SCORE Houston spotlights partnerships with HCC, University of Houston and Wallace Bank to support entrepreneurs

SCORE Houston highlighted partnerships with Houston Community College, the University of Houston’s Bridal Labs and Wallace Bank that provide mentorship, QuickBooks training, loan‑preparation assistance and other supports for entrepreneurs.

The organizations described how volunteers and formal programs connect students and small business owners to mentors, judges for competitions, webinars and localized services that help prepare loan packages and business plans. "SCORE really helps us out. They help us prepare. They package, for the customers," said Aziz Rahim, Sugar Land area president for Wallace Bank, describing how SCORE’s volunteers aid customers applying for SBA and other loans.

Maya De Novo, associate vice chancellor for entrepreneurship at Houston Community College, said the partnership dates to about 2015 and reflected aligned missions. "Our mission and your mission are very much aligned about helping to start and grow small businesses," De Novo said, noting joint programs including summits, conferences and a joint women entrepreneurs conference in March 2020 that drew about 400 attendees before the pandemic shut events down.

Liana Gonzalez Schulenburg, managing director of Bridal Labs at the University of Houston, described SCORE’s role mentoring primarily undergraduate students and helping them build networks: "We've been very lucky to have you guys come in and provide a lot of mentorship for … mostly students," she said. She said students who attended SCORE‑linked programming bought QuickBooks and used mentors to refine their businesses.

Participants listed specific programs and outcomes: Houston Community College said its Goldman Sachs program has about 1,100 graduates and that HCC has engaged roughly 13,000 businesses; SCORE Houston’s chapter is the second largest nationally and the local chapter has about 160 volunteers; Houston Community College described a Verizon‑funded summer STEM program for middle school students with two camps in June and July; partner organizations also cited a patent academy, a Small Business Success Series, veteran‑focused programs, business plan competitions, student holiday markets and webinars designed to help local businesses prepare for the FIFA World Cup events in Houston.

Speakers emphasized confidentiality and free mentoring as selling points. "It is free as well as confidential," Jada Harris, chapter president of SCORE Houston and the episode host, said, noting clients can meet multiple mentors with subject‑matter expertise. Aziz Rahim added that mentors often include retired CFOs, presidents and CEOs who provide no‑cost guidance to loan applicants and entrepreneurs.

The guests encouraged volunteering and sponsorship to sustain services. Rahim and others said SCORE needs continued sponsors and volunteer judges and mentors to sustain programming and outreach. The episode closed with a reminder that more information is available at scorehouston.org.