NewsFlash Spring 2018

Diversity Lending Initiative, Bi-Lingual Loan Officer, New Business Workshop, Business Booster Loan Program, and more...

UCEDC Wins Diversity Grant Our mission is to give disadvantaged businesses a fair chance to start, grow and thrive and thanks to a $250,000 grant from Wells Fargo, we'll be equipped to broaden our impact and increase our lending in diverse communities throughout New Jersey. We've established a Lending Diversity Advisory Committee to help us identify obstacles and opportunities in assisting minority and women-owned businesses. And we've recruited a dedicated Community Development Officer to spearhead our efforts and build partnerships with like-minded organizations and agencies.

Meet Michael Miller Michael brings a unique combination of experience and passion to this role, with a track record of success in both the secular and spiritual aspects of community development.  Prior to joining UCEDC, Michael played key development roles at well-respected non-profits. He is also the founder and lead pastor of the Higher Purpose Fellowship in Perth Amboy.  If your organization is interested in working with us to increase lending in diverse business communities, please contact Michael at mmiller@ucedc.com or 908-527-1166. 

New Brunswick Initiative Kicks Off We previously reported on our new contract with the City of New Brunswick to provide innovative lending and training services designed to support the City's micro-enterprises. We're finalizing the schedule for a series of workshops that address the particular needs and challenges of low-moderate income business owners. And we've recruited a bilingual loan officer to support our lending outreach efforts.

Meet Karina Ojeda Karina comes to UCEDC with a solid background in alternative lending and economic development. Most recently, she was the Senior Loan Officer for The Intersect Fund, a private microlender focused on low-income entrepreneurs in NJ. Karina takes pride in her hands-on approach to business development, working closely with her clients every step of the way. Karina can be reached at  kojeda@ucedc.com or 908-358-7731 (cell).

New Microloan Program With loans from $5,000 to $5 million, UCEDC can meet the needs of small businesses at every stage of their growth. We recently launched a new program to support established businesses that could use a modest of amount of capital . Our BUSINESS BOOSTER loan program offers up to $10,000 at 5% fixed for 3-4 year terms. Read more .

This Caught Our Eye: Nine Simple Ways to Write Product Descriptions That Sell You've probably heard the maxim, "Benefits, not Features" applied to ad copy or product descriptions. Meaning always tell your potential buyer what's in it for them. How you identify those benefits, convey them to your buyer, and solidify your brand in the process is the subject of this inspiring blog post from Shopify, an ecommerce platform. You'll get great examples of how to speak naturally and persuasively to your ideal customer; when and how to use details to build credibility; the art of telling stories to paint a more complete picture, and more. Stop writing boring copy and start sharing your passion for your product or service.

UCEDC Loan Programs in Action: Meet our Clients

Edith Younger has guided her hair salon through good times and bad for over 30 years. With new services and new clientele, Edith wanted to spruce-up her shop and turned to UCEDC for a 3% working capital loan . She loved the below-prime interest rate and appreciated the fact that no collateral was required on her $25,000 loan. Read her story. Learn about the loan .

Margarita Miranda overcame a lot of obstacles to build her accounting business, Miranda Consulting Services. UCEDC helped her overcome a financing obstacle when it came time to buy her own building. Our Community Advantage 7a loan program offered her the capital she needed with only 10% down, instead of the 20-30% required with conventional lending. Read her story. Learn about the loan.

Alyssa and Dan Thiel built Alyssa's hobby of making hand-crafted decorative items for the home into a burgeoning business. When Parris Chic Boutique outgrew its retail location, Alyssa and Dan found the perfect spot. They also found the perfect financing option - UCEDC's SBA 504 Loan Program. The fixed rate financing and low down payment helped this young couple save a significant amount of cash for their young business. Read their story . Learn about the loan.

New Training Workshop: Negotiating Sales Contracts We present 100+ workshops throughout NJ every year, covering key business and financial literacy topics. We're always looking for new subjects to address and we recently added a hot one to our curriculum. In our Negotiating Sales Contracts workshop (6/21 in Jersey City), we'll show small businesses how to protect their interests and leverage every contract into an ongoing relationship. Check out our Events Calendar for information about all of our upcoming workshops.

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