PORT ANGELES — Free, confidential business counseling and mentoring services are available from two certified SCORE counselors based with the Clallam County Economic Development Council.

SCORE is a 50-year-old national nonprofit organization that partners with the Small Business Administration to aid small businesses in getting off the ground, growing and achieving their goals through education and mentorship.

The two Clallam SCORE counselors — Mark Hannah and Mike McCarty — have decades of broad, bottom-line business experience.

SCORE counselors offer tools and resources on everything from assessing your business idea — including customers, competition, location and financing — to the brass tacks of legal business structure; necessary licenses; getting insurance; preparing for county, state and federal tax payments; and strategic marketing plans.

Locally, eight new small businesses that are still operating got startup help from Clallam SCORE counselors.

Four people received guidance on how to buy a business, and about 20 existing businesses got useful advice.

For more information or to make an appointment with a SCORE counselor, phone the Clallam EDC in Port Angeles at 360-457-7793.