For over 30 years, every month between September and June, more than a thousand entrepreneurs from all around the Delaware Valley area have come to listen and learn from Frank Farmer, Jr.

He’s a SCORE volunteer and attorney who is sharing his expertise about “How to Start and Operate a Small Business.”

This workshop has the highest overall attendance of any SCORE business education seminar on record for the local Chapter.

About half of the sessions take place in person at the Chester County Library in Exton, and the other half are hosted on ZOOM.

Participants learn about the importance and impact of a good business plan, the different business organizational structures, fictitious name registration, licensing, hiring employees vs. independent contractors, tax ID numbers, and much more.

Frank Farmer is hosting his next workshop Nov. 14, 6 PM, on ZOOM. This is a free online workshop.

You can register for it here.

As a small business owner himself for over 40 years, Frank Farmer understands what it means to be your own boss and can relate to anyone interested in taking that path.

In the early days of building his practice, he used available resources provided by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to get things up and running, and true to his mantra, it all started with a sound business plan!

Farmer consistently emphasizes at every workshop, “The most important thing every business owner has to do first, before you quit your day job, is prepare a business plan. It forces you to answer questions you haven’t even thought of yet. Not every great idea makes money.”

As a solopreneur, Farmer understood he needed to differentiate his practice from others in the legal community and establish himself as an experienced attorney.

To get in front of potential clients and demonstrate his credibility, Farmer began offering educational workshops in 1983, collaborating with local colleges and universities.

When Farmer joined SCORE many years ago, he opted to volunteer as a presenter and share his workshop with startups and early-stage small business owners.

For almost 20 years, Farmer’s sessions were offered in person at the library every month until COVID-19 shifted all business training to online webinars.

Today, Farmer offers his program in both formats to accommodate the needs of the attendees. As the marketplace and client needs changed over time, Farmer fine-tuned his key guidelines, what he calls the ‘nuts and bolts,’ to a 90-minute engaging and interactive workshop with lots of Q&A and discussion.

When entrepreneurs ask how a lawyer can help and how to find one that understands startups, Farmer says: “The next critical step after your business plan is selecting a business organizational structure.  It is important to learn about each option and to get clear guidance on how the structures affect your business in the short- and long-term. This is where an attorney can really add value.”

He recommends getting referrals from established business owners and choosing a legal partner whose practice focuses on small business transactions and issues.

SCORE Volunteer Spotlight

In 2020, Frank was honored by SCORE Chester and Delaware Counties as the first Volunteer Spotlight recipient, a team member who goes ‘above and beyond’ to give back to our small business communities.

Farmer is proud to work alongside a talented and dedicated group of volunteers.  He is most inspired by the workshop participants who come from all walks of life and every socioeconomic background, working all day and then coming to learn the ‘nuts and bolts’ to start their own small businesses.

A graduate of Widener School of Law and a member of the Pennsylvania Bar, Frank Farmer has been engaged in the private practice of law since 1980.

His focus is on small business transactions, starting, operating, and/or buying or selling small businesses.

To build professional relationships over the years, Farmer partnered with West Chester University, Widener University, Delaware County Community College, the SBA, the Small Business Development Center of Kutztown University, the Chester County Library, the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce, and SCORE.

If you are curious about what it takes to start a small business, check out SCORE’s free mentoring and business education opportunities!

Find a SCORE mentor today.

Browse SCORE workshops for topics that can help you.

SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer business experts, is dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow, and achieve their goals.

Since 1964, it has provided education and mentorship to more than 11 million entrepreneurs nationwide.

SCORE Chester and Delaware Counties has been operating since 1985, with 100 dedicated volunteers today who provide confidential mentoring at no charge and offer business seminars, workshops, and webinars to benefit the local community. 

SCORE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).