Oh, Those Teachable Microfinance Moments
Haven’t we all had those teachable moments? Like when you realize you stuck your foot in your mouth really bad and decided that, from here on out, you will be more conscious of your comments? Or how about narrowly missing an accident because you were on your cell phone? (I am guilty of this one—and now lock away my phone while driving.) When I read this South Florida Sun-Sentinel article about using the financial crisis as the perfect teachable moment for people to increase their financial literacy—it made all the sense in the world.
Of course, financial planning and getting smart about improving credit aren’t necessarily at the top of business owners’ lists as they deal with myriad business challenges. But if we take bite size pieces of information and teach them at critical moments, it is more likely to stay logged in our memory. That’s at least the feeling among ACCION USA’s financial education team—they’ve gotten creative with short podcasts, tip sheets, and keying in on catching small business owners at the right moment—like when your application gets tripped up because your credit score is too low.
Are you ready for your financial teachable moment?
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.
ACCION’s Center for Financial Inclusion Provides Compelling Argument for Microfinance in the U.S.
Today, our friends at ACCION International’s Center for Financial Inclusion post a compelling argument for microfinance services in the United States. Through the story of Ozzie, a handyman and immigrant entrepreneur, CFI’s business manager Emily Leeding puts a face with the name of a problem shared by countless immigrant entrepreneurs: insufficient credit history.
Ozzie, who has struggled because of his lack of financial know-how, was lucky to have crossed paths with Emily (a former ACCION USA staff member!) who pointed him in the direction of our financial education curriculum and taught him how to pull his credit report. But so many immigrant entrepreneurs still fall through the cracks, never receiving the opportunity to learn how the financial system works in the U.S., and keeping them from reaching their highest potential. It’s a nationwide problem that ACCION USA works every day to remedy.
I hope that Emily will keep the microfinance community updated on Ozzie’s financial progress—and look forward to the day that Ozzie becomes an ACCION USA success story!