Success Stories

Situation

Overlooking the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria, Oregon is the Astoria Crest Motel, where in 1805, Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery took in the very same majestic view as they journeyed to their future winter camp in nearby Fort Clatsop. Originally known as the Crest Motel when it first opened its doors in 1952, the property had gradually fallen into a state of disrepair and was at risk of being shuttered in 2014. Air Force veteran and entrepreneur Marshall Doyle and his wife Patricia, along with business partner Don West and his wife Wendy, saw this as an opportunity to save a local treasure and strengthen the community. They knew in order to turn their dream into a reality they needed access to capital to purchase the property.

Solution

Working with a local lender, they were able to structure a loan that incorporated an SBA 504 loan through Evergreen Business Capital which enabled them to secure the financing they needed. The SBA 504 Loan... Read More

Mark Hawley started Metal-tech 4x4 in 2000 with just $300 making roll cages for popular off-road vehicles in his garage. After 13 years building his brand, Hawley was ready to take his manufacturing business to the next level. His sales had steadily increased but his profitability remained flat. Hawley knew in order to get where he wanted to be, he had to approach his business from a different perspective.

This new perspective came with the help of the SBA Emerging Leaders Initiative, a six-month “mini-MBA” executive education course for businesses poised for growth. The initiative provided Hawley with the organizational framework, resource network and motivation required to help the business grow in a sustainable way. The course helped him to re-examine how he approached staffing, professional development and key performance indicators for his business.

The business that started in a garage in 2000 is now fabricating high-quality off-road components in its Newberg,... Read More

Situation

Coming from a family with a long tradition in contracting, Mike Nieto learned at an early age that being a contractor meant that you had to be tough, smart and hold a stiff upper lip.  After many years working in the construction industry with this philosophy, Nieto saw the detrimental effects of high employee turnover and asked himself, “What if we focused on building people first and projects second?” In 2005, he answered this question by creating Catworks Construction, a construction company unlike any he had experienced before.

Solution

After several years of taking on private sector work, Nieto wanted to take his company to the next level and pursue working with the world’s largest customer, the U.S. government.  He realized he needed help in gaining a foothold in government contracting and discovered the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program through a fellow contractor.  The SBA 8(a) Program is a nine-year program offering a broad scope of... Read More

Expanding your Business

Situation

After years of working in retail and establishing a national women’s fashion brand store in Portland, Oregon; Dawn Stanchfield decided it was time to work for herself and established Lily Atelier fashion boutique in 2003. In 2007, Stanchfield was presented with a rare opportunity to lease an adjacent property giving her the needed space for her growing business. The new space required more than $60,000 in renovations and Stanchfield knew she needed to find the capital to make her vision come to life.

Solution

Help came in the form of an SBA-guaranteed loan when a local lender introduced Stanchfield to the SBA 7(a) Loan Program which helped her secure financing for the needed renovations to her new commercial space. The 7(a) Loan Program is the most common SBA loan program providing financial help for businesses  needing a loan up to $5 million to fund startup costs, buy equipment and more.

Impact

Lily Atelier’s expansion came in the... Read More

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