Some small businesses just need a little help making it to the next level. A local photographer needed a helping hand getting into a downtown storefront. A cleaning business needed more supplies to win new customers. And a plus-sized clothing boutique needed help buying clothing materials and creating a body-positive coloring book for its younger […]
Already a subscriber? Log in
Want to Read More?
Get immediate, unlimited access to all subscriber content and much more.
Learn more in our subscriber FAQ.
- Unparalleled business coverage of the Iowa City / Cedar Rapids corridor.
- Immediate access to subscriber-only content on our website.
- 52 issues per year delivered digitally, in print or both.
- Support locally owned and operated journalism.
Some small businesses just need a little help making it to the next level.
A local photographer needed a helping hand getting into a downtown storefront. A cleaning business needed more supplies to win new customers. And a plus-sized clothing boutique needed help buying clothing materials and creating a body-positive coloring book for its younger customers.
Those Quad Cities businesses – and many others – recently achieved those goals with some big help from a nonprofit organization that specializes in helping small businesses run by women known as the Lift Women’s Foundation.
Lift – whose motto is Loans Inspire Futures Together – provides microloans of $5,000 to $10,000 to help new startup businesses get off the ground, and established businesses take that needed next step to grow.
“I love the idea of supporting women, especially women entrepreneurs,” said Marcie Ordaz, Lift Foundation’s executive director and its only employee. “It takes a very strong person to pursue entrepreneurship.”
For the past two years, Ms. Ordaz has been helping strong women achieve their business goals by helping get small loans to grow their businesses.
In some cases, the women entrepreneurs don’t qualify for loans through more traditional financial routes. But the small loans – or microloans – are a way to help small businesses, women and their communities, she said.
This summer, Lift assisted a local businesswoman in securing a loan to open her photography business. That loan helped make Emily Freymann’s storefront business a reality.
- The CleanBee, a cleaning service business in Bettendorf. “I applied for and obtained the Lift loan when I first opened my business, which allowed me to purchase all the necessary equipment such as cleaning supplies, vacuums, and a washer and dryer, without incurring high-interest debt,” said Chantelle Munson, owner of The CleanBee. “This loan was a significant catalyst for my success right from the start. I was able to allocate any additional funds towards marketing and other anticipated and unexpected needs, which significantly contributed to the exponential growth of my business.”
- Isa Balloon Design and More, a professional balloon décor company in Davenport. Business owner Erika Ubeda said the microloan it received by working with Lift helped the business grow. It was able to improve its online presence with an updated website and attract more customers.
- My Beautiful Fluff, a plus-size boutique in Davenport. “Lift allowed me to cover the sample costs for larger inclusive custom shirts, ensuring that our offerings cater to a broader range of sizes,” said Brittany Washington, the company’s CEO. “Additionally, the microloan enabled us to design and publish our first body-positive coloring book, which is now available on our website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart online. This support helped us innovate and positioned us to work on a follow-up coloring book for teens and tweens, focusing on building confidence and self-love.” She added: “Lift has truly been instrumental in driving our growth and expanding our product range to better serve our community.”
