THIS YEAR’s Stories of Ascension is entitled “Focusing on the Future.” It celebrates our clients’ entrepreneurial journeys and highlights how the Ascendus community has been able to provide support and funding. We are proud to share these stories of perseverance and resilience through our Stories of Ascension video series. This is our second year traveling up and down the East Coast, listening, collaborating and celebrating with our clients.
BARRINGTON BLYE
To Barry, inner beauty brings confidence, joy, and happiness to everyday life. That beauty can be inspired by something as simple as getting your nails done. With help from Ascendus and TD Bank, Barry was able to renovate Barry’s Beauty Bar to be as beautiful as he made his clients feel.
Sponsored by
MIRIAM HERNANDEZ
Miriam has created a sense of community through her bar. It is somewhere that caters to the birthdays, anniversaries, and everyday celebrations of her neighborhood. With help from Ascendus, Miriam kept her staff employed and kept her bar open throughout the pandemic.
Sponsored by
MAX AND GLADYS
Milanezza, FL
For Max and Glady’s, it’s about family. Their restaurant Milanezza offers family-style dining in Miami. When they needed to expand outdoor seating to safely re-open after COVID they were in a hurry to get their staff, who they consider family, back to work right away. A loan from Ascendus allowed them to re-open quickly.
Sponsored by
CORINA AND NATALIA
Vegallia, FL
When Corina was diagnosed with stomach cancer, she developed several dietary restrictions. Her cravings for something sweet could not be met by anything in the current market, so with her daughter, Natalia, she made an inclusive dessert for all to enjoy. To attract more customers, Corina and Natalia used an Ascendus loan to create a branding campaign that enabled them to enter new markets.
Sponsored by
RENECA BENN
New Age Scholars
Through her daycare, Reneca provides a solid educational foundation for the children in her care, a safe space and resource for their families, and an income for her employee. Her daycare is an essential asset to her community, and to those that live in it. Through an Ascendus loan, Reneca kept her assistant employed and paid throughout the pandemic, and provided for those in her care even when her daycare was closed.
Sponsored by
ERIC LY AND PETER OM
Coco Leaf Café
On a trip to Vietnam, Eric and Peter fell in love with local delicious desserts, and knew they wanted to bring that cultural experience back to their community in Boston. They opened Coco Leaf Café. When they saw that there wasn’t a space for kids to hang out after school, they centered their café around being a fun, safe environment for students. They even offer gift cards for students who do well on their exams to encourage an interest in education.
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