A Friendly ACCIONista, Coming to a Town Near You
With an online small business loan application and direct lending offices in Boston, Atlanta, New York and Miami, ACCION USA makes microloans available nationwide. However, unless you live near one of these four metro areas, you can’t just drive down the street to visit your friendly neighborhood ACCIONista.
However, ACCION USA loan consultant Rachel Hynes will soon be on the road in Philadelphia and Washington, DC—two markets that we have set in our sights to grow our presence and serve more microentrepreneurs— meeting and greeting clients, potential borrowers, and community partners.
As a member of ACCION USA’s internet lending team, Rachel specializes in working with clients and partners nationwide to bring microloan services to small business owners who need them. Usually this means working with people over the phone, but for three weeks Rachel will be on the road to meet with YOU in person. She loves shaking the hand of the entrepreneurs she helps, and meeting in person with community referral partners.
Make Rachel’s Day
We know that bankers want to help their clients, but it’s not always possible to offer every entrepreneur a small business loan. You can talk with Rachel about how we can build a referral relationship with your bank to mutually benefit our companies and our clients. And we don’t only partner with banks. If you are part of an organization with a mission to help small business owners thrive then Rachel wants to meet you, too! She will speak with you about your organization’s work and how ACCION USA can offer important value add-ins for your clients. Find out why companies from Bank of America to the Small Business Administration to the Hispanic Business Exchange work with us, and why you should as well.
Rachel’s schedule is the following:
November 23-25: Washington, DC
November 30-December 4: Philadelphia
December 7-8: TBA (Philadelphia or Washington, DC)
December 9-10: Washington, DC
Leave a comment or email rhynes@accionusa.org to schedule a meeting with Rachel, and help increase microloan services in your community!
Top Four Reasons Why I’m Going To SOCAP 09
I can think of over a hundred reasons to attend the SOCAP conference in San Francisco September 1-3, 2009.
What is SOCAP 09?
SOCAP (Social Capital Markets) “brings together a unique mix of the world’s top social innovators, investors, donors, entrepreneurs, and thought-leaders, today’s leading catalysts of change from across the globe. [to] celebrate the renewed will and determination of these pioneers investing for social impact.”
The top four reasons why I’m attending…
- YOLA.com ACCION USA is partnering with Yola.com, a company that provides free web building and hosting tools. We are excited to bring technology and marketing tools to the microentrepreneurs that we serve. SOCAP is a chance to discuss this exciting new partnership.
- KIVA.org ACCION USA is in its third month of its pioneering partnership with Kiva.org, which speaks to the innovation that ACCION USA is bringing to the domestic microfinance industry. As the former Kiva fellow and current Kiva coordinator at ACCION USA, I am excited to hear Premal Shah speak about the future of social innovation on the web and Chelsa Bocci discuss Kiva’s community outreach initiatives.
- Sonal Shah from the White House’s office on Social Innovation is the keynote speaker and will be addressing the government’s new socially minded strategy to “effectively streamline government towards investing in what works.” This one speaks for itself.
- Day 3 Keynote: “An aspirational look at the future of our economy and society at large. Focusing on lessons learned outside of western society and the holistic nature of blended value ventures.” Bringing blended values to socially minded business sounds like a song to me and is a perspective that deserves considerable discussion.
I am looking forward to the opportunity to engage and learn from the list of over 100 speakers on panel discussions ranging from “Social Media That Moves People to Action” to “Alternative Financial Services for the Unbanked.” Check out the complete list. I look forward to my return to NYC after the conference as ACCION USA continues to expand and grow, generating innovative ideas and continuing to provide fresh products and services to our clients.
Tags: accion usa, chelsa bocci, erica dorn, kiva, premal shah, SOCAP 09
AUSA Financial Education Programs Get Webinar Techonology Boost
Today, small business owners are thirsting for a leg-up in the down economy. ACCION USA’s small business loans can provide the much-needed capital for today’s entrepreneurs to maintain, strengthen and grow their small businesses. We could stop there, but that’s just not our style.
As a leading microlender, AUSA has always focused on complementing loans with financial education, which gives businesses an even bigger boost towards long term success. Now, ACCION USA has taken financial education to a whole new level by launching an online workshop, or Webinar, series. We’re bringing live credit and business education to business owners where it’s most convenient for them—in their homes, at their businesses, or on-the-go.
This innovative strategy is helping us to streamline our financial education efforts—ACCION USA staff spends less time in transit, setting up workshop locations, and waiting for workshop participants to arrive—meaning we can reach more people with less effort and budget.
Webinars are gaining ground in the world of financial education, and ACCION USA is leading the pack. You can help ACCION USA reach even more small business owners with financial education by spreading the word about our Webinars. Our first batch, focused on business survival, take place twice a month in English and Spanish. Visit our workshop calendar for our upcoming online and in-person workshop schedule.
Meet Microfinance Borrowers at 7/27 Event
I’ve always said that the best tellers of the ACCION USA story and the impact of microfinance in the United States are actual ACCION USA borrowers—the women and men who are putting their loan capital to work towards positive change.
That’s why, if you’re located in New York or fancy a trip here soon, I highly recommend popping into the next ACCION USA Microfinance Council event – a lively panel discussion on the challenges surrounding the domestic microfinance industry and the small business community in New York.
You’ll hear testimonial from an ACCION USA borrower whose family used their loan to realize their dream of owning their own Italian restaurant, Desy’s Clam Bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I can guarantee that their success story is as inspiring as their cannolis are delicious (I ate nearly two at a recent visit, and haven’t stopped thinking about them since.)
The event will also include insights from top ACCION USA staff, including president and CEO Gina Harman and microfinance industry experts.
When? Monday July 27, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.
Where? The New School, 66 West 12th Street, 5th Floor, Wollman Hall, New York, NY
RSVP? Yes please, to rsvp.any@gmail.com
See you there!