When Chris Woods’ father died of a heart attack at age 48, Woods resolved to make a change in his life.

“The direction of what I was doing had to change. I had to get healthy, look into myself and understand who I was,” Woods said. “…and it took off.”

Woods got his personal trainers license and left his stable job at Steelcase to pursue his new journey. Woods’ compassionate and inspiring approach gained a following and he worked as a trainer at a local gym for 18 years. After that gym closed, he saw two paths before him.

“I could help build someone else’s gym again,” he said. “Or I could start my own thing.”

Woods and his business partner, William Washington, started No Limit Fitness in 2015. They offer a full gym and classes–hip hop cycling, Zumba, hip hop bands– that are designed to be fun while guiding students in their fitness journey. Members can also sign up for one-on-one training, weight loss and muscle training, young athlete training, and more.

Woods says initially funding No Limit Fitness was difficult until he turned to GROW.

“Banks were tearing us down, nitpicking us for every little thing,” he said. “That is when I started working with GROW for lending. GROW believed in us.”

Woods emphasizes that he greets every single person who walks into his gym, and he personally knows all of his members.

“We are a family gym. There is not one person who comes into my gym who I don’t know personally. I greet everyone who comes in, and I remember their name. ”

Woods and Washington maintain an open, family-friendly environment where people can be supported in their fitness journeys and find a community.

“Gyms are where you build family and friendships,” Woods smiled. “It is something we strive for, since day one. I don’t want that to get lost in the vision of where we are going. We want you to have a great place to come, a place where everyone knows your name and is friendly to kids, women and families.”

To business owners that are starting out, Woods says, “Believe in what you are offering. If you don’t believe in what you are offering, no one else will. Take pride in it and never stop. I’ve never stopped working toward what I am looking for. And still, 20 years in, I learn from other people. My ears are always open to people who can help.”

Click here for information on funding opportunities from GROW.

The post No Limit Fitness Offers Family, Friends and Fitness appeared first on Grow.

In 2018, Christina VanDam started Zeal Aerial Fitness to give people a place to fly in Grand Rapids. The unique fitness studio houses all of the aerial arts –aerial hoop, aerial silks and pole– under one roof and welcomes anyone and everyone who wants to learn.

“I love when people come in and achieve a move for the first time,” VanDam said. “Seeing people realize that they can do it and that it is attainable… it’s so fun. We had a 75-year-old grandma come in and do a class with her granddaughter.”

Zeal’s classes range from beginner to advanced. Instructors demonstrate awe-inspiring physical feats and break down the steps to students. Students praise the environment as supportive, loving and inclusive of all bodies. One Google reviewer wrote: “This is one of the best studios. The staff and instructors are top tier, and they really love what they do and the students they teach. Not only LGBTQ+ friendly, but supportive and conscious of global issues.” And another: “I’m so happy to have found Zeal Aerial! I feel so comfortable coming to class and challenging myself to learn new skills. The instructors are encouraging and remembered me by name after my first class. I’ll be taking classes for as long as I’m in GR!”

VanDam opened Zeal with a micro-loan from GROW and continues to utilize GROW’s online education platform as her business expands.

“We received a loan from GROW, and they always ask what they can do to help,” VanDam expressed. “The online portal (Initiate) has been so helpful — it’s such a fantastic resource.”

In March 2020, VanDam found herself facing the harrowing challenge of maintaining a business that relied on in-person interaction during COVID-19 restrictions. She said it was difficult to keep up with the changing orders and interpret what they meant for Zeal.

“It was difficult learning to read executive orders and how to know when those orders were going to expire,” VanDam reflected. “It was really hard without clear guidelines.”

As vaccination rates rise and restrictions are lifted, VanDam looks forward to working on her original vision for Zeal.

“The past few months have been about survival,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to get out of that.”

VanDam says she loves how her business allows her to multi-task and connect with the community on a deeper level. One of her long-term goals is to develop classes for people with disabilities, as well as make classes available in Spanish to expand access to the aerial arts and their benefits.

“It is constantly evolving, there are always new moves, and there are constantly new ways to explore the apparatus and do new things,” she smiled. “It allows people creativity–it is ever changing.”

Click here for information on funding opportunities from GROW.

The post Zeal Aerial Fitness gives Grand Rapids a Place to Fly appeared first on Grow.

Ana Olson describes owning a business as “creating the world around you.” As the owner of Los Amigos Mexican Bar and Grill, Olson’s world is rich with the flavors and culture of Mexico and a reverence for life in America through the eyes of an immigrant.

“I am a firm believer that food brings you culture, and that is a way that you can contribute to diversity and inclusion,” Olson expressed.

Olson bought Los Amigos in 2015, after working at the restaurant as a manager for two years. She speaks of working hard, long hours to manage the restaurant and increase revenue while she was still an employee.

“I felt as if I was building something that wasn’t going to be mine,” she said. “When the opportunity came up, I jumped on it.”

Olson dug deep into the concept of food as the great ambassador and expanded the menu to include original dishes as well as traditional Mexican cuisine not typically found in Muskegon. You can order Southwest pasta, a fusion dish with chorizo, pasta, and creamy chipotle sauce; a horchata shake; sweet mango with smoky chili powder, empanadas and more.

“Mexican cuisine is so much more than tacos, and we want to be different in that sense,” Olson expressed. “The food hopefully creates an intricate question in your mind and your heart of what else is out there.”

Los Amigos was at a pivotal growth point in late 2019; sales were booming and they were becoming the go-to spot for tequila (they currently carry more than 180 varieties). Olson decided it was time to update the dining room and bar, and in January 2020, renovations began. Then COVID hit and restaurants across West Michigan shut their doors and faced the agonizing road ahead. Olson had her recurring bills piling up, and had just invested a large amount of cash flow in the renovation.

“I never in a million years would have pictured myself in this situation,” Olson said. “You are a wreck in the background, but you have to be clear-headed.”

Olson emotionally recalled the difficulties of telling her staff they were shutting down, opening and closing at the behest of the government orders, earning the trust of customers and keeping her employees safe. 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. She struggled as she watched businesses around her receive federal grants to stay afloat.

“It was so challenging and exhausting,” Olson recalled. “I thought, ‘I cannot die in this battle. I need to win it. I need to survive.’ Every day we got calls and emails that said we were overdue on bills. I was actively looking for help. A lot of businesses of immigrants and business of color didn’t get any free money, and it was really upsetting.”

In June of 2020, Olson received a Muskegon County Recovery Loan from GROW. The loan product was a collaboration between GROW and the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, designed to help businesses struggling due to COVID-19.

“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 GROW, I was able to secure funding and improve my business in these uncertain times.”

Today, Los Amigos is open for dine-in and Olson’s staff is back to work. She continues to utilize her business as a means to bridge cultures. She is offering a Tequila Masters Class throughout the summer, in which participants sample various tequilas while learning the history and cultivation around the spirit that defines Mexico around the world.

“I am here to give you food, educate you and earn your business,” Olson smiled.

If you are business located in Muskegon County, please click here to learn more about our Muskegon County Fast Forward Loan.

The post Los Amigos Mexican Grill: A Cultural Education through Food appeared first on Grow.

Alita Kelly is forging a new path in business, one that is hyper mission-centric and demonstrates the powerful impact small businesses can have on their communities.

Kelly, along with her business partner Khara DeWit, opened South East Market in January. The market is tucked into the corner of Hall and Kalamazoo, a distinct five-way intersection on the eastern edge of the 49507 zip code. The area is the most impoverished and underserved in Grand Rapids and has the most disparate health outcomes for residents compared to other zip codes.

South East Market is something of an oasis in what is otherwise considered a food desert. It is also a vehicle for Kelly’s benevolence. While increasing access to healthy, affordable food, the products are sourced from black, brown, indigenous, local or womxn-led farms and businesses.

“Our mission is to increase access to healthy, culturally approved affordable food through a sustainable and equitable lens,” Kelly said.

“I hope that we can build something that is sustainable and a solution. We are dreaming and hoping and putting a lot of work into something that hasn’t been done.”

Kelly describes becoming interested in nutrition due to her own health issues and responsibilities as a new mother. During her pregnancy, she was categorized as “high-risk,” and put on stroke and heart attack watch.

“I had been surviving on pizza rolls,” she said. “I had accepted that I was going to die in the hospital. That was a huge turning point for me. I started being more cognizant of what I was putting in my body so I could survive for my daughter.”

Kelly’s blossoming passion for food led her to work as nutrition program manager for Access of West Michigan D.A. Blodgett St. Johns Home. She pursued a degree in environmental science at the University of Michigan, where she learned about food insecurity. She spent her off-time diving into the food and grocer scene in Ann Arbor. All the while, she was dreaming about the South East Market.

“I’ve been laying the groundwork for this for years,” Kelly reflected.

While the COVID-19 pandemic stalled plans for many small businesses, it created an immediate need for the South East Market to open as quickly as possible.

“Knowing that our community is disproportionately affected by COVID and also has lack of access to nutrient-dense food, and we know that having a dietary related illness increases your chance of dying from COVID, it seemed like the obvious thing to do,” Kelly said.

Kelly and DeWit received a Rapid Loan from GROW as they prepared to open. At the time, Kelly said they were planning on wearing all of the hats, a common strategy of new business owners as they work toward maximizing profit before hiring help.

“We were planning on doing everything,” Kelly said, “And that isn’t sustainable. The loan from GROW empowered us to hire help, and now we have the most amazing staff. That Rapid loan was a huge part of us feeling settled in hiring people.”

Walking into the market, you immediately feel the sensation of being in a grocery store that is like no other in the city; you are at once stepping into the past (a thriving neighborhood grocery before the era of big-box stores) and the future (a fully equitable and sustainable for-profit business). The shelves serve as a stage for other local businesses to shine: Luxe Artisan Preserves, Robinson’s Popcorn, Soldadera Cold Brew, and more.

Kelly says the feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive.

“People are saying, ‘we needed this,'” she expressed with emotion. “The amount of support we have received has brought me to tears many times. An old man walked in the snow to donate a dollar because he believes in us. It’s just one dollar, but there is a lot loaded in that dollar.”

As they chart plans for growth, Kelly and DeWit are collaborating with the neighborhood and their customers through dialogue, something Kelly says is extremely important to them.

“We are constantly asking people what they need and for feedback,” she said. “We are not telling people, ‘this is what you need.”

For other business owners, Kelly advises maintaining a perspective of how you operate and how that makes people feel.

“If people feel like they are apart of something bigger than just buying your product, that is lasting.”

Click here for information on funding opportunities from GROW.

The post Turning the Dial on Justice: South East Market appeared first on Grow.

For Renise Warners, her business is an extension of herself.

“All of the pieces of my brand represent me,” she said. “It’s my vision– everything reflects a part of me.”

Warners is the owner of Basic Bee Boutique, where she sells a curated collection of clothes aimed at an underserved demographic in the local retail scene — the young, urban customer. Take a look at her website or walk through her store, and one can see a curated collection of clothing that is ambitious, fun and fearless.

Before launching her business this fall, Warners had a long career in retail management. She worked for Hollister Co., a global teen and young adult retail brand for many years and even opened the brand’s first store in the Netherlands.

“I gathered a lot of business acumen and knowledge from that experience,” she said.

It was while she was working at a former local franchise, Scout & Molly’s, that she became inspired to take all of the experience she had gathered and open her own store.

“I was doing it for other people, so I thought, ‘Why can’t I do this for myself’?” she expressed. “‘I can do this!'”

With the support of the owners, Warners took the opportunity to learn everything she could about owning a retail business.

“I used it as an educational experience,” she said. “I also established relationships with vendors.”

Warners opened Basic Bee in part with funds from a GROW microloan.

“I signed the loan paperwork on my 34th birthday,” she said. “‘This is it,’ I thought, ‘Full steam ahead!'”

As our community continue to navigate the pandemic, Warners is looking ahead to the future.

“I am looking forward to gaining more customers and extending my reach,” she said. “And I am looking forward to people discovering our business district. Long-term, I want to hire employees and brand ambassadors.”

Basic Bee is something of a dream come true for Warners, and she encourages anyone who is considering starting a business to go for it.

“I have always wanted to be my own boss,” she said. “For anyone who wants to start a business … fear can hinder things in life. If you don’t try, you will never know!”

Click here for more information on funding opportunities from GROW.

The post Basic Bee Boutique Serves Up Style for a Young Urban Demographic appeared first on Grow.

Robert Gillum knows his way around the kitchen — he’s worked in food service since he was 13 years old.

“I tried to do other jobs,” he laughed. “But I always came back to cooking.”

He developed a special love for barbeque and spent years entering competitions, perfecting his technique and flavors.

As Gillum came to the realization that he wanted to be his own boss, he noticed the food truck scene in West Michigan was heating up.

“A food truck– I thought, ‘That’s my way to do it,” he said.

Combining a lifetime of experience with a formal education at the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education, Gillum started his journey to fund to launch his dream. He came up against the obstacle faced by many entrepreneurs just starting out: “I called bank after bank,” Gillum shared. “No one would loan me money.”

His wife came across GROW, and nudged him to call. GROW gave Gillum the business training he needed and the opportunity to take out a microloan to get his business off the ground.

“Kelli Smith (GROW’s director of lending) was such an awesome guide to opening a business on a small budget,” he expressed. “I did exactly what she told me.”

And so became Bobby’s Fusion Grill. With the microloan and coaching from GROW and mentoring from a fellow food truck owner, Gillum traveled around West Michigan serving up an exciting fusion menu: Garlic BBQ Shrimp Skewers with Naan Bread and Fusion Slaw; a California Burrito with Asada Chicken; Blackened Chicken Po’Boy and more.

Gillum describes his cooking style as “high-flavor and versatile.” Everything on the menu is original, and a customer favorite is his signature “Bobby-Q” sauce.

“Everyone loves it,” he smiled.

The food truck was just the beginning. Gillum formed a relationship with Michigan Moonshine, a locally-owned distillery located in Grandville where he would often park his food truck and serve customers. When an opportunity presented to partner with the distillery and open a restaurant out of their kitchen, he “jumped in with both feet.”

“I started two businesses within a year and a half … I wasn’t going to not take the opportunity.”

Gillum dubbed his restaurant “Bobby Q” and created a menu that showcases his deep love of food and excitement for discovering new flavors: garlic umami bbq meatballs, smoked baked potatoes, chef special bbq mac and cheese, carnitas salad and more.

Of his experience, Gillum says, “I learned how to start it all on my own with GROW. They offered my help every step of the way. If you commit, put in the work and the research, you can do anything.”

Per orders from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services regarding COVID-19, Bobby Q is serving take out only. While the past year has brought significant challenges to the food services industry, Gillum says he has big plans for the future.

“My brain never stops moving,” he smiled. “I have a lot of ideas and I plan to make them happen.”

Click here for more information on funding opportunities from GROW.

The post From Food Truck to Brick and Mortar: Bobby Q appeared first on Grow.

The “little hometown grocery store” carries local produce, organic products, craft beer and wine, food to go, fresh meat, deli, and toiletries and hosts special events like wine and beer tastings.

Precious is a Muskegon-native who spent years working as a creative director in the fast-paced world of Hollywood. The financial crash of 2008 caused her company to downsize, and Precious suddenly found herself an out of work single-mom living off of her savings and investments. Eventually, she sold her home and lost most of her assets.

When she returned to Muskegon to start anew, she saw an opportunity to forge her own destiny in a downtown that was starting to blossom again.

Precious worked with GROW to consolidate her debt, repair her credit and develop a business plan in order. GROW collaborated with Northern Initiatives to create a loan that would suit her needs, and connected her with the City of Muskegon and an angel investment group for further funding.

Boomtown is located in a food desert, an urban area in which grocery stores are scarce.The store not only provides a convenient location for locals to access quality food, but it serves as a symbol of economic development. The store is located in a 3,200 sq. ft. space on the first floor of the Lake View Lofts, a newly constructed multi-use building that is a part of the revitalization of downtown Muskegon.

The post Boom Town Market appeared first on Grow.

Manning’s Hometown BBQ is more than mouthwatering food that customers rave about; for owner Derek Manning, it’s a legacy.

“I want to leave something for my kids,” the father of three expressed. “That’s important to me.”

Manning’s mother passed away when he was just 4-years-old. He is inspired by memories of his father working hard to raise him and his siblings.

“I learned from watching him cook,” Manning said. “About 20 years ago, I started experimenting on the grill for myself.”

Manning developed a BBQ that is coveted for its tenderness and flavor.

Although his father cooked, providing for the family as a single-parent by working two jobs sometimes meant there was little food in the house.
Manning said this has driven him to open his business.

“I want my kids to never see some of the things I saw,” he said. “I wanted to get into business so my kids never go hungry.

Manning’s business journey started 15 years ago when he began selling dinners out of his house, and he was encouraged with the response.

“People just loved it,” he laughed.

He began to set his sights on a food truck. Manning built up his credit and began inquiring at local banks about small business loans. It was a loan officer at Chemical Bank that directed him to GROW.

He worked closely with the business development officers at GROW to evolve his business plan and expand his skills through GROW programming.

“I did a lot of hard work,” he expressed. “I never gave up. It was all worth it.”

After all of that work, Manning received a micro-loan from GROW to purchase a 35-foot BBQ trailer.

“It is so eye-catching and beautiful,” Manning beamed. “People always ask me how I got it, and then I tell them about how GROW really helped me.”

A self-described people-person, Manning’s enthusiasm is contagious. At his 50th birthday party, which he hosted at a local park (complete with social distancing and face masks) his bright red and chrome BBQ trailer was the star of the show. While community members enjoyed live music and lined up at the trailer for free BBQ, Manning spread his arms wide and said, “This is what it’s about.

Manning has plans to bring his business statewide, and eventually, across the Midwest. As for his other hopes for the future?

“I want to stay happy doing it,” he smiled. “I want it to always be fun.”

The post Manning’s Hometown BBQ appeared first on Grow.

For Ozetta Aaron, her business is a family affair. A fourth-generation seamstress, Aaron inherited Bessie’s Alterations from her mother, who started the business in 1985.

“Sewing has always been in my family,” Aaron expressed. “I get a lot of enjoyment out of it. I love seeing people happy with the fit of their clothing.”

In addition to running Bessie’s Alterations, she worked full-time at Muskegon Public Schools when the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown businesses and schools overnight. She pivoted from doing alterations as usual to making facemasks, but her lease on her space had run up, and she had nowhere to move the business.

Aaron applied for the Muskegon County Recovery Loan, a loan product created through a partnership with GROW and the Community Foundation of Muskegon County to help small businesses impacted by COVID-19. She used the funds to relocate the business to a larger space in Norton Shores. Today, she is fully operational, offering clients alterations and repairs, clothing made to order and sewing classes.

“I am known as the bling queen, the miracle worker. I do custom work, arts and crafts,” she laughed. “I do it all.”

Aaron was just one of the dozens of small business owners to receive a Muskegon County Recovery Loan from GROW. The loans have proven to be vital in sustaining borrowers, many who were unable to access federal funds or traditional capital.

When she came to GROW for help, Aaron had long been familiar with the organization; in fact, she was part of the first graduating class of Mind Your Own Business, GROW’s former 16-week long business development program. Currently a SCORE mentor, she often refers clients to GROW.

“If you are struggling with your credit…if you have blemishes on your credit, they will give you an opportunity,” she said.

Aaron adds that she also encourages business owners to tap into GROW’s program offerings.

“Take the courses. They have a lot to offer that will help you.”

The post “Bling Queen” Ozetta Aaron Keeps a Family Tradition Alive appeared first on Grow.

Pampered Auto Transportation was initially a car detailing shop that opened in 2015. As they aged, husband and wife co-owners Vanessa and Tony Davis realized that they would soon no longer be able to meet the physical demands on the detailing work. In January 2020, they transitioned to providing non-emergency medical transportation services, such as hospital intakes and discharge, doctor and dental appointment, physical therapy, nursing/adult daycare facilities, lab work, dialysis. Additionally, they provide parcel deliveries, expeditor services, airport transportation, rides to work and more.  

Together, they combine their strengths as a team: Vanessa operates the business and provides dispatch services while Tony runs the transportation side. Vanessa says she loves that owning a business affords her the opportunity to experiment and try new ideas.  

“Being a business owner has given me freedom,” Vanessa said. “I love the freedom to try my own ideas.” 

For nearly three months, they were constantly fully-booked. Then, COVID-19 hit. The stay-at-home halted the vast majority of nonemergency medical appointments, and as a result, the Davis’s livelihood quickly began to dry up.  

“It was very scary,” Vanesa recalled.  “It was as if the business stopped breathing.” 

While they remained operational per CDC safety guidelines, the sudden drop-off in clients saw them facing a bleak reality, one in which they would soon be unable to maintain staff or pay their expenses.  

Vanessa and Tony connected with the GROW Muskegon office and received a COVID-19 Working Capital Loan, a low-interest loan designed by the organization to provide swift assistance to borrowers impacted by the pandemic. The funding helped the Davises sustain their business as they waited for non-emergency medical appointments to resume. Vanessa said it came just in time. 

“Right around the time the funds came through, we had to fix our lift,” she said. “The funds really helped with that and helped us keep going.” 

The Davises said that in addition to providing funding, GROW connected them with webinars, coaching sessions, seminars and ideas on how to be successful in the business moving forward.  

“We are grateful to GROW for the funding and support,” Vanessa expressed. “Karen [GROW business development officer] helped us to think outside of the box and pivot. GROW gave us hope.”  

Today, Pampered Auto is growing. They have contracted with a non-emergency medical transportation brokerage, and are booking every day. 

“Somedays, we are completely booked,” Vanessa smiled.

If you are business located in Muskegon County, please click here to learn more about our Muskegon County Fast Forward Loan.

The post Pampered Auto Transportation Stays Up and Running Through Pandemic appeared first on Grow.