SewPretty Designs
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…
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…
Aenon Auto Recycling & Parts
For Leonardo Vazquez, owning an automotive repair company was always the dream. After moving to Cookeville, Tennessee, his nephew Edgar shared that the owner of the local junkyard he had worked at for six years was up for sale. They saw it as the perfect opportunity to start a family-owned business and purchased Aenon Auto Recycling & Parts in 2015.…
Bernadette Mopera and Co. Showroom
Bernadette Mopera has been the proprietor of a woman-owned and operated apparel and accessory showroom since 1997. Due to COVID-19 and the Safer at Home Order, Bernadette’s wholesale apparel distribution business was severely affected. The European brands she sells were shut for business and warehouse shipping was halted due to pandemic. This led to her business revenues to plunge 50%,…
Skylar Security
By the time Jamine Moton walked away from the world of collegiate track and field in 2004, she was a national champion, a hammer throw record holder, an Olympic alternate and a future Hall of Famer . However, when she retired from her sport, Moton didn’t leave her identity as an athlete behind her. Rather, in 2014 she combined her…
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…
Hudson & Associates
Shelia Hudson is a sole owner of Hudson & Associates, LLC established in 2005. The business provides Project management, operation support, planning and public relations services. Hudson & Associates, LLC specializes in parking systems, project and construction management. The COVID pandemic and shelter in place order has taking a huge impact on the industry the business services (parking and airport…
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…
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,…
Sweet V’s Restaurant & Ice Cream
Sweet V’s in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, is more than just a local eatery. It’s one man’s dream come true, and it’s turned into a family-run success. Mark Villagrana always wanted to run his own business, and when the opportunity presented itself to open Sweet V’s, he got his entire family to join the adventure with him. His vision came to life…
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,…
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…
MMELO
MMELO is a Columbus-based, woman and minority owned small business dedicated to all natural, artisanal sweet treats and pastries. Michelle Allen was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and was a business owner in Spain before moving back to her hometown. Back in Columbus, Michelle connected with ECDI and The Food Fort – an incubator for food industry start-ups and…
Servexo
John Palmer describes himself as a “natural protector.” The eldest of 4 siblings, he was challenged everywhere he lived. So when this disabled veteran left the Army, starting a security business seemed the natural thing to do. Three years after launching Servexo, John needed capital to take a bold leap into a new municipal contract. However, because of extended credit,…
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.”
MedCode Professional Career Academy
Jasmine Hall’s first job in her teens was in medical collections, a role where she found a natural talent for understanding the terminology and explaining bills to patients. As a
young mother, Jasmine was looking for a higher paying career that would also allow her to spend more time with her daughter. After seeing a commercial for medical coding school, she decided to put her talents to use and earn her Certified Professional Coder (CPC) certification.
Mariama’s Beauty Supply Story
In January 2012, when Mariama Jallow arrived in the United States from her home country Gambia, she had ambitions to be a part of the growing immigrant business‐owner community in Portland, Maine. After overcoming many hurdles, including advocating for and seeing the shift in a state law, developing a business plan, and opening a type of business that was new to the state of Maine, she now owns and operates Mariama’s Beauty Supply store on Forest Avenue in Portland.
Dellwood Pharmacy
Dellwood Pharmacy is located in north St. Louis County in an area that is considered a “pharmacy desert,” where in recent years two major chain pharmacies have closed. Rebecca Mawuenega first came to Justine PETERSEN to access an SBA Community Advantage loan to acquire the community pharmacy that had been in business for 13 years. Subsequently, COVID-19 led to a 40%…
Revive Outreach
Revive Outreach Inc. helps individuals and families as they seek to improve their quality of life through the provision of safe, secure and affordable housing and economics security. This loan assisted Revive Outreach Inc, in their commitment to provide affordable housing in underserved communities during the pandemic in 2020. Dayonne is a returning client that has another business, Revive Janitorial…
Ms. Niecy’s Learning Center
As one of the premier daycare facilities in Southwest Atlanta, Ms. Niecy’s is more than a daycare center – it is an award-winning childcare facility. The Commercial Entrepreneur of the Year Award was presented to owners John and JuanisaKimbrough in 2018 by ACE. They are a student-focused affordable preschool and learning center that accepts infants, toddlers, preschool and after-school children.…