Ted had a problem most green small business owners would love to have: his energy audit business was growing so rapidly he was able to hire more workers. However, due to the lag time between needed to pay his workers and getting paid by his clients, Ted had a cash flow problem. Fortunately, ACCION USA was able to help.

Saving Clients Energy--and Money!

As a NYSERDA (NY State Energy and Research Authority) qualified energy auditor, Ted uses smoke sticks, blower doors, and other equipment to determine where, and how much, a house is leaking air. He then uses a specialized computer program to calculate how much energy can be conserved by plugging up the leaks. By helping his clients go green, Ted also helps them save money on energy bills.

When federal stimulus money provided the funding for home weatherization, New York State reached out to experienced contractors like Ted to do energy audits for low-income homeowners they now had the funds to service. Business has been booming since, and Ted has hired two new full-time workers.

ACCION USA answers the call for working capital--quickly

Helping his customers go green meant Ted had to find extra cash to pay his staff until he was paid by New York State or the County. Fortunately, Ted heard about ACCION USA's Green Loan program on a "Green Jobs, Green New York" program outreach conference call. Working with his ACCION USA loan consultant by phone, sometimes even after business hours, Ted received his loan quickly.

With his business booming, Ted looks forward to needing even more workers, and working with ACCION USA to fund the further growth of his business. "ACCION USA was great to work with, and I hope I need to work with them again- soon," says Ted.