A Taste of the Dream

Inside Nitin Bakery, the sights, smells and tastes are a palatable representation of both its employees and its diverse crowd of regulars. Tres Leches from Nicaragua, facturas from Argentina: there’s a dessert for everyone. Nitin Bakery began nearly 10 years ago as a shared dream. Tania not only wanted to start a business to provide an income for her family, but to fulfill her husband’s culinary passion, and teach her children that with ambition comes achievement. “It’s my dream to decide my life for myself.”  Tania also wanted a way to impact her community. When they learned of a space for sale, Tania and Gabriel knew this was their opportunity. With a loan from Ascendus, they were able to obtain the working capital to open Nitin Bakery’s doors.

A Growing Family

“When your business grows and you feel confident in its success, you want to start helping others too.” Located in a low-income neighborhood, Nitin Bakery offers regular discounts and free turkeys to its neighbors, some of whom might otherwise go without over the holiday season. After 10 years, the bakery has become an anchor in the community, as a vibrant storefront and beloved neighborhood fixture. “We have customers who bought a cake for their child’s first birthday and now for their tenth.”

A New Start from Ascendus

When Tania and her husband learned the property housing their bakery was being sold and they had two months to vacate and relocate, they turned again to Ascendus for support. With the 7a SBA Community Advantage loan they received, they purchased and transformed a new space nearby for Nitin Bakery, allowing them to continue serving the same community.  “Ascendus gave us the opportunity to grow. We now have more space, more people, and more energy.” Through the Brewing the American Dream program with Ascendus and Samuel Adams, they also received vital business coaching.

Steps to Success

In 2019, Tania and Gabriel were able to pay off their Community Advantage loan and apply for a line of credit from JPMorgan Chase. This milestone indicated that the financial support and business guidance they received through Ascendus had enabled them to grow their business and achieve lasting self-sustainability and bankability, opening up new opportunities for business success.

Tania also manages and mentors a staff of 16, almost all of whom are immigrants and were hired with no professional experience. “I know how hard finding your first job can be. My employees and I are a family. Owning a business is their dream as well, and I’m able to show them how to do it.” As the bakery flourishes, Tania and Gabriel are now renovating the adjacent space for an Uruguayan restaurant, which Tania plans to hire local residents for. “When you have a business, it’s not only about you, it’s about the people working for you.”