It was a dream comes true! This is how MARIO PORTILLO describes his success story with help from SCORE. The dream’s evolution was not easy but very worthwhile. A few years ago, Portillo quit his long-time job at SONY to take a management position at his former employer, Du Art, only to be laid off 10 months later. He was one of the many laid off at this time. He was extremely upset but now Mario has his own business that he loves and is making money. At first he stood on the unemployment lines but four year ago de decided to take New York State up on its offer to allow him to start his own business while still collecting unemployment insurance. He named his business, DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS, INC.

The core of this business was setting up entertainment systems in people’s homes. He had a great deal of experience in this line which he gained while working for SONY. He needed, however, to know how to start his business and how to market and sell his services. The unemployment office suggested that he go to SCORE in White Plains where he attended 10 free workshops concerning every aspect of business including marketing and sales. His counselor, Bob D’Agostino, with a vast business background in real estate, sales and marketing, was his lifeline to success. D’Agostino suggested that he send out selective mailings to high income people in Westchester and New York City. It worked. One of his first customers was Placide Domingo, the opera star who lives in New York.

Domingo was very pleased with Portillo’s work and wrote a letter of recommendation on his own stationary. Mario was off to a flying start and has never looked back. As SCORE always emphasizes: good service and word of mouth advertising are the best ways to create a successful business. With Score’s continued counseling and an ad in the Yellow Pages, Mario’s installation contacts now average $25,000 to $30,000 each with some $70,000 depending upon the type of entertainment system required. An article about Mario Portillo in The Journal News (a Gannett Chain newspaper) described him as a man with no job __ with a bright future. In this article, Jerry Gleeson, a business reporter, described him as a man “with a career low to a success story”. Portillo credits SCORE for its ongoing help. He says, “Besides making money, I am having lots of fun. I get to use the latest technology in setting up these systems and it’s a dream come true.”