After a year of traveling, it’s good to be back with the energetic team at Grow in a new capacity as Lending Manager. I missed working with colleagues who care deeply about our small business owners, want to see them flourish and continue to offer their greatest value to our community. After previously working at Grow as a Business Development Officer where I coached entrepreneurs, I’m excited to be in this role guiding the loan process and helping to make it as accessible and relational of an experience it can be for our potential borrowers. This is an exciting time to be at Grow, we are pushing the boundaries of what it means to assess risk and redefine how we get to “yes,” especially for people who have been systematically excluded from the capital markets. While that’s the bigger impact we all look for, there’s nothing like seeing an entrepreneur walk out our doors with the resources they need to realize and sustain their business goals, knowing that we have their back every step of the way. That’s the moment we live for, understanding that it’s part of a much bigger picture of financial security for themselves and their families, and ultimately, our community.

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John F. Hendershot is an American entrepreneur, former executive, and business coach with a passion for social entrepreneurship. He is the founder of iNFable socks, iNFable sports, iNFable publishing, and Mosaic Money. John has also authored several books, including The Entre-Hustler’s Planner, and was the founding partner of the 2 Business Guys Mastermind podcast.

With experience serving in roles such as CEO, CFO, and Board of Directors member, John brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. He has started businesses and bought businesses that were already operational in various industries, including construction, e-commerce, and financial services. John also has experience as the former CEO/ Partner of DIG-IT, INC, which had divisions in horizontal directional drilling for telecommunications, electrical and natural gas pipelines, foundation drilling for electrical substation, DIG-IT Hydro Excavating, and DIG-IT Trucking along with several other ventures.

As a business coach, John offers practical guidance without fluff. He understands the challenges and stresses of business ownership, having grown a multimillion-dollar business with nearly fifty team members. He believes in the value of social entrepreneurship and its positive impact on society.

John deeply cares about his clients’ success and the sense of purpose and contribution that come with entrepreneurship. He believes there is a formula to being successful as an Entre-Hustler and is dedicated to walking alongside his clients to help them achieve their goals.

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Request for Proposals

Task: Program and Workshop Facilitation and Content Creation
Due: January 30, 2023 by 5PM EST

Background

Grow is a CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) that is committed to providing responsible and accessible loans that expand economic opportunity for small business owners. Grow is headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI with a service area spanning nine counties: Kent, Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Montcalm, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Ottawa. We acknowledge the historical harm of traditional financial systems and combat this by providing capital to small business owners and entrepreneurs who have been systemically excluded. We strive to provide capital and knowledge that is informed through curiosity and authentic relationships. In addition to business loans, we offer business advising and targeted programming for entrepreneurs in West Michigan in partnership with our network of local expert entrepreneurs and practitioners. It is critical that our programming is on trend and that it aligns with the emerging and ongoing needs of entrepreneurs. The purpose of this Request for Proposals is to solicit fresh ideas for programming content and facilitation from local small business owners, organizations, and industry experts.

Submittals

Proposals should be submitted electronically no later than January 30th at 5pm EST. Any proposals received after this date will be returned to the sender. Questions and inquiries are welcome. We encourage proposals for programming that can be presented in languages other than English, and are able to respond to questions in both English and Spanish.

Questions and submissions should be sent to:

Lauren Conrad – Director of Programs: lconrad@growbusiness.org

Scope of Work

Grow is seeking industry professionals who can develop and implement cutting edge programming with the goal of small business enhancement and elevation. Examples of past workshop topics include: business marketing, legal support, business plan creation, managing economic ups and downs, lending 101, and more. Additional examples can be found on Grow’s website: https://growbusiness.org/events-calendar/.

Proposals should include:

• An overview of the topic and why it is relevant and supportive to Grow’s target audience.
• A PowerPoint presentation that supports effective delivery of the content.
• A brief description of the bidder’s facilitation/presentation style and experience.
• A proposed plan for content delivery (in person vs virtual, ideal number of participants, etc).

Note: Grow does not own the rights to any content that is submitted and will not save, share, or disseminate proposals that are not chosen.

Budget

The contractor must prepare a budget that clearly describes all costs and fees. All costs should be stated as one-time or non-recurring costs. All costs must be itemized and include an explanation. (For example, expense for content creation should be separate from expense for facilitation). Candidates are encouraged to submit multi-class offerings where appropriate. Candidates may be requested to offer their session more than one time throughout a calendar year. We exercise the right to accept the proposal in its entirety or adapt our requirements to align with the budget for this project. Contract terms and conditions will be negotiated upon selection of the winning bidder(s) for this RFP.

Facilitator Qualifications

All facilitators are expected to be familiar with Grow’s target market and share a desire to embrace, support, and have a working knowledge of the varied cultures that exist within our communities at large. Please tell us about yourself by including the following information:

• Name, address, and phone number
• How long have you been in your current industry/profession?
• What are your areas of expertise?
• Are you a business owner?
• Bio/Resume
• Two to three references who can speak to your expertise and/or your ability to engage an audience

Proposal Evaluation

The following criteria will be used in the consideration of proposals:

• Overall proposal suitability and relevancy. Proposal must meet the project scope of work and be presented in a clear and organized manner.
• Lived experience and expertise. Bidders should be able to demonstrate expertise in their industry and will be evaluated on their personal and professional experience as it pertains to the scope of this project.
• Social capital. Bidders will be evaluated on their demonstrated ability to connect with Grow’s target market, to generate interest, and to drive class attendance.
• Budget and value. Bidders will be evaluated on the cost of their bid based on the proposed work

Project Timeline

• January 30, 2023 at 5pm EST: All responses are due.
• February 2023: Evaluation of proposals is conducted. If additional information is needed, bidders will be notified during this time. Facilitators will be selected and invited to share a follow up conversation with Grow’s Director of Programs prior to final decisions.
• March 2023: Selection of proposals from winning bidder(s) will be made.

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Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW) recently rebranded as Grow, a change meant to reflect its updated mission: to provide responsible and accessible loans that expand economic opportunity for small business owners, regardless of their gender.

Read more at GRBJ

The post GROW rebrands, opens opportunities for all small businesses appeared first on Grow.

For 30 years, the organization has helped women business owners in West Michigan. Grow, as it is now known, will continue to do that and expand its services.

As a microlender, the group has funded 69 businesses over the last two years, loaning $937,184 to the new companies. CEO Milinda Ysasi said they provide more than just a onetime loan: The group supports the company as they continue to expand and grow.

Read more at WoodTV8

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For more than 30 years the group has helped women business owners in West Michigan.

The new expansion is meant to broaden their reach to any business owners in systemically excluded communities who need help getting access to traditional lending.

Read more at Fox17

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The rebranding signals the nonprofit’s move towards inclusivity, as it expands its mission toward lending and mentorship opportunities to funding systemically excluded small businesses, regardless of an individual’s gender.

Read more at WGVU

The post Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women changes name, expands mission appeared first on Grow.

The organization will operate under a new name, Grow, to better highlight its capabilities and expanded mission. With the new name and brand, Grow strives to increase capital deployment across its nine-county region and educate stakeholders that lending is available to those who have been unable to connect to traditional lending, regardless of their gender.

Read more a Corp!

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What was your first job and what did you learn from it? 

Scooping ice cream at the iconic Jersey Junction…I was 14 years old, my sister and other friends ended up working with me.
I learned the importance of customer service, selling and diffusing conflict with a smile.

What is your go-to productivity trick? 

I have learned over time that to be my best I need rest. We need to stop glorifying busy…I have tried to remove the word from my vocabulary, busy is not an emotion. When I rest and care for myself I can give my all and best to others. I also think having nice pens and stationary help me too!

 What is your work-from-home secret weapon? 

 Is there a contest, has to be the ring light my husband Rafael bought me, and 10 different shades of red lipstick, it instantly brightens my mood.

 Who has influenced you the most when it comes to how you approach your work? 

 I would say my friend Senita Lenear, she is a business owner and City Commissioner. She is always focused on the work and not the recognition, she takes her work seriously but is also always ready with a joke and laughter, she has such grace and poise about her and I try to emulate her style and substance when I do my work.

 How do you prefer to start and end your workday? 

 I am an early riser, I think from all my days working in plastics manufacturing. I like to drink tea, no coffee for me, spend time doing my makeup and listening to a podcast to stay up to date on current issues. My current favorite is In The Thick. I try to make a list of what is critical for the next day, I also like looking at the cute pictures of my niece Luna that my mom sends, she reminds me to smile!

What is a moment in your career so far that you are really proud of? 

When I was selected to be an Aspen Institute Job Quality fellow, to be surrounded by other leaders in the space of ensuring that our economy works for all was humbling and exciting.

 What is something people say you are great at? 

 I would say organizing and follow up. My friends like to make jokes about me and my etiquette about email responses.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? 

 “Not everyone is going to like you” I am a high I on the DISC profile and do feel that inherent need to be liked, over time I have learned that there is a likability trap (check out the book by Alicia Mendez). It should be about your work and overall goal, you have to have boundaries with relationships and not everyone is a friend but you should find ways to bridge conflict and differences.

What are we most likely to find you doing on the weekends? 

I definitely use the weekend to recharge, which can mean watching some 80’s tv shows like Head of the Class, seeing my family, and a bit of my city commission duties. My husband and I can often be found walking in our neighborhood or doing something to support our Latino and Latina networks.

 If you could change one thing about the world with the snap of your fingers, what would it be? 

 Create wealth in communities, eliminate barriers like student loans, childcare costs and the high cost of poverty.

The post Get to Know GROW’s New CEO, Milinda Ysasi appeared first on Grow.

(Grand Rapids, MI – April 12, 2021) Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW) in partnership with the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, has launched the Muskegon County Fast Forward Loan, a brand–new loan product designed to elevate businesses in Muskegon County to launch and grow in the aftermath of COVID-19. 

“Muskegon County businesses are innovating to stay strong in a post-Covid world, and GROW’s focus on inclusive business growth – by supporting businesses run by women, people of color, and low-income individuals – will strengthen Muskegon County and create great opportunities for all,” Janelle Mair, Vice President of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, commented.  

This is the second lending collaboration between GROW and the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. Last year, the organizations partnered on the Muskegon County Recovery Loan, helping 28 businesses survive the fallout from the pandemic with the deployment of $224,257.  

 Ana Olson, owner of Los Amigos Mexican Bar and Grill (1848 E Sherman Blvd Suite M) received a Muskegon Country Recovery Loan in 2020. Like so many restaurants, Los Amigos was forced to shut its doors on March 16 due to the ever-worsening COVID-19 pandemic. She reduced her staff by 95% and began using popular delivery apps, which came with a high premium, to get food to customers. The loss of revenue was staggering, but the bills kept coming in. The only certainty Olson felt was that the road ahead was long. 

 She describes how the Muskegon County Recovery Loan helped her keep going despite the immense obstacles.  

 “The money gave us peace of mind,” Olson said. “We were at rock bottom, and when we got the loan, we were so grateful … Because of them, I was able to secure funding and improve my business in these uncertain times.”  

 The Muskegon County Fast Forward loan is available to start-ups and existing businesses. Terms are designed to help borrowers succeed and include low-interest rates starting at 4%, 6 to 24-month repayment terms, no pre-payment penalty. 90-day deferment of the first payment is available. $25 pre-qualification fee applies. Borrowers may apply at growbusiness.org/muskegon-county-fast-forward-loan. 

For press inquiries, please contact Elyse Wild at ewild@growbusiness.org. 

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