West Point graduate and seasoned business advisor Scott Hines has joined the Small Business Development Center as regional director, bringing a mission-driven focus to helping entrepreneurs launch, grow, and thrive. With deep experience supporting small companies through growth and transition, Hines now serves business owners across Talbot County and the Eastern Shore. We sat down with him to discuss his background, his priorities, and his vision for strengthening the region’s small-business economy.
Q: Scott, let’s start with your background. What led you here, and how has that experience prepared you for this role?
After graduation from West Point, I served as an officer in the United States Army and enjoyed every minute of the camaraderie and dedication towards fellow service members and our country. Military service allowed for the growth and continued development of my management and leadership abilities through aligning the traits and capabilities of groups of diverse personnel with varying capabilities, beliefs, and desires and gaining focus and performance to a collective goal.
After six years, the Army asked me if I wanted to go to Hawaii and get my MBA and teach at the University. How could I turn that down? The education and leadership development I attained led to a successful transition. I always knew I wanted to be a businessman and had also planned that I would transfer into the commercial sector after my 8-year service commitment. My father set a great example as he was in the military and served in the Vietnam War and went on to be a businessman.
After leaving the service, I was fortunate enough to begin the path that defined my business career which consisted of managing and growing existing small and large companies and starting some from scratch. I developed a niche for understanding and experiencing every component of a business from HR, contracts, business development, finance and accounting, and operations. With many start-up businesses, you do not have personnel for many of those positions, and someone has to do it. It was a blessing as it allowed me to gain an understanding and knowledge about all aspects of growing companies. I grew the companies to surpass $150 million a year with decentralized operations spread out across the world and then would sell them to larger companies and move on to the next company.
The companies were focused on government contracting, and I became what you would call a Beltway Bandit, residing in DC and Northern Virginia. Five years ago, my mother’s health took a turn, so I came back to the Eastern Shore full time to take care of her and work on some things in an advisory capacity to other companies.
After 25 years of working and growing in that cutthroat environment, I wanted to give back at this stage in my career. This job at Salisbury University popped up and I realized that something was calling my name as I was looking at sharing, assisting, and becoming a part of a community. What better way than to share all my experience, knowledge and business understandings with those with questions and needs?
Q: You’ve worked closely with a variety of business owners over the years. How has that experience prepared you for this leadership role with the SBDC?
As I mentioned before, my father was instrumental in my life, as most fathers are, but he was also my initial mentor in my business life. The first government contracting company we worked on together grew to $150 million. He taught me about the government contracting business and the key aspects of managing and growing a business.
I was also fortunate that throughout my career I encountered some proven professional businessmen excelling in government contracting, growing and running successful companies for 30 years. While leading business entities whether through partnering, teaming, or working collectively on opportunities, I developed close relationships with these businessmen and maintained relationships with all of them inside and outside of business. I continually absorbed, observed, and learned from their guidance. I fully believe that by proving myself, showing desire, and earning their trust, they kind of set the trajectory of my career and passed on the torch.
Q: What attracted you specifically to the Eastern Shore and Talbot County?
We always had a house in Bethany Beach. For 20 years, I would drive across the bridge to spend time here, but I never got to know the people, I would just come over, spend a weekend, and drive back across the bridge to get back to the rat race of trying to beat down my competitors and better my neighbors.
As my mother’s health declined, I moved here full time. Once I was here, I took the time to get to know the people of the Eastern Shore, I fell in love with the whole persona and commitment towards one another. There is something special about the people of the Eastern Shore that drew me in, and I wanted to be a part of it.
When I started at SBDC I asked my host institution, Salisbury University, who is an extremely supportive and committed resource, what was expected of me. I knew my metrics, goals and deliverables from the SBA and my State Center, but I wanted to learn what Salisbury expected of me. Their answer was to make a positive impact on the community, and it could not have fit better into my newly chosen direction in life and business.
The one thing that I tell everyone is that the SBDC is a hidden gem that most do not know about as we do so much more than people think. The best thing is that there is no charge for our services! It has been totally gratifying for the past 11 months, and I am excited to expand the capabilities of the SBDC as well as the exposure to those in Talbot County and the Eastern Shore who do not know of us.
Q: What strengths and opportunities do you see here?
One of the first and immediately noticeable strengths of Talbot County’s business community is the commitment and dedication to supporting and assisting new business startups and growth of existing businesses. Talbot County was one of the first Economic Development Offices that I met face to face, and I was immediately impressed with their systems and knowledge of the business community and drive to see it succeed. The resources they offer as far as training, education, and funding mirrored what I felt the SBDC should be offering, and Talbot County proved to have a handle on these operations such that I immediately wanted to ensure we were dedicated teammates.
Talbot County has a bright future. The county already excels in tourism and hospitality, as well as agribusiness, but I also see some strategic planning and ongoing developments that will increase the tech and innovation tied to agriculture and water. The county is developing business infrastructure with a plan for large scale regional medical center that will provide jobs, business opportunities, and a positive infusion to the county economy.
I am excited that Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism and its staff are so knowledgeable, committed, and interested in growing the partnership with SBDC to better provide for the Talbot County community.
Q: What are your priorities in year one?
When I took over, I noticed that there needed to be an increased effort towards building, strengthening, and forming working relationships with the communities, and I needed to focus on making a lasting impact. My main goal is for the SBDC to be “readily known” and available for assistance and support. I truly feel most people do not know how much we can provide and how committed we are to assist in businesses success.
Another goal will be to strengthen my working relationships with the Economic Development offices on the Eastern Shore as they are truly the best pathway towards expanding the knowledge of the community needs. I need to spread the word about SBDC and what we can do for the constituents of the counties. I also need to express my dedication to SBDC having a bigger presence through a steady assigned presence in the Economic Development Offices. I want to have more workshops, trainings, resource fairs, cohort programs, and teaming events.
Q: SBDC offers a wide range of advisory services, many at no cost to the business owner. What capabilities do you believe are most underutilized or least understood?
We do so much more than assist with business plans. We offer assistance that ranges from government contracting certifications to new opportunities identification, and procurement assistance to business marketing development. We offer contract/RFP and response preparation, accounting set up to business evaluations and sale assistance. There are many more services that I could mention but I will focus on the answer to your actual question.
The most underused services are the loan packaging services. We utilize our networks and connections to the lending institutions and the knowledge of what they want and how to prepare what is in the package. The lenders understand that if we have assisted with the preparation of the package then the review is going to move more fluidly and save processing time.
Many people are unaware of our no cost services. It is well worth utilizing us when looking for SBA business loans instead of trying to accomplish everything on your own. There is more that is lost when attempting to do it on your own and we have procedures down to utilize. We can connect you with the appropriate lenders that fit your needs and improve the timeliness of the entire process.
Q: Accessing capital can be a major hurdle for both startups and expanding businesses. How does SBDC help companies strengthen their financial readiness and connect to funding sources?
We have an extensive network and close relationships with the lenders such that we can identify those that meet your needs and solve any concerns. We assist with the total packaging as we have knowledge of what the lenders want and need as well as how to professionally present the information.
SBDC will assist with the preparation of any financial reports required, even if you do not have an actual accounting system. We can assist with credit review as well as credit repair. SBDC understands the scores the lenders are requiring that assist with approval. We also have connections to alternative financing beyond your traditional banks, and SBDC is now introducing Credit Repair Assistance to our services this year.
Q: Talbot County’s industry mix is diverse, from tourism and retail to healthcare, agriculture, aquaculture, aviation, and emerging technologies. How does the SBDC tailor support to meet the needs of such varied sectors?
SBDC has staff with experience in various sectors so that coupled with my extensive experience, we can accommodate the diverse mix of Talbot County’s industry mix. After conducting an initial consultation with the clients, I can tailor this support by assigning a specific counselor to a specific client. Not only is this process based on the client’s needs, but it is also based upon identifying unique requirements and pairing it with an experienced counselor that possesses the knowledge of a specific industry.
SBDC also possesses the ability to turn to statewide SBDC business resources who are subject matter experts should a unique sector or a unique requirement surface. Again, these statewide resources are provided at no cost to the client, and our office works with the clients and the subject matter experts to ensure the expectations and needs are met.
Q. Employers consistently cite workforce as one of their greatest challenges. What resources or strategies can SBDC provide to help businesses recruit, retain, and develop talent?
SBDC has partnerships and networking connections with multiple workforce development programs and offices within the Eastern Region. These offices are in communication with us as they understand the need that business clients face fulfilling personnel resource needs. We work with these programs and centers as workshop trainers and business education classes so that we develop a great strategic partnership towards matching workforce personnel with SBDC clients in need.
To retain and develop the talent, SBDC holds workshops focusing on human resource-proven retention strategies and plans that have proven success rates and are industry specific. Workshops focus on what are the benefits, pay structures, company workforce structure and climate needed to keep employees wanting to stay with the company and develop a commitment to the company’s success. For talent development, our experience and success strategies that we have incorporated are passed on to our clients when we sit down and discuss recruitment, retention and talent development.
Q: What would you consider a win this time next year?
The Talbot County Council helps fund the resources we offer, and we are working hard to make sure we have a strong working relationship with their Department of Economic Development and Tourism.
Of, course, business startups and expansions are always a celebration as I get extremely excited and enthused about assisting clients towards achieving their dreams. Being the resource that clients know they can rely on and trust that we are in their corner for all matters even if it is a shoulder to lean on. That is what makes this job so gratifying.
Q. How does someone get in touch with your office?
Anyone in Talbot County can reach out to Cassandra Vanhooser for a warm handoff. She tracks the progress of every client and gets monthly updates from our office about the businesses we’re assisting.
You can also reach out directly. The office email is SWSBDC2@salisbury.edu, and our numbers is 410-548-4419. You can also email me directly at sxhines@salisbury.edu.
About Talbot County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
The Talbot County Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s mission is to enhance and promote a business-friendly environment for current and prospective enterprises and to advocate for policies that support and strengthen the economic vitality of Talbot County. The department’s vision for Talbot County is built on the principles of strong communities, empowered businesses, and innovative solutions.
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