Eleven years ago, Nancy Strojny didn’t know anyone in Maine. She moved here in 2009 to be closer to the ocean, and in the process, she found an unexpected life path. Strojny wanted to get involved in the community, so she started volunteering at SCORE, a resource partner of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and a nationwide nonprofit volunteer mentoring service for small business owners. In 2019 the Portland chapter of SCORE was voted the SBA’s National SCORE Chapter of the Year. Strojny, who has been chair of the Portland chapter since 2011, attributes this win to the organization’s demonstrated ability to create meaningful and sustainable community impact with proven results over a significant period of time. “Excellence, consistency, and collaboration define our success,” she says. The network of SCORE volunteers and mentors are professionals from a wide variety of fields. Free business workshops are offered weekly, and mentors are available to help small business owners at every level, whether someone is just starting out, a seasoned professional, experiencing problems, or looking to grow. For Strojny, being able to help others is her driving force. By looking carefully at the details of someone’s business or ideas, Strojny can offer applicable value and context, not just theoretical suggestions. “Being a good mentor requires empathy, humility, and knowing it is always about the mentee and their success,” she says. “My hope is that the success of those I’ve mentored will speak for itself.”