Volume 4
ECDI Featured In Columbus Monthly
!ECDI's!Inna!Kinney!&!Norah !Bagirinka!Featured!In!Columbus !Monthly's!"The%Story%Of%Us" !"The!Story!Of!Us","featuring"ECDI!Founder!&!CEO!Inna !Kinney!and!Asset!Development!Coach!Norah!Bagirinka, "depicts"Ohio's"capital"as"a"haven"for"immigrants"looking "to"make"their"mark"in"America. " Kinney,"originally"from"Moscow, Russia,"moved"to"Columbus"in"1974. Her"family,"with"hard"work"and dedicaEon,!eventually!became successful!owners!of!Lev's!Pawn Shop,!now!a!prominent!chain!in!the greater!Columbus!area. ! !To!read!her!enLre!arLcle,!click!here. " !Bagirinka,"originally"from"Rwanda,"heroically"escaped"the "Rwandan"genocide."She"was"urged "to"move"to"Columbus"so"she"could "share"her"harrowing"story"with "others."She!founded!her!own !organizaLon,!Rwanda!Women!In !AcLon,!to!help!other!refugee's !transiLon!to!American!life. " !To!read!her!enLre!arLcle, !click!here.
ECDI On The Move
!The!WBC,!along!with!IDA
February 2014 In This Issue Columbus Monthly Moving Take Your Business To The Next Level We Need Your Help ECDI Cleveland ECDI Lending Mirolo Charitable Foundation Welcome To The ECDI Family Our New Blog
Food Fort Annual Showcase When:
Thursday,"March"13th,"2014, 5:30"pm"M"8:30"pm !
Where:
ECDI 1655"Old"Leonard"Avenue Columbus,"Ohio,"43219 !
What:
Annual"Food"Fort"Showcase"featuring our"talented"foodMbased"clients."
Funder's Corner
" "We"recently"received"funding "from"The!Mirolo!Charitable !FoundaLon.! " "Founded"in"1993"by"Amelita
!Department!and!Client!Services, !Moves!to!1611!Old!Leonard !Avenue !!The"Women's"Business
Center"of"Ohio,"along"with"our Individual"Development Account"Program"and"Client Services,"have!moved!just down!the!street!to!beSer accommodate!our!current !clients."The"WBC's"conEnued"success,"with"more"than "200"members"already"established"in"just"over"a"year,"was "a"key"contributor"to"ECDI's"expansion. " "The"new"facility"will"enable"us"to"beZer"serve"our"clients "in"all"operaEonal"areas,""Steve "Fireman,"President"&"General "Counsel"stated.""We're!excited !that!our!training!services,!IDA !program,!and!The!WBC!will!now !have!more!space!to!fulfill!their !respecLve!missions,!which !ulLmately!will!put!us!in!a!beSer!posiLon!to!create!more !businesses!and!jobs."
"
The"new"building"gives"ECDI employees"more!office!space, educaLonal!training!space!for clients,!and!shared!office!space for!WBC!members.
Introducing Our New Growth Strategy Training Series
!Trainings!To!Take!Your!Business !To!The!Next!!Level" Your"business"has"turned"a"profit"in"its"first"year."You have"your"staff"in"place"and"have"already"planned"your budget"for"next"year"and"beyond... " What!if!you!had!the!opportunity!to!expand!your business!to!reach!even!more!potenLal!consumers, clients,!and!valuable!business!connecLons? " Now"you"can"with"ECDI's"Growth"Strategy"Series. Discover!effecLve,!cuYngZedge!strategies!to!grow
!Mirolo,"the"Mirolo"Charitable "FoundaEon"aims!to!give!to !organizaLons!that!support!the !arts,!educaLon,!and!medicine. " "The"Mirolo"Charitable "FoundaEon"capitalized"a" !$20,000!loan!fund, ""The"Mirolo"Loan"Fund."" "This"fund"will"enable"ECDI"to "support"womenMowned "businesses"throughout"Central "Ohio." " "We"are"incredibly"grateful"for "this"wonderful"gic"and"urge "you"to"read"about"their "cause"here.
Upcoming!ECDI! Classes!&!Training
" March"5th:"Social"Media"Seminar:"Intro To"Pladorms"&"Strategies March"6th:"ECDI"Info"Session March"10th:"Food"Safety March"20th:"ECDI"Info"Session March"27th:"Growth"Strategy"Series: PR"Tips"&"Tricks"For"Your"Business For"more"informaEon"about"these classes"&"training,"Call!ECDI!at!(614) 559Z0115.
Upcoming Women's Business Center!of Ohio!Classes &!Training
" March"4th:"The"Affordable"Care"Act Info"Session " March"11th:"Intro"To"Women's"Self Defense March"25th:"Woman's"Life"&"WBC
your!startZup!into!a!true!player!in!Ohio's!compeLLve business!sector.!Learn!from!diverse!business!experts on!how!to!expand!on!your!current!success."Don't think"about"being"profitable"over"your"next"quarter. Think"about"being"profitable"over"your"next"5...10...15 years. " Public!RelaLons!101ZTips!&!Tricks!For!Your!Business, being!held!on!March!27th,!2014, will"kick"off"The"Growth"Strategy Series."You"can"register"for"this training"here."The!training!is!FREE for!all!ECDI!clients!and!Food!Fort members.!
Client Spotlight: Girl And Guy Republic
Rhonda!Fisher: From!Behind!The Salon!Chair!To Innovative Entrepreneur"" "When"Rhonda"Fisher"opened"Girl%&%Guy%Republic,"a "vibrant"hair"salon"located"in"the"heart"of"The"Short"North, "she"immediately"felt"at"home."As"the"downtown"district "has"proven"to"accept"any"and"all"new"brand"of"businesses "wholeMheartedly,"Girl%&%Guy%Republic,"with"its"unique "concept,"fit"right"in. " "AcEng"as"a"hair"salon"by"day,"specializing"in"hair"services "for"all"hair"textures,"waxing,"and"makeMup"services;"Girl%& %Guy%Republic"acts"as"a"oneMstop"shop"for"all"things "glamorMrelated."However,"the"change"in"scenery "throughout"select"nights"is"what"makes"this"beauty"salon "truly"unique. " ""I"wanted"to"create"a"space,"not"only"for"hair,"but"also"for "the"flourishing"arEsEc"community"in"The"Short"North," "Fisher,"a"hair"stylist"with"two"decades"of"experience,"said. ""I"love"the"diversity"and"the"openMmindedness"of"the "area,"always"accepEng"of"new"ideas." !To!read!the!rest!of!this!arLcle,!click!here.
Networking"Event For"more"informaEon"about"these classes"&"training,"Call!The!WBC!at (614)!732Z0981,"or"email"Carlie"Urell, WBC"Business"RelaEonship"Counselor,
[email protected]
Welcome!To!The!ECDI Family (February!Loan!Closes)
A"Child's"Learning"Place"Center R"+"SH"Co. Harvest"Pizzeria"Clintonville Pro"Elite"Security"Systems Hawthorne"Bed"And"Breakfast Capital"City"Custom"Home Improvement Vanisea S"+"F"TransportaEon Discount"Tire"Transport Buckeye"CraEng ScoZ"Insurance"Benefits Lush"Gardens 1915"Tamarack"Circle The"Southern"Model"Table Stay"At"Home"Dads Sub"Rosa"MGMT AKA"ConstrucEon"Management Team Wok"N'"Roll S"+"R"Bakers Bloom"&"Clover Buckeye"Third"Party"Services HB3 Serket"Jewelry Uamsea
Check!Out!Our!New! Blog!
WBC: Become A PAN member today
!Volunteer!with!the Professional!Advisory Network!Today
" "As"you"are"aware,"small"business"owners"ocen"encounter "difficult"issues"that"require"expert"consultaEon."Many"of "our"clients"lack"access"to"specialty"advisors,"and"are"lec "without"proper"guidance"when"they"need"it"most. " !You!can"help!these!individuals!by!becoming!a!Strategic !Advisor!in!our!Professional!Advisory!Network!(PAN). "This"year,"PAN"Strategic"Advisors"will"help"local"women "entrepreneurs"grow"start"small"businesses"and"achieve "new"levels"of"success"in"their"exisEng"businesses. "Volunteering"as"a"PAN"Strategic"Advisor"is"a"great"way"to "give"back"to"your"community,"connect"with"fellow "business"owners,"and"pass"on"knowledge"and"experEse "to"the"next"generaEon"of"female"entrepreneurs. " "Click!here"to!become!a!Strategic!Advisor!today!and make!!an!impact!on!tomorrow's!local!economy!!
A Food Fort Success Story
!The!Food!Fort!Saves!A!Business
! "When"Florence"Freeman"moved"to "Columbus"in"1996,"she"quickly "realized"there"was"an"absence"of "ethnic"food"opEons"in"the"state's "capital."Originally"from "Sierra"Leone,"Freeman"developed"a "strong"desire"to"bring"her"culture "to"to"the"Midwest."" " ""My"first"thought"was,"'all%you%guy's%eat%here%are %hamburgers?'""Freeman"said.""Chinese"restaurants"were "the"only"other"ethnic"foods"here."I"was"stunned...I"saw"a "huge"need"for"more"a"more"diverse"choice"of"food "opEons"as"soon"as"I"arrived"here." " "Freeman"ran"into"some"roadblocks"along"her"culinary "journey. " ""The"startup"costs...hiring"employees,"dealing"with
"overheadMrelated"costs...I"was"not"prepared"for," "Freeman"said.""I"setMup"two"separate"brick"and"mortar "restaurants"but"the"costs"to"keep"them"open"grew"too "high"for"me"to"handle." "" "In"August"of"2013,"Freeman"through"a"friend"was "introduced"to"The"Food"Fort."The"Food"Fort,"a"cuong "edge"foodMbased"business"incubator"that"features"a"fully "funcEonal"commercial"kitchen,"breathed"new"life"into "Freeman's"business. " ""I"was"able"to"start"turning"a"profit"immediately," "Freeman"said.""The"Food"Fort"makes"it"easy."I"can"come "in,"do"my"job,"clean"up,"and"leave"without"having"to "worry"about"passing"food"inspecEons"or"paying"for"food "licenses."I"was"ready"to"throw"in"the"towel,"to"be"honest. "Without"the"Food"Fort's"help,"I"wouldn't"be"in"business "today! " %Fig's%Café%And%Bakery%will%be%featured%at%The%Food%Fort's %Annual%Showcase,%being%held%March%13th,%at%The%Food %Fort.
ECDI Cleveland
!ECDI!Cleveland!Client!Spotlight: !Scott!Insurance!Benefits: !"Helping!your!tomorrow,!today."
" "It"is"the"mission"of"ScoZ"Insurance"Benefits"to"help" "America's"working"class,"both"small"businesses"and "individuals,"by"offering"quality"benefits"packages,"life "insurance,"and"business"support"through"professional "guidance"and"educaEon. " "Their"outreach"supports"business"owners"in"Northeastern "Ohio,"whereby"small"businesses"looking"to"leverage "their"current"budgetary"resources,"they"are"able"to"help "them"add"value"to"their"employee"or"customer "relaEonships"by"offering"a"plethora"of"health"insurance "coverage"opEons. " "You"can"visit"their"website!here.!
!Tipse!Treats!Featured!on !"Katie",!Katie!Couric's !daytime!talk!show
" !Tipse!Treats"was"featured"on"an"episode"about "innovaEve"female"inventors"across"the"enEre"United "States." !Take!a!look!at!the!video!below: KaEe"even"samples"their decadent"treats"on"air. We!at!ECDI!are!all!very excited!for!your!future successes!
ECDI Lending
Now!offering! expedited!loan specials!for!existing and!new!lending clients! !Loan!Special!#1:!For"ALL!current"lending"clients: Loans"up"to"$1,000"""
Less"documentaEon"required Fast"turnaround"(closing"in"5"days)
!Loan!Special!#2:!For"CURRENT!lending"clients"with"at "least"9"months"payment"history"with"ECDI: Loans"up"to"$15,000
"Less"documentaEon "More"flexible"credit"reporEng "Streamlined"underwriEng
!Loan!Special!#3:!For"NEW!lending"clients: Loans"up"to"$10,000"(you"MUST"have"a"minimum credit"score"of"620) "Streamlined"underwriEng !If!interested!in!applying!for!a!loan!at!ECDI,!we!ask!that !you!first!aSend!a!FREE!informaLonal!session.!You!can !register!for!the!info!sessions!here.
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Economic and Community Development Institute | 1655 Old Leonard Avenue | Columbus | OH | 43219
