Ascendus

📣 Happy Monday! We're excited to announce that our Line of Credit product is now available to all Ascendus markets, except Vermont! 🌟

A Line of Credit is a versatile financial tool that can help you manage cash flow, invest in new opportunities, or cover unexpected expenses. It's designed to give your business the flexibility and support it needs to thrive.

At Ascendus, we're committed to supporting your financial journey. Interested in learning more about how a Line of Credit can benefit your business? Click the link below!

👉 Learn More: https://bit.ly/ascendus-line-of-credit

How would you use a Line of Credit to grow your business? Share your ideas with us!

📣 We keep on ascending, and we want you on our team! Ascendus is thrilled to announce new job openings:

▪️ Communications Director
▪️ People Operations Coordinator
▪️ Communications Associate

If you are passionate, dedicated, and ready to make a difference, we want to hear from you. At Ascendus, we value inclusion, integrity, adaptability, passion, empathy, and dedication. Come join a dynamic and innovative team!

Interested? Learn more and apply here: https://bit.ly/3W8Vph1

📣 The Ascendus Leadership Team spent time together in NYC last month to listen, connect, and learn – all to ensure we’re creating and delivering the right tools to support our clients’ financial journey. It will take innovation, agility, and a deep focus on creating impact. We are ready to meet the moment and create lasting change for our small businesses.

🎶 We want to introduce you to Dave, a talented musician who has used his skills and passion to create a mentorship program for the next generation of musicians. With Ascendus' support, Dave is making a real difference in the lives of young artists. Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone in your field? Share your experiences with us!

At Ascendus, we're committed to supporting clients on their financial journey.

👉 Read more about Dave's story here: https://bit.ly/3Y0fsAY

Did you know that Ascendus features over 135 small businesses on our Marketplace? From fair trade coffee, to delicious baked goods, to beautiful hand made clothing, and more. Check out our clients here: https://www.ascendus.org/shop-ascendus-marketplace/

🚀 Calling all Charlotte entrepreneurs! 🚀

Whether you're a new business, an old business, or simply in need of a financial boost to take your venture to the next level, the Charlotte Small Business Growth Fund is here to support you. From lender matches to application assistance and tailored guidance, our team is dedicated to helping you succeed. We believe in the power of entrepreneurship to drive economic growth and foster community prosperity, and we're committed to providing equitable access to capital for all.

Visit https://www.ascendus.org/products/charlotte-growth-fund/ to learn more and apply to be matched to a lender today. Let's build a stronger, more vibrant Charlotte together!

Interested in staying up-to-date on Ascendus’s work, impact, and the incredible small business owners we support? Our monthly Credit Lines newsletter will allow you to receive all of the latest updates on our organization. Sign up today: https://www.ascendus.org/e-news/

Looking for delicious, home made, baked goods? Look no further than Madame Lecker Bakery. Our clients, Monica and Catherine, are making freshly baked, healthy, bread daily. Their recipes include a combination of Latin and European flavors, and they are perfect for any occasion. Shop their baked goods and other small businesses on our Ascendus Marketplace: https://www.ascendus.org/shop-ascendus-marketplace/

Not only is Reina's daycare supporting her community, but it is also supporting her family and her home. “Early on, my husband had to stop working in his field due to an injury. We ran the daycare together, and it fully supported our family of four. We used the money to send both my sons to school, and we sent my oldest son to school all the way through his master’s program. We also saved up enough to finally have the downpayment for a house.”

However, when she needed to make improvements to her daycare she realized she would need to either take out money from her downpayment savings, or take out a loan. “Because of the loan, we could do both – update our business and still support our home. Thank you Ascendus, for being magnificent.”

Read Reina's story of ascension here: https://www.ascendus.org/client-stories/an-ascendus-loan-keeps-reinas-goals-on-track/

Check out these upcoming small business events and opportunities!

Jesse is one of the newest members of our Lending team, but she is already out and about making an impact for small business owners in North Carolina! This week, Jesse attended three events to meet with partners and learn more about how Ascendus can help small business owners in the state on their financial journeys. Thank you Jesse for lifting clients UP!

Bank of America Prospera USA U.S. Small Business Administration

Through the Ascendus Business Line of Credit Program, entrepreneurs have the opportunity receive up to $25,000 in flexible working capital for any of their small business needs. See if you qualify in only five minutes: https://www.ascendus.org/products/lineofcredit/

Did you know that Ascendus features over 125 small businesses on our Marketplace? Christian Herrera from Pueblo Querido Coffee Roasters is one of them. He transports coffee beans directly from his family's farm in Colombia, and personally ensures that every single bag is made with quality and care. Christian delivers nationwide, you can check out his coffee on our Marketplace today: https://www.ascendus.org/shop-ascendus-marketplace/

Thank you Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) for awarding us the very first 2024 Entrepreneurs of Color Loan Fund Award for Collaboration and Deployment of over $25 Million in capital to over 200 Entrepreneurs of Color. This award celebrates our collaboration, leadership, innovation, and impact within our small business communities. Receiving this award is CEO Paul Quintero and SVP of Development and Communication, Victoria Richnitiatives Support Corporation (LISC) for awarding us the very first 2024 Entrepreneurs of Color Loan Fund Award for Collaboration and Deployment of over $25 Million in capital to over 200 Entrepreneurs of Color. This award celebrates our collaboration, leadership, innovation, and impact within our small business communities. Receiving this award is CEO Paul Quintero and SVP of Development and Communication, Victoria Richardson. This Way Up!

Stefani was operating out of a coffee cart in Detroit, MI, but it was always her dream to open her own storefront location. Stefani would work in all weather conditions, through the rain, the cold, the heat, and more.

Stefani wanted a place where she could provide employment to her community, and raise her family. Through an Ascendus loan, she is finally making that dream come true. “My loan consultant was a doll. She was lovely, sweet, responsive, and cared so deeply about me and helping my small business. I got the capital I needed, and I’m prepared to open Anna's Café this Fall. I couldn’t have done it without Ascendus.”

Now, Stefani is about to go on maternity leave, and she can balance being a Mom and a small business owner at the same time. "To have this space and time to figure out life with a new baby is really special. Come August, I’ll be working on hiring baristas and management for the café, so we can open together in early Fall. And I’m so excited to bring the baby to work with me!” Read her story of ascension here: https://www.ascendus.org/client-stories/from-coffee-cart-to-cafe-the-impact-of-one-loan/

Don't miss out on these upcoming events and opportunities from our partners!

To better support the financial journey of our clients, CEO Paul Quintero attended the EMERGE Financial Health Network Conference in Chicago last week. There, he met with industry leaders and participated in seminars to learn how to help our small businesses build their financial health, households, and communities. Thank you Paul Quintero, for always going above and beyond to support our small business owners. This Way Up!

With Matt Roth, President and CEO of Community Reinvestment Fund, USA

Neysa, our wonderful Program Manager, is working every day to help our clients build and maintain their credit. Neysa has been trained in Credit Coaching by Credit Builders Alliance, and recently attended the 2024 Credit Builders Symposium to further her credit building knowledge in order to help our clients succeed. Thank you Neysa, for being an amazing support to small business owners. This Way Up!

Grameen America SERJobs Washington Area Community Investment Fund, Inc. (Wacif)

Calling all New Jersey Small Business owners! Ascendus now offers a loan program specifically for you. The New Jersey Capital Access Fund provides working capital with fixed interest rates and flexible spending guidelines. Access up to $150,000 in capital to help plan the bright future of your small business! Learn more here: https://www.ascendus.org/products/new-jersey-capital-access-fund/

Don't miss out on these upcoming opportunities from Ascendus and our community of partners!

The Ascendus team is at it again with a series of workshops, client site visits, and events with partners. We wouldn't be where we are today without our amazing team. Thank you for all you do!

Interested in staying up-to-date on Ascendus’s work, impact, and the incredible small business owners we support? Our monthly Credit Lines newsletter will allow you to receive all of the latest updates on our organization. Sign up today: https://www.ascendus.org/e-news/

🚀 Calling all Charlotte entrepreneurs! 🚀

Whether you're a new business, an old business, or simply in need of a financial boost to take your venture to the next level, the Charlotte Small Business Growth Fund is here to support you. From lender matches to application assistance and tailored guidance, our team is dedicated to helping you succeed. We believe in the power of entrepreneurship to drive economic growth and foster community prosperity, and we're committed to providing equitable access to capital for all.

Visit https://charlottegrowthfund.org/ to learn more and apply to be matched to a lender today. Let's build a stronger, more vibrant Charlotte together!

From client site visits, to leadership seminars, to inspirational small business workshops, the Ascendus team has made a big splash in 2024 so far. Thank you to our team members for always going above and beyond, we wouldn't be here without our passionate, empathetic, and dedicated team!

Ascendus is ! Looking to make a difference for ? Join our team as an Operations Manager! You'll shape and design projects, work with change management, and contribute to the success of our Innovation department. Learn more about this fully role, and apply here: https://www.ascendus.org/careers/operations-manager/