Anne-Marie Saint-John, Alva, Long Island City, NY >
The Magic of Thinking BIG!
The Magic of Thinking BIG!
In the first chapter of ‘The Magic of Thinking BIG,’ Dr. Schwartz states it plainly: “Believe you can succeed, and you will.” To strengthen your power of belief, he recommends three steps: (1) Think success, not failure; (2) Remind yourself that you are better than you think you are; and (3) Believe Big. The magic of big thinking was evident in clients like Emelyn and Abraham. After watching many talented screenwriters of color not progress because of lack of funding, Emelyn thought big and produced a film herself, later investing to become the first Afro-Latina in New York to own a movie theater. Abraham was working in his father’s car body shop franchise in Venezuela but thought big and moved to Miami to start over. In three years he started a new shop in Miami, eventually being selected by Fabio Lamborghini to recreate their official car at a muesum. After achieving our 2022 dollar lending goal in only six months and funding small business owners across half the country, Ascendus is also thinking big about our near-term future and actively working on expanding the impact and scale of our work. Thank you for believing in a mission that positively impacts lives, one loan at a time.
Yours in thinking BIG,
Paul Quintero
Ascendus Serves Half the Country
In the first six months of the year, Ascendus delivered almost $21 million in loan capital to 611 small business owners. Ascendus served 274 small businesses in New York, 86 in Florida, 77 in Massachussets, and 161 across 22 other states. Our impact has expanded into the Southeast through the Southern Opportunity and Resilience (SOAR) Fund and the Pacific Northwest through the Small Business Flex Fund Program. In addition, our Line of Credit and Rideshare programs have helped small businesses and independent drivers in New York recover faster from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ascendus Client Creates New York Film History
Ascendus client, Emelyn Stuart, is the first Afro-Latina person to own an independent movie theatre in NY. She was producing film and TV projects for over twelve years and decided to liquidate her assets and build a movie theatre that focused on the Black and Latina community. She used her Ascendus Line of Credit loan to expand her theatre by purchasing equipment for a bar and café. During the pandemic, she became a hub in the community by allowing family members to view burials from her theatre for those that passed away in other countries or states.
Ascendus Completes Photo Tour
Ascendus completed our annual photo tour. The tour focused on the small businesses that Ascendus has served in our core geographical markets of New York, Florida, and Massachusetts. We met with restaurant owners, daycare owners, yoga studios, occupational therapists, and more. The tour allowed Ascendus clients to visually and verbally tell the story of how an Ascendus loan positively impacted their lives. We will feature the photos on both the Ascendus and client websites.
Shop Local: The Ascendus Marketplace
The Ascendus Marketplace features local small businesses that have received an Ascendus loan. These businesses range from bakeries to hair products to apparel and more. All ship nationwide and offer online shopping options. Featured above is Pamela Wasabi, the owner of Pamela Wasabi Bakery in Miami, Florida. She focuses on healthy desserts that are also vegan and gluten-free. In addition, her small business provides books, kits, and classes to learn how to make these treats independently. The Ascendus marketplace allows you to shop geographically, by category, and by name of the business.
A very special thank you to all our recent sponsors:
