LIftFund Small Business Empowerment for Georgia

LiftFund is proud to contribute to Georgia’s business economy and open doors for entrepreneurs and small business owners across the state. Since 2015, we have served over 80 Georgia businesses with more than $1.5 million in capital, generating $21 million in revenue. We believe in a fair and equitable economy where current and aspiring entrepreneurs, regardless of background, have the resources needed to become successful business owners. In 2018, our Georgia clients were 93% minority, with 84% identifying as African American. Sixty-six percent were low-to-moderate income (LMI) individuals, and 59% were women. Historically these groups are left out of the economic mainstream, unable to access loans from traditional commercial sources. Through access to capital and financial education, LiftFund provides the support these underserved entrepreneurs need in order to grow their small businesses and create positive impact in their lives and communities. Like Jac’Quay Martin from Riverdale, Georgia, owner of Kink’d Hair.

Despite her successful corporate job and a lack of entrepreneurial experience, Jac’Quay decided to take a leap of faith and opened Kink’d Hair Boutique– a full-retail store specializing in virgin hair for wholesale and individual customers, but she still needed working capital to make her vision a reality. “I always loved making women feel beautiful,” Jac’Quay says. “I felt that if you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, you do good.” After a brief internet search for small business lending options, she approached LiftFund and was able to secure a $7,000 microloan to purchase new inventory and equipment. This allowed Kink’d to grow to provide customers with makeup and nail services, as well as a full-service hair salon experience. Jac’Quay has also expanded the Kink’d Hair brand to include two successful fashion accessories online boutiques. Eventually, she hopes to expand her beauty business and create a Kink’d franchise to allow others to buy into the brand, open their own businesses and inspire other women to believe in their business dreams. “If it wasn’t for LiftFund, [success] wouldn’t have happened for me, but now that I’m here, I plan to help others find success.”

In 2018, LiftFund provided $992,000 in capital to small business owners and entrepreneurs in Georgia, creating 87 jobs and generating more than $13.8 million in revenue. Additionally, we provided 196 hours of business support to 118 individuals and 211 one-on-one counseling sessions. Small business represents 98% of all Georgia employers (SBA 2018), and supporting this important community is crucial to the overall economic well-being of the state. These entrepreneurial ventures provide hundreds of thousands of jobs in Georgia for both business owners and employees, and the innovation and creativity these entrepreneurs deliver to the marketplace drives economic growth in every big city and small town across this state.

We invite like-minded organizations in Georgia to join us in creating a community of shared success through entrepreneurship, and help provide accessible financial education and credit to local entrepreneurs and small business owners. More information on LiftFund services, products, and impact can be found on our website.