From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank Ascendus, because this is something that I was looking for. I have a sister at Ascendus who is helping me make my goals come true in my business, my family, and my community.

Connected to Ascendus to build the credit profile required for long-term expansion, Jerry entered the Get Ready Program with an initial $500 line of credit. Working closely with his loan consultant, Neysa Cruceta, he established strong financial habits, successfully graduated to a $5,000 credit line, and unlocked eligibility for larger commercial financing. By utilizing the capital to boost his brand presence and digital marketing, the Haitian-born entrepreneur transitioned his catering business from merely maintaining to sustainably growing. Today, while operating out of a shared commercial kitchen with his wife and mother as head chefs, Jerry is leveraging his creditworthiness to transition Flynn Me into a dedicated food truck, creating local jobs and building a lasting family legacy.

Through coaching from Ascendus, I learned how to use credit and gained knowledge, comfort, and confidence on how to best invest funds to grow my business. It feels amazing!

Connected to Ascendus after traditional banking avenues were closed due to credit hurdles, Dr. Lisa secured a $50,000 loan to scale her personal growth and technology training agency. The capital enabled her to update internal operating systems, pay vendors, and expand into the digital marketplace to self-fund and market her cornerstone youth program, the "I Am Girl Greatness Movement." Additionally, she became the first Ascendus client in Georgia to enroll in the Line of Credit Program, transitioning from a risk-averse model of using personal savings to utilizing credit as a strategic growth asset. Today, with over a decade of business experience backed by new financial tools, she is expanding her local Atlanta consulting services into a nationwide network that supports early adolescent girls in building self-awareness and life skills.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank Ascendus, because this is something that I was looking for. I have a sister at Ascendus who is helping me make my goals come true in my business, my family, and my community.

Connected to Ascendus to build the credit profile required for long-term expansion, Jerry entered the Get Ready Program with an initial $500 line of credit. Working closely with his loan consultant, Neysa Cruceta, he established strong financial habits, successfully graduated to a $5,000 credit line, and unlocked eligibility for larger commercial financing. By utilizing the capital to boost his brand presence and digital marketing, the Haitian-born entrepreneur transitioned his catering business from merely maintaining to sustainably growing. Today, while operating out of a shared commercial kitchen with his wife and mother as head chefs, Jerry is leveraging his creditworthiness to transition Flynn Me into a dedicated food truck, creating local jobs and building a lasting family legacy.

I learned how to manage my expenses, and I paid every bill on time. I got a credit line increase from $500 to $5,000 in just a few months. I improved my credit score, and now I can qualify for larger loans.

Connected to Ascendus to overcome severe credit damage and past housing displacement caused by early undercapitalization, Kalesha enrolled in the Get Ready Program to build foundational financial health. Guided by her loan consultant, she established rigid cash management habits, automated her payables, and graduated from an initial $500 line of credit to a $5,000 limit in under three months. This capital injection allowed her to optimize her inventory, transitioning her manufacturing process from soy to natural, premium coconut oil wax and high-end glass vessels. Today, the full-time mother and entrepreneur has leveraged her improved credit score and safer, upgraded product line to secure regional wholesale accounts across Atlanta florists and Mississippi boutiques, while teaching local candle-making classes to inspire other creators.

Because of the loan, we could update our business and still support our home. Thank you Ascendus, for being magnificent.

Connected to Ascendus to modernize her long-standing home-based childcare operations without draining her personal assets, Reina secured a $25,000 business loan. The capital allowed her to fully renovate her space, create dedicated learning stations, and implement tailored programming for children requiring special care—all while keeping her family's long-term goal of purchasing a home on track. For over two decades, the daycare has served as the primary economic anchor for her family of four, funding her eldest son's master's degree and maximizing her local capacity to ten children. Today, the Honduran-born entrepreneur remains a foundational pillar for Boston's Hispanic community, blending early childhood education with deep generational support.

From the first call, Carlos was amazing. He explained everything, kept in touch, made the process incredibly easy.

Connected to Ascendus through a critical referral from Katie Leon at the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF), Nadeen and her husband Robert secured an emergency business loan following devastating regional wildfires in early 2024. The smoke damage threatened their long-standing, home-based childcare operations just as they were simultaneously financing the construction of a new expansion facility. Working alongside Loan Consultant Carlos, the rapid funding allowed them to execute vital structural repairs, maintain daily continuity for local working families, and protect their revenue. Today, with their existing operations fully restored, the family is leveraging this stability to finalize the launch of Superstarz Academy, a brand-new, standalone center designed to scale their capacity and deepen their community impact.