A project that operates under the acronym “SCORE” has just launched in Moultrie and Colquitt County. It’s been long-needed, and we applaud those individuals who are volunteering their time to bring it to fruition.

In a nutshell, SCORE (Service Corporation of Retired Executives) is a group of local business leaders who are willing to give time to mentor those who need advice in opening a new business or expanding an existing business.

It’s a shocking statistic that 70 percent of all new small businesses fail. And much of that failure is tied to the fact that so many would-be entrepreneurs simply don’t know how to do it. Some will launch a business without a business plan. Some don’t know how much capital they will need to launch a business nor are they aware of legal ramifications that might be involved. And some simply lack the research skills to know whether the market needs or can support such a business.

The really nice thing about SCORE is that it doesn’t cost the would-be business owner any cash outlay. The project is sponsored by the Small Business Administration. Most SCORE projects are found in larger metro areas, so our community is very fortunate to have landed this one.

Already we have people contacting SCORE for advice. Others have said they wish it had been around earlier so they could have avoided some pitfalls.

We encourage anyone who is thinking of launching a business to contact SCORE via the Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce.

And again we applaud those volunteers who will give their time and expertise to this effort. When a new business succeeds, we all succeed.