizona chapter members who was in New York City, living in New York City during both of those events, and more so for Hurricane Sandy, where SCORE paid travel expenses for many mentors on the East Coast, on the East Seaboard, to kind of convene in that area to help the small business go door-to-door. Because, you know, people are busy and they're not like, you know, messing around on Facebook or LinkedIn. They're trying to rebuild their homes and their lives. So, um, the SCORE mentors would go door to door and say, hey, this is who we are, this is how we can help. Um, we haven't been doing that here in my chapters, door to door. You know, there's been a few years in between, and so many more people are online. They're— a good chunk of their business is online, even if their products or services are not sold online, they are marketed online. So brand awareness.
That is really interesting. I didn't realize that. You know, I asked the question, but then I'm thinking kind of a like tough question, and then all of a sudden the answer is so interesting. I, I love SCORE. You love business too. Like, what, what is it like to love business? I mean, do all your friends love business too? And you love business and travel. And why do you love business? Where did that come from? I don't know.
You know, I had, um, I had an epiphany a couple of months ago where before the pandemic hit, um, when I was a little kid, my dad owned a business and, uh, his business partner embezzled and the IRS came calling and basically shut down the business. And there went the beach house. And I was 8 at the time and I think it left a very lasting impact on me. And so I've always been interested in business.
I don't know why.
I just have, but I realized not that long ago that through my efforts with SCORE that I think maybe subconsciously I'm trying to save my dad's business. I'm trying to help people save their businesses so they don't have to go through the pain that my family did many, many years ago. So. Who knows?
Wow, that is a really— no, but that's, that's good. I, I grew up in business too, but there is something— it's kind of like a sport in itself, business, and you have to have all the teams set up right and the players and your sponsors. And so I kind of see it as a, a game. I used to say I'm on your team but not on your payroll, right? Actually, I still say it when it comes to marketing and promotional products. How, now, how is David?
Well, he is leaving the chapter chair position on September 30th. He's looking forward to that, I think, just stepping away from a lot of the activity and responsibilities. So, um, you know, we've been hard at work during the pandemic with putting together a webinar series with the Women's Business Center here in Tucson, um, that we delivered to the city of Tucson, and between the 3 organizations really expanded our reach and our awareness within the community. Women's Business Center translated them in Spanish. So we have not offered workshops or webinars in Spanish before this. So that was exciting for us to be able to do that.
Very interesting. I'm always careful because it feels like a lot of times during board meetings I'm talking about Tucson. And I don't want to be that person, you know, Tucson had a relationship with the Pima Library. You know, it's, it's awkward because I don't know, I don't want to do that. But on the other hand, I want to bring the information to the chapter, you know, the relationship between SCORE and the library, Pima Library, Pima County Library was— I mean, almost want to think everyone's doing that. But that's not really the case, which is so interesting. Do you still have the— oh, now your camera, now you are interesting green. That's weird.
Is that weird?
Wow.
Yeah, the, the video feed is buffering a bit. So is it still green?
We sound good though. So actually, you stop. Nope, you're, you're a red, beautiful red here. So you still, well, like the relationship with the library, I think that's really— do you still have that relationship?
We do. And so we— the relationship is— go ahead.
No, you go. I'm sorry, this— sometimes this, uh, sometimes this app BeLive is not the best. It's like, uh, you know, with every— get everyone get off the internet please so Carol and I could talk, right? I want to hear it. I want to hear about it. So I'm actually going to take myself— Carol, I'm going to take myself off for a minute. So you're going to— I'm still here, but I'm going to remove my video just to help the feed a little bit. OK. OK, cool. OK, good.
So the county library has a grant through the county to deliver educational workshops. And so they put out a bid for an RFP for anybody who is interested in putting on all the different kind of workshops that you have at a library. Sometimes it's children's programs or it's business programs. And so the SCORE Southern Arizona chapter was granted the program for, geez, the first 5 years. And that was, I think, 3— we're in our second session of 5 years. I think it's been 7 years now. So we deliver workshops for the in-business and startup segments of the small business community. We deliver them at the library, and the library helps us to promote them, which is great. But of course, you know, the pandemic hit and the libraries have completely shut down, and they're talking about reopening in very small and careful ways. We don't anticipate delivering live workshops until 2021. So we have delivered some on webinar online, but not actually the same content, just different topics. So we're hoping to do that through the library. We'll see what happens. You know, nobody really knows. This is unprecedented. We'll see. Topics.
Yeah, so true. I really like the simple steps to a business. We have— they're very exciting. And I have to smile broadly because our president is young. So good-looking, young— not young. I don't mean to say young, young, because I'm 57 or going to be 58 next month. But, you know, even when you're in your early 50s, you're younger, 40. So he's younger than— he's a new face of SCORE, to say that, because people think of SCORE, they don't think of you and I either. They're thinking of someone that's older and the retired core, what it was started out to be. But so we have here in Volusia-Flagler the ability to really recruit again, more— what is it? What's— I don't know, I don't want to say young, because young is not a bad thing. Experienced and smart and brilliant. Yeah, but still in business, still, still really in business, yet able to donate their time and give their time. And so it's very exciting. So people come out and they see what we have just in the volunteers, they're pretty blown away.
I like to use the word contemporary because someone who's in their 70s but is, you know, very active on social media, for instance. And then you can have somebody that's our age, in their 50s, who really has not kept up with technology, and they would not be a good fit for SCORE. So it's not about— age is just a number, as they say.
I love that. Thank you. I knew I needed something because I'm not comfortable saying that, but, but contemporary— I love that. Thank you, Carol. That's awesome. That is really great. SCORE does a lot. I'm continuously impressed by what they're doing. I was able to, I think, the real-time mentoring hall that they have on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Eastern time, it's 2 to 5. Do you do that before? Because I feel like I was with it before. And are you part of that? Do you have that in Arizona?
Well, it's available nationwide. And so anybody who wants to be a mentor for that program can, but there's nobody in my chapters that is part of that program.
Interesting. I actually am doing it. It's an hour, 2 to 3, and it's fun. And I like peeking into the other rooms and see what they're doing too. And sometimes someone may be in startup when they really should be in marketing and vice versa. I tend to stay in marketing, but I think next round I'm going to do startup so I could just do something a little different since I'm familiar with startup too. But it actually, I, if you're watching this now live, it's between 2 and 5. It's really a great way if you don't want to have to have a mentor and fill out all the form, you can ask a question. And so they, they're just So on top of everything that SCORE does, they really— I just love all the resources that they offer right now. It's amazing. So tell me about Tucson, Arizona. What's happening in Tucson? Are you open yet?
No, just last week we started. I think it was last Monday the restaurants opened up and the Friday before that businesses, nonessential businesses opened up. But, you know, it depends on the industry and it depends on how comfortable people are, you know, just leaving their homes, period. I, you know, went out for some retail therapy the other day only to find that the dressing rooms are still closed because they haven't figured out how to sanitize them. I mean, it's a dressing room. So that was kind of interesting. You know, I think that small businesses, cities, counties, feds, right, struggling to figure out How to do this safely, all right.
I'm gonna take myself off again. Hold on for one second, I'm gonna remove myself because they have— okay, keep going. I'm sorry. Okay, good, good, I hear you. So I— because I want to hear about this. So you're, you're telling me about retail?
Retail has reopened, um, You know, there's— my limited experience with the retail, and I would go out, you know, over the last few months I would leave the house. You know, I work from home. It really hasn't impacted my life that much. But go out every couple of days and, you know, hunt and forage for food and alcohol, of course. But, you know, right now in the retail that has been closed, there's this fear of the employees and the people, the customers. A lot of them are wearing masks, probably, I'd say 60-70% are wearing masks, 100% for the vendors. For the employees, they are 100% masked and some of them are gloved. But there's definitely fear, apprehension of touching products or credit cards or anything along those lines. And, you know, I think it's only a matter of time before people become more comfortable with the new normal and the new normal changes. It's not going to be quite so restrictive.
So true. I wear the, uh, so I went out with Alana and my husband. We did some retail therapy. I, I, you know, I'm chunky, so I was, I know what kind of clothes fit me. So I actually brought them home, waited 3 days to try them on for like thinking they would, anything on it would die, and then try. And actually I got lucky, only one outfit I have to, or one cover up, I have to dress change. But it was actually kind of fun, and I went when the stores were just about open so that there wasn't— they still had everything had been sitting there, right? And then the sales were quite amazing, really impressive. I'm able to say I'm actually going to give you a little difference. I 30% were not wearing— 30% were wearing masks. It was more like 70% not wearing in where we live. And I'm finding that actually to eat, the grocery stores— and the other day I was like, I was the one that people are looking at because I was wearing the mask. Mandatory. Are you— you're not mandatory either?
No.
All right. It is. Oh, no, it's not.
Depends on the industry.
Yeah, these are— I tell you, my daughter's going crazy, and it's very hard. I'm used to working at home too, but not, uh, you know, taking out the dog every hour, then cooking and cleaning, and then having to cook again for her because she's skinny and needs to eat every 10 minutes. And her barging in. It's, it's not easy. And a lot of people don't talk about it, or they say, you know, they tell their family to be quiet if they're on a call. But I don't believe in that. It's, you know, it's, it is what it is. So I tell if my daughter comes out and interrupts me, what's more important? I love business, but I love my daughter more. So I think we have to be open with that, have some balance. You really do have to have some balance. We went out to eat, uh, over the weekend, and we were put in a separate room, which was very nice. But none of these servers— nobody was wearing masks, actually, which was confusing to me because I— but again, it's not, you know, trying to figure out really what the rules are to know if they're supposed to. And nobody else, you know, you know, make us think about it. But I am finding that as careful as I want to be, my carefulness could easily be careless.
Yeah, you know, I—
my— scary. Just a sec. Oh, sorry, he's talking to me now.
Sorry. There's—
so is it hard to hear me? Yes.
No, it's just the video feed will cut off. So yeah, sorry.
So no, it's not just one bad remote call. But I love— I love following you. And I love your travel. You post— you're actually a great Facebook poster. You don't do selfies of yourself every 2 minutes. Right? You know, you post relevant fun information. I actually— if everyone posted like you, the feed on Facebook would be absolutely brilliant and fun because I just love how you— it's cool, cool stuff there. So when do you think your next travel date will be? Any thought?
I don't know. I'm feeling pretty antsy. I'm thinking that maybe one of the Utahs needs some help. Yeah.
Um, I don't have any immediate travel plans, but I'm certainly Well, when we were in Tucson, we couldn't take a cruise, so I booked a cruise for us, uh, and we'll be okay. See, by being careful could be carelessness, but I'm just— my parents aren't alive to tell me I can't do it. Because honestly, if they were still alive, I wouldn't be going on a cruise. There's no way. I probably wouldn't be doing half the things. Yeah, you actually do. My face has never been 3 months. Wait, oh, I missed that. What was that?
I said my face has never been so itchy as in the last 3 months.
I know, I know. And the eyes too. Yeah. Do you, um, I was— wait, I had a question I asked you and I just, it just escaped me. Sorry. Oh shoot. Oh no, no, I just tried to— I had— I wanted to ask you, um, oh my gosh, I have to rewind it, which we don't have time for, to see. I, I'll have to— when I hear it over again, I'll have to— there was a question that I had, it just, it went through my brain and out the door. Wow, unbelievable. Anyway, well, I know you travel a lot and I love your travel. And no, yeah, do you ride a motorcycle?
I don't know.
You do a bike, right?
I bicycle.
Yeah. Okay. And you, about— and are you, are you mountain bike?
No, just road bike.
I'm gonna— oh, just very nice. So I love seeing— and you take it with you to Utah, does it? Shoot. All right, so Carol, I'm going to, um, I'm going to tell this app that they stink. And that this was not a good connection. So I apologize.
No worries.
Maybe that— I don't know if it's a time of day and everyone's doing their lunch Zoom meetings. I'm not sure. It's awful. But I really— it's great seeing you. It was great catching up. And, and thank you for all you do for SCORE because it is so important. Oh, we're on the new Engage, by the way.
Are you?
Yes.
You rock.
I like it. It's okay. They put so many bells and whistles. I, I'm curious to see how many people will ring the bell and blow the whistles, but for right now it's, it's not so bad. It's, it's okay. So, and I think I don't have any more of the clients that I had in Arizona. I think we cleaned that up because for a while I was still having the, uh, the AZ clients, um, or at least their information to, um So I kind of pushed that, but tell everyone I said hello. Who's, who's doing the marketing now?
I will. Um, who is right now? We have a new person who just came on board. She's out of Sierra Vista. Um, and then we've got an intern who's putting together a small social media program. I'm actually working to get a district-level marketing program put in place. So, uh, that's going to be interesting. I'm hoping that that goes through because Every chapter, as you know, struggles with getting a solid marketing plan implemented.
They just named me VP, which is very exciting. I hope that I get to one day go to one of the one of the— I really love SCORE. I mean, I really just do, but I hope I get to go to one of the meetings. I think their national now will be virtual anyways for this year, so I look forward to it.
Yeah, yeah, they have 3— was it 3 days of meetings? And boy, it's like drinking from a fire hose. There's a lot of information. And then the final day they have a big celebration, you know, awards dinner kind of thing. And it was supposed to be in Jacksonville this August, and I was going to invite you up to come to the award ceremony because you can bring somebody for that. And I know it's not that far from you, but yeah, it's going to be virtual now, unfortunately. But yeah, if you get a chance—
oh my God, I would love that.
Yeah.
Oh, and they're lovely people in Jacksonville. They came down to meet with us and they are fabulous, really helpful, really, really good. So I like, I like, you know, here we are lucky that we joined a lot of chambers when we could. So we're taking advantage of the memberships and I would do the shout out right now that if you are in business, you could be a SCORE mentor and it's, you know, and it's all about learning. If you're a lifelong learner and you love business education, it's for you to me. And then you can pick whatever avenue you like to go into. So we need it. Thank you, Carol. I'm gonna come back on just to see you for a second. And, um, and let me see. Hold on one second. This is— this is Disappointed. You know what's gonna happen after this? What I do is I'll put a 1 star and then they'll contact me right away. Got it. That's the one thing— that's one way to get this customer service. You just tell them it wasn't good audio. All right, I'm not even able able to come on now. Have a great rest of the day. Thank you so much. I'm sorry this acted up for us. Yep, I'm not able to come on. Any parting words?
Be safe, have fun.
It's just Branded Solutions. I absolutely love it, and they are fantastic, fantastic, amazing, very powerful company. Yeah, it's all good. I love that. Thank you, thank you. Enjoy the day too.
