City life can be stressful. There’s lots of people, constant distractions and pollution. When Robert moved to New York City to study filmmaking, he encountered these same stresses. What did he do? He started taking pictures of different scenes around the city as a way to relax and unwind. Almost three decades later, he had compiled images of dancing children, iconic subway cars, beautiful faces and proud buildings, capturing the bold grace and uncanny charm of his city.

Robert was ready to share his vision with the world by publishing his collection of photos. However, publishing a book as an unknown author proved to be exceedingly expensive. He managed to source together enough capital to print eleven hundred copies through crowdfunding. The copies sold like wildfire and received rave reviews with critics lauding Robert for his “real” rendition of New York. Robert needed money to publish more copies, but he was unsure of where to find it.

Robert turned to David Hanold, Vice President at the New York Business Development Corporation for help. David knew of Ascendus’ microloan program and referred Robert to a loan consultant. David received a loan from Ascendus and was able to purchase his thirty year masterpiece of imagery.

“Ascendus staff are dedicated to the small businesses they work with and provide a valuable stepping stone to larger financing needs as businesses grow,” cited David.

Ascendus collaborates with many great institutions like NYBDC to maximize the outreach of financial loans to help aid small business owners to grow and thrive. Working together, we can enable entrepreneurs like Robert to set the world aflame with innovative ideas and inspiring businesses.