Nuen Music, LLC
Capital to support service expansion, equipment upgrades, talent recruitment, enhanced marketing, and client acquisition.
Elkhorn River Coffee
Lisa Lawton’s love of coffee knows no bounds.
She was born and raised in Scribner, Nebraska, but for many years, she lived in Washington state, the birthplace of Starbucks. There, she was surrounded by coffee shops, but when she moved back home, she had to drive 12 miles to get a latte.
Lisa decided that was unacceptable, and her solution was to open her own coffee shop in Scribner.
Four Brothers Wood-Fired Pizza
With a passion for a unique pizza experience and with over 10+ years of experience working in the pizza and restaurant industry, in early 2020, husband and wife, Jamaal and Christa Bradley, opened Four Brothers Wood-Fired Pizza in Clarksville, Tennessee – named after their four sons. The Bradleys originally reached out to Pathway Lending for a loan, but got more than just the financial support they sought for their family-owned business. They were connected and worked with one-on-one business advisors to map out their growth plans. With a $20,000 SBA Microloan provided by Pathway Lending to provide working capital for funding operations, Four Brothers has been able to continue to grow. Four Brothers opened hoping to be a building block in their small community that can be passed on to their sons in the future, and credits Pathway for helping them thrive.
Aeroforce Logistics
Heather Varney learned to be a resourceful problem solver and a good communicator at an early age. While in the Marine Corps, she experienced a bad accident, which had a galvanizing effect. She decided that if there was something she wanted to do, she was going to do it regardless of what got in the way. Forced to change jobs in the Marine Corps due to her injury, Heather learned a new side of aviation: the parts side. She developed a passion for being the “parts finder” for the Marine Corps and every job after that, finding great joy when helping others. Aeroforce Logistics exists to provide solutions to ensure U.S. Government (USG) entities or large-business concerns obtain needed aerospace materials and equipment in a mission-focused and cost-effective manner while achieving small business subcontracting and utilization goals. WWBIC was able to assist Aeroforce Logistics by providing its first business loan…
Taco Holler
Ashley Bledsoe is the mastermind behind Harlan County’s Taco Holler, a food truck and catering business established in 2017. After coming up with the idea during a visit to Taco Luchador, a popular taco spot in Louisville, Kentucky, Ashley and her wife, Leslie Bledsoe, got to work to bring a similar concept to far southeastern Kentucky. Finally, in summer 2017, they did an informal study of their food truck concept at the Harlan County Farmers Market. “The response was overwhelming, so we knew we were onto something,” Ashley said. Before COVID-19, Ashley would set up the Taco Holler truck in downtown Harlan for one day per week – a day that so many in the community looked forward week to week– and she offered catering services for local events, parties and conferences. A believer in inclusivity, the menu includes a wide variety of options from vegan to gluten-free and keto-diet…
Pastry4U
In 2003, Harriett Wilson retired from her long career in pharmaceuticals and began to pursue her passion, baking. She ran with her desire to be a professional baker by pursuing her Baking Production Certificate. But Harriett wanted to train where the greats hone their culinary talents and where pastries reign supreme: France. So in 2011, Harriett moved abroad to receive specialty training at Gastronomicom, an International Culinary Academy, in Cap d’Agede, France. Upon returning to the states, Harriett quickly realized although she now had the pastry skills to establish her own business, she still wasn’t sure where to start. Harriett turned to WWBIC for support. She enrolled in business planning classes to build the foundation of her business, and with newfound confidence and a SBA Microloan from WWBIC, opened Pastry4u in 2017. Pastry4U offers specialty bakery and catering services in Racine. Harriett quickly expanded the business, teaching private hands-on baking…
Velodrome Coffee
At the start of March 2020, two and a half years after launch, Velodrome Coffee in Marquette, Mich., was growing at a rate the owners hadn’t expected. Business was up 40% over the previous year with a number of incredible opportunities on the horizon beginning to unfold. When COVID-19 came to the U.S., owners Brice Sturmer and Paul Vafa had no idea it would impact their business so significantly. Following the lead of businesses in Washington State, though in Michigan, they immediately updated their cleaning procedures and communicated with staff. “Our hope was to support staff on payroll through any situation that occurred, a week later we were shell-shocked and laying off the entire staff with no idea what would happen next,” said Sturmer. “It was the hardest day of being a business owner, laying off the staff, turning off the lights, and not knowing when we would turn them…
The Bird and the Bear Grill
Nancy Forster-Miller and Jim Miller start The Bird and the Bear Grill as a local diner in Roscommon in 2018. An SBA Microloan by Northern Initiatives, a CDFI in Michigan, allowed the couple to purchase a building and equipment, and have working capital for the first few months of operation. The diner was immediately both popular and profitable since it opened with breakfast, lunch, and baked goods service. Customer demand surpassed what was expected to be seasonal summer business into a profitable one throughout the entire year. Over time, the Nancy and Jim expanded their building’s backroom for dining and holding senior and small community events as well as selling local gift items. COVID19 got them rethinking their business model; an ownership change also required additional funding. Northern Initiatives supported the Bird and the Bear with business coaching that included help with balance sheets, including a template and step-by-step video…
River Dog Paddle Co.
The River Dog Paddle Co. was started by Mike and Connie Sams. The business is an outpost rental shop that provides paddle boarding lessons and gear for the outdoors enthusiast. The name of their shop evolved from their passion for paddle boarding and the stray dog the couple rescued in distress along the Coosa River. They also provide Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) sales, rentals, demos, lessons, yoga, fitness classes and the opportunity to explore the areas waterways. Connie Sams explains that River Dog Paddle Co. came to be as a result of opportunities that just presented themselves to her and her husband, Mike. She notes, “We were both passionate about our city, the outdoors, and Stand up Paddle Boarding. Instead of hesitating or questioning when circumstances led us down this path, we leapt with ‘hopes’ our net would appear, which it did. I am a Human Resources (HR) Professional, and…
Sweet Joy Ice Cream
Growing up, Talia Holmes spent summers in the kitchen with her mother and grandmother making homemade ice cream. As an adult, she worked for different companies, and when both passed away, she decided it was time to follow her vision and open an ice cream shop. It had been a shared dream of all three women, and Talia wanted to leave a legacy for her daughter. Although Talia comes from a family of entrepreneurs, and knew the type of business she wanted to open with a preliminary business plan, she needed help preparing to become a business owner. In 2018 through the SBA’s website she linked with the ACE Women’s Business Center and scheduled a same-day business coaching session She attended two WBC Access to Capital workshops to learn about the requirements needed to obtain a loan through ACE. ACE’s Annual Speed Coaching event allowed her the opportunity to meet…
Duluth Coffee Company
The Entrepreneur Fund assisted Duluth Coffee Company expand from an idea for a coffee business, to the business becoming the outstanding and thriving coffee shop and distributor that it is today. Entrepreneur Fund provided Duluth Coffee Company’s founder, Eric Faust him with multiple SBA Microloans for capital and consulting on Financial Management, Strategic Business Planning, and additional business expenses. Out of that investment, Eric built a major wholesale brand in Minnesota and has gained statewide notoriety. He continues to grow his distribution, while maintaining a a strong value system, making it a priority to track where his coffee beans are sourced from and providing a purchasing model with financial assistance to the coffee farmers. Eric first approached Entrepreneur Fund to get support to get his business off the ground. He accessed startup financing to purchase a 3-kilogram coffee roaster and began roasting coffee beans in his garage. After some experimentation with the…
Cool J’s Apparel
Cool J’s Apparel is a woman and minority-owned business that held its grand opening of its bricks and mortar store on May 28, 2020 and had gotten started a year previously through online sales. Owner Toni Hopkins created this business after understanding a need for a women’s apparel store in the local Springfield community. Her goal is to provide quality, affordable apparel that makes women feel and look beautiful. Cool J’s caters to all women, but the business’s primary focus is on women who live in areas where there are not many retail options. With a professional background in finance and sales, Ms. Hopkins has been in the apparel field for more than 15 years. Toni obtained a Community Advantage loan in 2020 from Justine PETERSEN for working capital to establish the lease and cover all required start-up operating costs and inventory for equipment and furnishings. Working capital funds were…
Fired Up Fitness
Living in a larger community meant Megan Zoucha and her husband, Will, were used to having certain amenities nearby. While they appreciated the convenience, they opted to move to Fullerton, Nebraska (population 1,440) to enjoy the slow pace of rural living. Megan wanted to continue to lead a healthy, active lifestyle, and she did what she could in her new home. But a lack of access to equipment and proper facilities made it difficult to get the workout she wanted. So, she decided to open her own fitness center. “As we got to know our community and its people, I found there were others like me who were forced to purchase their own equipment, or were making do with little space,” she said. “But so many who would be willing to make the time for fitness (were) without the proper ways/options to do so.” Megan contacted Nance County Economic Development…
Buffalo Creek Coffee
Even with full-time jobs and full lives, Brandon and Lisa Hixon wanted to contribute more to their hometown of Chappell, Nebraska (population: 871). “We wanted to give something to the town that we thought would make it special,” said Lisa. “Chappell is a good community that has a lot of potential.” Brandon is self-employed as a farmer and also works in ag product sales for Hixon Ag, LLC; Lisa is a teacher at South Platte School in Big Springs, Nebraska. On top of these jobs, the couple decided to take on a new venture: They wanted to open a coffee shop in Chappell to add to the uniqueness of the town. “Although we do not physically work at the coffee shop ourselves because we have hired some great baristas, we do work hard behind the scenes to ensure they and the store have what’s needed to run smoothly and meet…
GSD Home Improvement
In the midst of a global pandemic that has many small business owners focused on saving their existing businesses, there are still entrepreneurs looking to start or grow a new one. One such enterprising individual is Aury Souvenir, owner of the recently launched GSD Home Improvement. GSD Home Improvement is a small, locally owned business specializing in painting, carpentry, landscaping, and snow plowing, servicing in Greater Portland area. Aury immigrated to Maine from Burundi in 2012 and within a few years, graduated from the University of Southern Maine (USM) with degrees in accounting & finance. While in school, Aury worked as a member of a painting crew, learning the ropes of contract and home-improvement work. Before he graduated, he purchased a franchisee of the company and was running his own crew. When Aury saw opportunities to expand beyond painting into snowplowing, landscaping and general carpentry, he decided to open his…
Burke Mercantile
Over the course of eight years, Maggie Stoll lived out her dream of working in the clothing business as a visual merchandiser and store manager for a well-known, fast-fashion brand. But as Stoll got older, her focus shifted toward wearable pieces that were better designed, sustainably made and durable enough to last numerous fashion cycles. Enter Burke Mercantile, a retail lifestyle shop Stoll launched this spring in Long Beach, CA with the help of SBA financing from CDC Small Business Finance, a leading U.S. small business lender. Her shop didn’t sprout up overnight. It took more than a year of active planning, troubleshooting and mentoring to launch her specialty retail concept. While consumer demand for quality, eco-friendly goods is stronger than ever, not many smaller boutiques were filling this niche, Stoll realized. That’s how Burke Mercantile was born. “I have created an environment that supports emerging small brands and artists and gives…
Wash My Dog Grooming Service
Excited about providing a convenient, high-quality grooming business for dog owners in their area, Andrea and Terryl decided to open Wash My Dog in 2019. Andrea and Terryl had some of their own savings to invest in their new small business, but still needed additional funding to purchase grooming equipment and supplies as well as complete the build-out of the Wash My Dog retail space. Initially, they reached out to the City of Los Angeles Business Source Center, where a consultant referred them to nonprofit CDC Small Business Finance. Once in touch with CDC Small Business Finance, the two partners were connected with experts in the Business Advising Services department, who help potential borrowers develop business plans and revenue and expense projections en route to maximizing their chance of getting a loan. When all was said and done, CDC Small Business Finance approved an SBA Microloan to help Andrea and Terryl launch Wash My Dog.…
Karl’s Cuisine & Superior Coast Brewery & Winery
Karl began his foray into the restaurant world at age 15, when he began an apprenticeship with a five-star chef. He has worked in a country club and eventually established a catering and home delivery service in the small, rural town of Pickford in Michigan, and has added restauranteur to his list of accomplishments. In early 2000, Karl, along with his wife, Paula, came up with the idea to start a catering and delivery business. The company would provide working parents and families with children involved in afterschool activities with dinner options. Northern Initiatives, an SBA microlender headquartered in Marquette, assisted the couple with their dream to start their catering business by providing them with a $2,500 microloan in June of 2003. Later in 2003, Northern Initiatives provided Karl and his wife with a second loan of $6,500 to expand and open a restaurant. In 2004, the couple opened their…
Early Success Academy
As an elementary school principal working in the sprawling Montbello neighborhood of Northeast Denver, Diana Gadison saw a lot of things happening with her students on a daily basis. What she often noticed were children waiting alone outside for long periods of time before and after school. She soon realized the problem – no available childcare – and decided to do something about it. After consulting with her mother who managed an in-home childcare business and discovering there were only two local daycare options, Diana looked around for a place where her vision of a childcare center could take root. “My mother and I found a home on the corner, a former crack house,” Diana recalled. “We approached the owner about our idea and she agreed to let us take over the note on the property.” Having found her place, Diana needed to upgrade the 1,200 SF property to meet…
RL Commercial Systems
b Landers grew up in St. Louis and majored in sports medicine at the University of Kansas. While he was in school, he made pocket money by cleaning dorms and student apartments. A job with the Spirit Group brought him to Atlanta, where he started moonlighting with a cleaning service as a “one‐ man show.”