SewPretty Designs

Minority-owned business, Woman-owned business

Microlender:

Pathway Lending

Impact:

Equipment purchase for business expansion and production efficiency.

Location:

Chatanooga, TN

Loan Amount:

$10,000

From baby shower gifts to a booming business, SewPretty Designs has grown from a hobby into a successful small business. Owner Shena Allen was inspired by the personalized and monogrammed gifts she received at the baby shower for her daughter Nyla in 2017. Shena started making gifts for friends and neighbors to give them the personalized ‘wow factor’ that she received. Her side-hustle took off, and she officially started full-time in 2018 and applied for her business license in 2020.

Shena was investing all her early profit back into the business but with her business’s growth overtaking her capacity, she needed additional funds so she could stock more inventory and purchase more powerful embroidery equipment. After thorough research, Shena found that she needed a standalone commercial embroidery machine that would speed up production and allow her to customize a wider range of products.

SewPretty Designs received a $10,000 SBA Microloan from Pathway Lending to fund that equipment. Before the loan from Pathway Lending, Shena was hesitant to market her business and services for fear she wouldn’t be able to turn around orders in a timely manner. Now with pop-up shops, a new website, and more inventory on the horizon, SewPretty Designs is bursting at the seams with new opportunities.