Ever wonder how small businesses can access funds without crazy collateral or high-interest rates?

In this episode of Let’s Talk Small Biz Finance, learn how Kiva's innovative crowdfunding platform connects small business owners with lenders locally and globally, offering a 0% interest loan option up to $15,000.

Learn more about CIC’s Kiva Southern Arizona Hub: https://cictucson.org/kiva

Learn more about the Kiva Collective: https://cictucson.org/kiva-collective

About the Host:

Caroline Nelson is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Lending at Community Investment Corporation (CIC), a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in small business lending, crowdfunding, and alternative financing in Southern Arizona, including Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma Counties. Caroline is joined by Cassie Price, Capital Access Manager for Kiva’s Southern Arizona Hub.

Have a question about small business finance, a theme, or a quest expert you'd love us to have on the show? Submit it here! https://cictucson.org/podcast-submission-form

Discover more about CIC's Entrepreneurship, Homeownership, and Education programs here: https://cictucson.org

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to small business financing with Kiva Crowdfunded Loans

02:15 - Understanding what crowdfunding is and how Kiva’s platform works

03:39 - What is Kiva? Connecting small businesses globally

04:53 - How crowdfunded loans are pooled from many lenders

05:48 - Ideal client profile for Kiva loans and the importance of community support

06:30 - Business stages suitable for Kiva funding, from idea to established

08:32 - Building a strong social network and online presence for success

09:48 - Application process details and required documentation

10:43 - The significance of a compelling personal and business story

11:57 - Private vs. public fundraising phases and how they function

12:39 - Impact and excitement of community support through crowdfunding

13:21 - The marketing benefit of crowdfunding and resources for application support

13:45 - Difference between traditional lending and Kiva’s model with no collateral or interest

14:23 - Financial health and credit considerations in the Kiva process

15:02 - Setting funding goals and specific use of funds examples

16:28 - Using Kiva funds for startup costs and business growth

17:18 - The role of lenders, risk, and repayment expectations

18:47 - How Kiva manages repayments and lender flexibility

21:13 - Support, community, and engagement perks for lenders

22:30 - Benefits of applying through a Kiva hub like CIC in Tucson

23:11 - Timeline for application and fundraising phases

24:37 - What happens if fundraising goals aren’t met

25:12 - Refund process and how lender funds are recovered if campaign fails

26:22 - The Kiva Collective and community-building events

28:23 - How to connect with CIC and Cassie for support and application help

30:33 - Summary and key takeaways: low-cost, accessible financing for any stage

31:10 - 5 to 1 Matching funds for Native and Indigenous entrepreneurs

#BusinessFinance #LoanApprovalTips #Underwriting101 #FinancialFreedom #SmallBizGrowth #weknowyourworth

Building Local Economies with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi and Danny Knee: Insights from Pima County’s Economic Development Initiatives.

In this episode of the Let's Talk Small Biz Finance Podcast, Danny Knee chats with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi about how regional economic strategies foster community growth, support small businesses, and adapt to global shifts. They explore the tools, policies, and innovative projects driving economic resilience and community benefit in Tucson and beyond.

Heath Vescovi-Chiordi is the Director of Economic Development for Pima County. His work focuses on economic development and workforce development with a priority on sustainable and diverse growth. The goal is to increase the county’s viability for business attraction, retention and expansion. He is U of A graduate with a master’s degree in public administration. He’s won numerous awards and accolades including being named one of Tucson’s 40-under- 40, the Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Award for Emerging Leader 2021, being named one of Biz Tucson’s Next Gen leaders in 2022, and the Economic Developer of the Year by the Arizona Association for Economic Development in 2024.

About the Host:

Danny Knee is the Executive Director of Community Investment Corporation (CIC), a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in small business lending, crowdfunding, and alternative financing in Southern Arizona, including Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma Counties, in addition to programs supporting first-time homeowners and education.

Learn more about CIC's programs here: https://cictucson.org

Have a question or suggestion for an upcoming podcast? Submit it here: https://cictucson.org/podcast-submission-form

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Heath Vescovici and his role in Pima County

02:05 - Heath’s early career, awards, and personal anecdotes

03:11 - Defining economic development: traditional vs community-based models

04:26 - Balancing community values and economic growth in regional strategies

05:29 - Measuring success: KPIs, public engagement, perception, and future planning

07:24 - Focus on small business retention and expansion efforts in the region

08:49 - Partnering with community organizations and providing access to resources

09:45 - Impact of national and global economic shifts, including tariffs and conflict

11:43 - The interconnected nature of small and large businesses in economic health

12:32 - Personal preference game: Teacher vs. Economic Developer, and pop culture debates

14:00 - Spotlight on overlooked resources: local lenders, community colleges, and regional IDAs

17:13 - Current initiatives in the “lab”: grants, workforce training, aerospace, and tech startup development

21:19 - Building a regional economic brand and international outreach projects

22:21 - Heath’s go-to Sonoran hot dog spot and closing remarks

#CommunityFirst #EconomicMobility #GrowTogether #PimaCounty #EconomicDevelopment

What exactly happens in underwriting? Here’s the truth behind the "black box."

If you’ve ever wondered if you will get funded for a loan, in this episode, Caroline and Brandi from CIC share what an underwriter really looks for - and how you can get approved faster.

Why are loans underwritten? It’s all about assessing risk. Lenders use a variety of means to understand if your business can handle taking on the debt - using ratios like DSCR (debt service coverage ratio), current assets, cash flow, credit history, additional income, and more. For lenders like CIC, we want to make sure that the amount of money that your business takes on will help you grow and is feasible to be repaid, and not going to be overwhelming and put you in a worse financial place.

It’s as much about the numbers as it is about the story behind them. At CIC, our team looks at a potential borrower's character and builds a relationship with them, which helps inform the underwriting process.

If the underwriting process ever felt mysterious or scary, we’re here to help. We believe transparency is everything, and knowing how it works and how to be better prepared can actually make the process less intimidating.

At its core, underwriting is about supporting your growth. We care about helping you understand your financial standing and what it takes to move forward.

Learn how to track your finances here: https://youtu.be/b9XXeVhNAII?si=9a1Jc0CsRdWdMgve

Check out our loan calculator here: https://cictucson.org/businesses-that-prosper

About the Host:

Caroline Nelson is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Lending at Community Investment Corporation (CIC), a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in small business lending, crowdfunding, and alternative financing in Southern Arizona, including Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma Counties. Caroline is joined by Brandi Szymanzi, CIC's Rural Lending Manager, for this discussion.

Have a question about small business finance, a theme, or a quest expert you'd love us to have on the show? Submit it here! https://cictucson.org/coffee-with-caroline-submission-form

https://cictucson.org

#BusinessFinance #LoanApprovalTips #Underwriting101 #FinancialFreedom #SmallBizGrowth

Grab your favorite cup of coffee and join us online for a casual chat about all things small business finance. Caroline Nelson is here to share tips, answer your questions, and help you feel confident managing your business money.

This month, we’ll be discussing how to secure business funding without using personal credit. The topic was submitted by a listener and is likely something many current and aspiring business owners want to know more about. Join us as we explore why personal credit is often tied to business funding and the alternative options that may be available.

About the Host:
Caroline Nelson is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Lending at Community Investment Corporation (CIC), a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in small business lending, crowdfunding, and alternative financing in Southern Arizona, including Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma Counties. Caroline is joined by Brandi Szymanzi, CIC's Rural Lending Manager for this discussion.

Dollars and Sense for Entrepreneurs, easy tools to track your small business finances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9XXeVhNAII&t=2s

Business Finance Resources: https://cictucson.org/business-finance

Learn more about CIC's Small Business Financing options: https://cictucson.org/businesses-that-prosper

Learn more about CIC's Kiva Southern Arizona Hub here: https://cictucson.org/kiva

Have a question or suggestion for an upcoming podcast? Submit it here! https://cictucson.org/coffee-with-caroline-submission-form

What does it take to fund a dream? In this episode, CIC Executive Director Danny Knee sits down with Kiva’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Associate Reteisha Byrd for a fast-paced conversation breaking down how Kiva works, for both borrowers and lenders.

Who should apply? How much can you raise? Do you need perfect credit? (Spoiler: no.) Plus, how anyone can become a lender and support entrepreneurs right here in Southern Arizona, or around the world.

If you’ve been thinking about starting or growing your business, this episode is for you.

Tune in and learn how community-powered lending is opening doors across Southern Arizona.

Learn more about CIC's Kiva Southern Arizona Hub here: https://cictucson.org/kiva

Find the full TENWEST schedule and get your tickets at www.tenwest.com

#CIC #Kiva #SmallBusinessSupport #TucsonEntrepreneurs #CommunityCapital #EconomicInclusion #WeKnowYourWorth

This week, CIC’s Executive Director Danny Knee caught up with Alicia Robb - economist, angel investor, and Founder & CEO of Next Wave Impact - ahead of TENWEST to talk about what it really takes to unlock capital for entrepreneurs. Alicia is a globally recognized expert on entrepreneurial finance and will be one of the Keynote speakers at TENWEST.

From angel investing to research on entrepreneurship and women-owned businesses, Alicia’s work has helped shape how we think about impact investing for the next generation of founders. We’re excited to be part of the dialogue on how impact investing can fuel more inclusive economic opportunity.

Don't miss Danny's interactive workshop on Wednesday, March 25th, alongside the Jane Project and Mayor Regina Romero at 10 am, followed by Alicia's keynote speech at 2 pm.

Find the full schedule and get your tickets at www.tenwest.com

#TENWEST #AccessToCapital #Entrepreneurship #AngelInvesting #TucsonAZ #EconomicOpportunity #WeKnowYourWorth

Grab your favorite cup of coffee and join us online for a casual chat about all things small business finance. Caroline Nelson is here to share tips, answer your questions, and help you feel confident managing your business money.

Stay tuned for guest experts to join in the inspiring conversation. Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow, this is your chance to get real talk and handy advice in a relaxed setting. Don’t miss out on this friendly, informative coffee chat!

About the Host
Caroline Nelson is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Lending at Community Investment Corporation (CIC), a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in small business lending, crowdfunding, and alternative financing in Southern Arizona.

Dollars and Sense for Entrepreneurs, easy tools to track your small business finances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9XXeVhNAII&t=2s

Business Finance Resources: https://cictucson.org/business-finance

Learn more about CIC's Small Business Financing options: https://cictucson.org/businesses-that-prosper

Have a question or suggestion for an upcoming podcast? Submit it here! https://cictucson.org/coffee-with-caroline-submission-form