The Sandhills Chapter of SCORE (Counselors to America's Small Business) begins the fall edition of its popular "Business Basics" seminar series Tuesday, Sept. 6, with "The Right Stuff."

The seminar begins at 6 p.m. in room 103 of Van Dusen Hall on the Sandhills Community College campus. This is the first in a series of six seminars sponsored jointly by SCORE and the Small Business Center of Sandhills Community College.

Before starting a business in today's fast-paced world of commerce, budding entrepreneurs need to determine if they are made of "The Right Stuff" - the kind Tom Wolfe described in his best-seller book and movie of the same name, a SCORE news release said. Having the grit and unwavering determination to persevere during the trials and tribulations of running a business and manage the risks that go with it greatly improves the likelihood of success.

The goal of this seminar is to enable the aspiring entrepreneur to realistically assess the risk of starting a business by highlighting the various pitfalls that will likely be encountered and suggesting strategies and tactics for success to overcome these challenges. The seminar teaches how to develop the "right stuff" to start a new business in a way that increases the potential to be a winner.

Topics covered include:

n Why most new businesses fail.

n What it takes to be successful.

n Tips on starting and running your own business.

n Pitfalls that will destroy your new business.

n It's all about you - visionary, manager, doer.

To register for the seminar, call the Small Business Center at (910) 695-3938. Registration will also be available beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the day of the seminar.

SCORE is a nationwide nonprofit association of experienced business people who provide free, confidential business counseling to small business owners. The Sandhills chapter is active in counseling, mentoring and presenting free business seminars.

More information on SCORE's counseling activity and a complete description of each seminar can be found at the Sandhills SCORE website, www.sandhillsscore.org.