Kiva Loans for ACCION USA

Dustin : United States

Sun, 06 May 2012 05:50:03 PDT

$3,225 of $7,500 raised.

Started raising funds on May 6, 2012

Ever since he was young, Dustin has loved working with his hands and has had a knack for fixing things around the house. When he was growing up, a friend's father worked for an air conditioning and heating business, and Dustin saw how consistent the business was and how valuable the service that he was providing was for his customers. With this foresight growing up, Dustin began to work for an air conditioning and heating company in 2003. In 2010, after gaining a wealth of experience in the field, the opportunity arose for Dustin to purchase the company from its current owners and without hesitation he did so. Dustin had always dreamed of owning his own business and he saw this as the perfect opportunity. He would now like to keep this business growing. He would like this loan to expand his marketing to attract a larger clientele, as well as to improve his equipment to insure high quality service, even with a larger clientele.

Guy : United States

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:00:34 PDT

$3,050 of $4,825 raised.

Started raising funds on Apr 27, 2012

Guy has owned and operated his own technology store for over two and a half years. He originally started this business after the housing crisis a few years ago. At the time he was working in real estate and for AT&T. With the time that was freed up from his job in real estate, he decided to venture into business ownership and fulfill his entrepreneurial spirit. When he founded his technology store, he wanted it to be more than just retail, he also wanted it to provide practical services for his customers. Some of the services that he set up are small business consulting for new companies on what technology might be best for them on an individual basis, and more personal, hands on, training for customers who might want to learn more about various products that they are purchasing. Guy would like this loan to help his business grow by offering a larger range of products. With a larger range of products, Guy will also be given more clients for his educational services.

Marlon : United States

Tue, 08 May 2012 08:50:07 PDT

$975 of $7,500 raised.

Started raising funds on May 8, 2012

Marlon has a heart for entrepreneurship and the educational background in management to make any business venture that he embarks on a sure success. In 2007, Marlon decided to combine these two aspects of his life and open his own business in Virginia. The business that he created was an all encompassing furniture rental, rent-to-own, and direct sale retail store. Currently, he has four employees, two of whom are members of his family. He says that this is one of the most important aspects of his business. He loves the opportunity the business gives him to employ individuals in his community, especially members of his family. The store has been very successful since its opening and recently Marlon moved locations to a bigger space. However, with this move, there has been a slowing of business because many people do not know the new location. Marlon would like this loan to advertise the new location and to increase his inventory to fill his new space.

Isis : United States

Fri, 25 May 2012 07:10:03 PDT

$1,475 of $7,500 raised.

Started raising funds on May 25, 2012

Mathematics and numbers have always been Isis’s passion. Originally from Cuba, Isis moved to the United States where she earned her bachelor’s degree and later began working for a tax preparation company. Finding herself unemployed after the company closed its doors three years ago, Isis opened her own tax services business to accommodate the needs of clients she was serving out of her house. In addition to tax preparation, Isis helps clients with incorporation, notary, financial consulting, and general bookkeeping. At heart, however, her business is about helping others. She believes that in helping others file tax returns she can help revitalize the economy and in turn make a positive impact in the community. Isis works tirelessly to care for her family and her clients and toward the future success of her business. While she is the sole employee, her daughter occasionally helps her with administrative tasks. Isis relies heavily on walk-in clients; however, her office is currently very simple. With this loan she will re-paint and purchase new furniture for her office. She believes that the redecoration will improve her image and ultimately increase her client base.

Yoel : United States

Sat, 26 May 2012 06:40:04 PDT

$175 of $7,000 raised.

Started raising funds on May 26, 2012

Searching for opportunity and a better financial situation, Yoel emigrated from Cuba to the United States. Recognizing a need for reliable and skilled contractors, and given his extensive carpentry experience, Yoel started his own construction and handyman business. Through hard work and dedication, he has created a business and a financially stable life for himself in America. Yoel has relied exclusively on a word-of-mouth marketing strategy. However, given the unpredictability of referrals, he hopes that with this loan he can brand his business and market it to a wider audience. He plans to purchase uniforms and signs for his vehicle, and design a webpage for his company. Because he often hires subcontractors to assist him with work, Yoel believes uniforms will improve the company’s image and reputability. In the future, Yoel hopes to continue to grow his business and hire full-time employees that will give him and others like him the ability to maintain financial stability.

Maruf : United States

Sat, 26 May 2012 06:40:04 PDT

$200 of $5,000 raised.

Started raising funds on May 26, 2012

Originally from Bangladesh, Maruf moved to the United States in search of economic opportunity so that he could better provide for his family at home in Bangladesh. Even amid the obvious struggles of moving to a new country, Maruf is determined and hard-working. He is a self-declared entrepreneur and always knew he wanted to start his own business. Upon coming to America, he recognized a strong market for wholesale souvenirs, and novelty and home décor items. Over three years ago now, Maruf opened his own business, Aadore International, which distributes personalized items to customers all across the country. With his tireless work ethic and business savvy, Maruf has managed to expand his business to include two employees and a larger inventory. With this loan he will be able to purchase a specialized printer, a magnet-making machine and new inventory to meet his clients’ demand. This long-term investment will reduce his operating expenses and undoubtedly help Aadore International for many years to come.

Alterick : United States

Tue, 22 May 2012 14:10:03 PDT

$550 of $8,550 raised.

Started raising funds on May 22, 2012

With the dream of being a small-business owner, Alterick started his own firm, which provides legal and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta. He was initially attracted to the legal and business services fields due to his love for investigative research and problem solving. He is truly multi-talented and offers an incredible diversity of services to meet his clients' needs at the intersection of the corporate and government sectors. Through dedication and hard work, Alterick has successfully secured numerous loyal clients while continuing to grow his business. His relentless efforts have helped him sustain his business through the economic recession and continuing technology upgrades. In addition to upgrades to the company's website, Alterick hopes to develop marketing materials to give to prospective clients. In addition, he will use this loan to purchase better software and office equipment that will help him meet the needs of his ever-expanding business. He has a clear long-term vision for his firm and this loan will help secure the success of his business.

Ricardo : United States

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:40:03 PDT

$350 of $8,575 raised.

Started raising funds on May 21, 2012

Ricardo has dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur his entire life and finally got the opportunity to live out this dream a few years ago. He worked for many years as an engineer in a company that was focused on the manufacturing of plastic goods. With this great experience and an understanding for the diversity of products that can be made from plastic and what goes into manufacturing them, Ricardo decide to start a business in this field. He decided to start a wholesale business that purchased and sold machines that were used for specialized plastic manufacturing. He saw no limits to his company and began selling domestically in the United States and internationally. He mainly sells to large companies and focuses most of his marketing to this kind of buyer. His business has seen significant growth since its founding and now employs three employees in addition to Ricardo. Ricardo wants to continue to see his company grow and wants to continue to provide for his family by doing something he loves. He would like to use this loan to purchase a larger inventory for resale and provoke growth.

Andres : United States

Thu, 17 May 2012 12:20:02 PDT

$475 of $6,825 raised.

Started raising funds on May 17, 2012

Originally from Columbia, Andres decided to move to the United States to find more opportunity for himself and better his life. He moved to New York and began to work for a transporting company that specialized in the delivery of different antiques and other furniture. After gaining good experience at this company, Andres wanted to live out his dream of becoming his own boss. He never felt right working for someone else and when the opportunity was right, he decided to branch off and embark on his own venture. With some of his pre-existing clients from his previous company, he was able to start his own company. His company took off and now employs three full-time employees. Andres loves what he does now and feels so grateful for the opportunities that he has been allotted. His trucks are old though and could use a great deal of repairs. Andres would like to use this loan to repair his trucks and grow his business even further.