We're excited to feature Wandering Jade Mobile Bar as our September Business of the Month. Owner Amberdee Miller can bring the party to you, no matter the occasion. Keep reading to learn more about her journey in opening Wander Jade and why you need to book them for your next shindig! UMLF: Hi Amberdee, we’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month! Tell us about yourself. Amberdee: "About me, I'm a single mother of 3 amazing humans. My oldest is 23 and she is also an entrepreneur, she has an Etsy shop that sells handmade products. My son followed in my footsteps and is a Law Enforcement Officer, and I have a 13-year-old at home still. She is the spicy one. She is involved in cheer at her school and keeps me on my toes. I have been a Law Enforcement Officer for 13+ years. I have worked as a Task Force Officer with the FBI, completed SWAT school, and trained as a CVSA examiner (Computer Voice Stress Analyzer, used for truth detection). I enjoy camping, fishing, and hunting. I spent a lot of time with my Dad and Grandpa in the shop building projects and learning how to use all the tools. I do a lot of DIY projects at home. I fail a lot and sometimes I get it right. Now I am the proud new owner of Wandering Jade!" UMLF: Your trailer is so cute! Tell us about how you got the idea of Wandering Jade and what your services are. Amberdee: "I found this quote on Tiktok and it explains me pretty accurately "If I'm being completely honest, I don't think that there's anything I couldn't do at least half decently, I was born with the "how hard could it be gene" which is incredibly helpful and very delusional." I love to build and create. I can retire in a few years and wanted to have something I could do after I retire. I was a bartender before I worked in Law Enforcement. I loved it. So I bought a horse trailer and decided to see if I could build a mobile bar. I learned how to weld, how to use auto paint, I learned all about working with metal and wood, and so much more. I had a lot of support from friends and family. I completed Jade in July after working on it every day for 5 months. It was a lot of failure and trial and error. I'm so proud of the finished product. We have a mobile bartender service with licensed and insured bartenders, we have 2 pop-up bars that can be used in almost any setting, and we have Jade. She is a 1985 Horse trailer converted into a mobile bar. We offer cocktail planning, tasting, custom menu signs, and everything you need for a bar except the liquid. We also offer rental of the trailer for the customer to serve whatever they choose. We do an Italian Soda Bar at the farmers market and have rented to a local bakery to use for an expo show. We believe our clients deserve hand-crafted cocktails made by licensed bartenders, rather than coolers and a creepy uncle bartending." UMLF: Does this work for non-drinkers as well?
Amberdee: "Yes! We have done several events with non-alcoholic options. Soda Bar, Italian Soda, Hot Coco as well as a snack bar or just a photo shoot. We can also do soda bars for corporate events, or construction sites." UMLF: Do you have any favorite memories so far of events you’ve been at? Amberdee: "We served at a wedding in Bear Lake this summer and it was an amazing experience. The couple were from the East Coast and planned a destination wedding. They were so kind and the crowd was really fun. We learned a lot!" UMLF: Entrepreneurship most definitely has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? Amberdee: "The biggest challenge so far has been the balance of work and home life. Adding another "job" to an already full plate has made me be more creative and get my humans involved to help me. Including web design, graphic design, and teaching my older daughter to bartend. We have sacrificed our usual summer camping trips, for late nights working on completing the trailer. I feel this has been an example for my girls of following a dream with hard work and dedication." UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Amberdee: "Utah Microloan Fund has helped me so much. Learning about resources, and funding, and having other entrepreneurs to bounce ideas off. Utah Microloan Fund also set me up with the Small Business Development Center, and they have been a great resource and helped me think bigger." UMLF: Lastly, how can people book with you? Our website is www.wanderingjademobilebar.com. Clients can fill out a quick survey, followed by a conversation about what they have envisioned, a small deposit and they are on the books. Awesome thanks Amberdee! To stay in touch follow Wandering Jade on: Facebook: Wandering Jade Mobile Bar Instagram: www.instagram.com/wandering.jade.bar
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 Are you a small business owner in the beautiful state of Utah looking for opportunities to grow and expand your company? If so, registering as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) with the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) might be a strategic move that can benefit your business in several ways. In this blog post, we will explore the advantages of becoming a DBE through UTA and who is eligible for this program so keep on reading! What is a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)? Before delving into the reasons to register as a DBE with UTA, let's understand what a DBE is. A Disadvantaged Business Enterprise is a designation given to small businesses that are owned and operated by individuals who are socially and economically disadvantaged. These businesses often face unique challenges in competing for government contracts and opportunities. To level the playing field, government agencies like UTA have established DBE programs to promote diversity and provide equal access to government contracting opportunities. Advantages of Registering as a DBE with UTA: 1. Access to Government Contracts: UTA, like many other government agencies, sets aside a percentage of its contracts specifically for DBEs. By registering as a DBE, your business gains access to a pool of contracting opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. 2. Competitive Edge: Being a DBE can set your business apart from competitors when bidding on government contracts. Agencies often prioritize DBEs and consider them favorably during the selection process. 3. Networking Opportunities: UTA frequently hosts outreach events and networking opportunities for registered DBEs. These events can help you connect with key decision-makers and potential partners in the industry. 4. Training and Support: Many DBE programs, including UTA's, offer training and technical assistance to help businesses grow and thrive. You can access resources and guidance that can be invaluable for your business's development. 5. Subcontracting Opportunities: If your business does not yet have the capacity to take on larger contracts, becoming a DBE can still be beneficial. You can participate in projects as a subcontractor under larger DBE-certified firms, gaining valuable experience and building your reputation. Who Is Eligible for DBE Certification with UTA?
To be eligible for DBE certification through UTA, your business must meet the following criteria:
Types of Businesses:
Conclusion Registering your small business as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise with the Utah Transit Authority can open doors to a world of opportunities, provide a competitive edge, and help you overcome the unique challenges faced by disadvantaged businesses. It's a step toward growth and success that can benefit not only your business but also the communities you serve. If you believe your business qualifies for DBE certification with UTA, don't hesitate to explore the application process and take advantage of the resources and opportunities this program offers. It could be the catalyst your business needs to thrive in the thriving economic landscape of Utah. Learn more at: www.rideuta.com/doing-business/disadvantaged-enterprises   Owners Branin Boyack & Brandon Milbrandt This month's Business of the Month feature is coming to you from sunny St. George and we think they're a smash hit, no pun intended. Actually pun very much intended! Owned by Branin Boyack and Brandon Milbrandt, Smash Labs is the coolest hangout spot in town that features rage rooms and axe throwing. What exactly is a rage room? Keep reading to find out! UMLF: Hey guys, we’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month! Tell us about yourselves. Smash Labs: "Brandon and I have been friends since the 7th grade, so almost 24 years now. Our names are so similar, Branin and Brandon, that somewhere along that road the nickname Milly came up and has stuck ever since. Throughout our early adult life, we began helping Milly's mom run mountain bike races as her logistics and security team. Being on the management side of events exposed us to the entrepreneur mindset and we began kicking around ideas for our own businesses. After a few years of us working on our own careers, life, and other things I ended up in a pretty serious relationship with my now wife who helped me to get my rear end into gear and pursue my business ideas. Milly was all too eager to jump on board when I came up with the idea for a rage room and axe-throwing venue. We kicked around a few names and he came up with the name Smash Labs and we loved it. Fast forward a few years and now we're both married with families of our own. I've got 2 girls and 2 boys while Milly's got 1 girl and 3 boys with 2 more on the way. We love being business owners and providing a cool place for people to blow off steam or just have a blast with their friends." UMLF: For those who aren’t in the loop, what exactly is a rage room? Smash Labs: "A Rage Room is a designated space to break all kinds of things. We smash things like bottles and plates all the way up to dryers, file cabinets, and refrigerators. Whether people come to us just to have fun with friends or if they come in to work through some serious emotional issues, rage rooms can accommodate them. We have our guests suit up in protective gear like coveralls, face masks, and gloves, and then after some quick instructions, we turn them loose to bust things up." UMLF: We bet you get people from all walks of life coming in to destress or work out some emotions. Do you have any memories that stand out of times when people had some great breakthroughs or felt like they overcame some challenges they were facing?
Smash Labs: "We really do get all kinds of people. We have some that come in with friends just to SMASH s**t and then we have people who come in with their therapist or at their therapist's recommendation to work on some emotional issues they've been going through. We've had people that were dealing with divorces or break ups, we've had people who'd recently lost loved ones, and we've even played host to a weekly emotional resilience class, but one guest who really sticks out was a woman in her mid 40's who came in a bit reserved and unsure what she was doing. I kind of got the impression something was really troubling her. She asked if we had a way to cover the window so people couldn't see in during her session. We have a cover just for situations like that so we put that up, she then asked for a marker to write on the things she was about to smash. Once we got her suited up and into the room, she cranked up the music and LET IT OUT. Our rooms and well insulated but we could her screams and cries. I was unsure how awkward it would be when she came out but 20 minutes later she came out and seemed like a completely different person. With makeup running down her face and tears still in her eyes she dried her eyes and then told us how she and her husband were getting divorced and her son had been in and out of jail for drugs. She'd also recently been in a car accident and was really just having a rough go at things lately. But while telling us all of this she seemed more upbeat and relaxed. She told us that writing down her problems and feelings and smashing them to pieces helped her to process the emotions so many of us just bottle up and can't express properly. She left with smudged makeup, red eyes, and a huge smile on her face. To me, that will be one of the greatest examples of what a rage room can do." UMLF: Entrepreneurship definitely has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as small business owners and how you overcame it? Smash Labs: "For us, one of the biggest challenges has been just getting started. We looked at about 15-20 different properties before we found one that would rent to a new concept like ours. Somewhere in the middle of those properties, we had a signed lease with a guy who owned a building in the Home Depot shopping plaza only to be forced out by Home Depot because they didn't want our concept near them citing that we'd drag down their business or scare their customers as if we had a seedy business concept that was scary. Once we'd left that behind we soon found our current location with a property owner who has been great to work with. Next came challenges with COVID and then challenges with letting people know we existed and where to find us since we're kind of tucked out of the way for most people. With any challenge that comes up we always find a way to make it work." UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Smash Labs: "When we first approached Utah Microloan Fund, we were working to get the franchise arm of Smash Labs up and running. They were very great to work with and made the process as easy as it could be. From meeting with Doug for the first time to signing the documents, UMLF has taken care of us. We were able to use the funds to improve our business and start a new chapter in our story." UMLF: Lastly, what are the two of yours favorite things to smash? Branin: "My favorite things to smash are large figurines, The kind made from plaster like garden gnomes or piggy banks. They tend to explode pretty good when you hit them just right." Milly: "My favorite thing to Smash are the TVs. If you've ever been frustrated or made about a football game then you know what I'm talking about." Ready to let all the rage out? Stay in touch with Smash Labs at:
  Owners Liz Farnsworth & Mckenzie Hurst Salon Pèttine is open and ready for business! This women-owned boutique hair salon specializes in one thing - serious style. Keep reading to learn more about our July Business of the Month and why 1126 East 3300 South is going to be your new favorite spot in town. UMLF: Hi ladies, we’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month! Tell us about yourselves. "We met at our previous salon and clicked instantly and became fast best friends. When Liz left, she had to convince Kenzie to make the leap with her. Clearly it didn’t take much! We are the ultimate definition of “yin-yang”. We are the exact same but couldn’t be more different. Liz specializes in low maintenance blondes & Kenzie specializes in high maintence vibrant color. We’ve been in the industry for a collective of just over 10 a decade. We couldn’t ask for a better partnership!" UMLF: You guys worked at other salons and now are striking out and starting your own. What prompted your leap of faith? Liz: "I was feeling extremely burnt out and didn’t see the opportunity for progression and didn’t feel like I could be the stylist I wanted to be. Starting my own salon suite just came at the perfect time & the growth followed soon after. It’s been crazy, but so fun." Kenz: 'We've created a community of friends who just so happened to be stylists. Liz & I created a safe space for people in our salon suite, so we felt we could broaden that into our own salon. Liz had the idea and I basically forced her to have me as a partner. It didn't take much convincing for her though." UMLF: What are some of the services provided? Liz: "I specialize in low maintenance lived-in color & also hair extensions. We have 10 other amazing stylists who do a variety of services from precision barbering, cutting, color and facials." Kenz: "We even have a girl who does nails. Liz is our low maintenance queen and I'm the high maintenance fashion color gal." UMLF: What advice do you have for emerging hair stylists? Liz: "Find your brand and lean into it, you don’t need to work for or around anyone who makes you feel less than and you don’t have to do “all the hair”. Only do services you love." Kenz: "Be your authentic self. I can't stress this enough. Clients do love a hairstylist that knows what they are doing for sure but ultimately it comes down to your personality and how well you get along with the client." UMLF: Entrepreneurship definitely has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as small business owners and how you overcame it?
Kenz: "Oh man, yes it's been a wild ride for us. We went the route of UMLF because a dear stylist friend of ours worked with them. We originally had an angel investor that kind of turned into a nightmare. Lack of communication with them is what drove us to applying for the UMLF loan and we are so grateful we did! Finances are hard in any situation but when you have other stylists counting on you to be open and ready as a business, that's a whole other kind of stress. Now we are open and only have our normal financial burdens to think about." UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Liz: "UMLF quite literally gave us the resources to create our dream hair salon. We can’t thank them enough." Kenz: "Yes, again we are so grateful for UMLF. We wouldn't be a sustainable business without them." UMLF: And for funsies, what is one hair trend you both are loving and one that you want to see go? Liz: "Loving-effortless color and big voluminous blowouts. Would love to say bye to- probably teenage boys with mullets!" Kenz: "I disagree with Liz, I like the modern mullet. Not that 80's/90's trash mullet. The tasteful kind with texture and movement. & personally I love the split hair color trend. I have it on myself and change it often. It's fun & you get the best of both worlds. One that I want to see go though would have to be bleaching your own hair at home. Tik Tok and the pandemic made people believe they could do their own dye job at home & I can't tell you how many I've had to fix from this trend!" Website: www.salonpettine.com Insta: www.instagram.com/salonpettine  Now in its tenth year, OFN's Small Business Finance Forum returned in person to downtown Chicago’s magnificent mile for the first time in four years and we got to attend! Over 500 mission-driven small business lenders, funders, investors, and other partners from around the country got together to learn, connect, and be inspired. And inspiring it was! It was amazing to chat with other CDFI colleagues and to learn from some of the best and brightest leaders on new innovations, ideas, and strategies to continue serving our country's underserved communities. But to back up a little, what is a CDFI you might ask? Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are lenders with a mission to provide fair, responsible financing to rural, urban, Native, and other communities that mainstream finance doesn’t traditionally reach. Where others see risk, we see opportunity. Entrepreneurship surged during the pandemic, increasing demand for small business financing that continues today. At the same time, troubling signs in the economy, from inflation to rising interest rates to bank failures, are constricting access to finance, putting small businesses — and the American economy — at risk. The focus of this conference was how our organizations can get creative and lean in more. Sara Day, our Program Manager of Training and Outreach attending on the UMLF's behalf and her notebook is FULL of new ideas to implement in Utah. There were many great plenaries as well as breakout sessions. Sometimes it was hard to choose which one to attend because the options were all captivating topics.
Some standout favorites were:
We're so grateful for the opportunity to attend and can't wait for the next one! To learn more about Opportunity Finance Network visit www.ofn.org. 
 Owners Rosanna & Michael
UMLF: Hey guys! We’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month. Can you tell our readers about yourselves?
LBT: Our names are Rosanna and Michael and we are the co-founders of Link Boba Tea. We moved to Utah back in 2021 originally for work and absolutely fell in love with everything this state had to offer from food to the various outdoors activities and decided to stay permanently! One of our favorite things to do together is discover new restaurants and explore the national parks and local hiking trails. We also have two cats, Abraham and Lincoln, with Lincoln being the inspiration for our name and logo (we named the company before adopting Abraham - we would never play favorites!). UMLF: For those who need the 411, what is Link Boba and where are you located? LBT: Link Boba operates through our Boba Box product which is an automated bubble tea kiosk that creates a drink for the customer on demand. We offer 3 flavors at a time and are open to feedback to what customers would like to see (QR survey) and can make those changes accordingly. We are currently located at Ogden Weber Technical College (OTECH) at 200 N Washington Blvd, Ogden, UT 84404. The Boba Box is located in the Student Union building right next to the cafeteria. We are hoping to expand over the next couple of years to some other locations in the Weber/Davis county area as well. UMLF: What inspired you guys to bring Boba to the Ogden area? LBT: When we first moved to Utah and was exploring the food scene, one of the things we noticed in northern Utah was the lack of bubble tea shops. Coming from Michigan where there were plenty of options, we were shocked at what we had in the area. One night on our way home from SLC after getting some boba, we were thinking of how cool it would be if there could be bubble tea machines. In diving into this a bit more we discovered this was actually a possibility and decided to take a leap of faith!
UMLF: What are some of your favorite flavors you offer?
LBT: Currently we offer Mango, Strawberry, and Thai Tea flavors with our personal favorite being Thai Tea. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? LBT: An ongoing challenge that we have faced are the mechanical flaws that come with the Boba Box. Michael, being our resident mechanical engineer, has been constantly making improvements such as with the water heater, ice machine, cup dispenser, etc. so that the process of creating a drink flows better and has less errors. To overcome this in the future, we have put together a list of requirements on what we will need to be built out in the next iteration of the Boba Box and have been in contact with the manufacturer to see what changes can be made moving forward. UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? LBT: The Utah Microloan Fund has been a huge help financially and also has provided lots of opportunities for us to learn about entrepreneurship from pricing to marketing strategies. We love that there is a community at UMLF that will always be there to help answer our questions and guide us in the right direction when needed. To stay in touch with Rosanna & Michael visit: Website: www.linkbobatea.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/linkbobatea Instagram: www.instagram.com/linkbobatea  We're here to say a big congratulations to our Spring 23 cohort of Banking on Women! Sponsored by Synchrony Bank, Banking on Women is an entrepreneurship program for women in Utah who are looking to start or grow a business. The curriculum covers all aspects of running a small business including business planning, market research, marketing, financial management, growth, and leadership. Our favorite part though is that while going through this class our participants often find that they make lifelong connections and friendships with the other ladies in the class. The program is hosted and taught by the amazing staff at Westminster College including Program Lead Deborah Marzano. Without Westminster and their ongoing expertise, this program could not thrive. These ladies committed 15 weeks of their lives to this program which entailed weekly three hour night classes + homework all while juggling running their businesses, families, and beyond. It takes a lot of chutzpah to commit to working on your business and taking it to the next level so these ladies deserve a huge round of applause! Millie, Lacey, Joy, Carlina, Brynn, and Jacene here's to you!
We are still accepting applications for our Fall cohort which will be held in-person in SLC on Westminster's Campus as well as a virtual cohort for Southern Utah. The deadline to apply is June 16th, learn more at www.utahmicroloanfund.org/bankingonwomen because this could be you!  Today marked the inaugural Carbon and Emery County Business Expo and we hope it's one of many to come! The event was held at the Business Technical Assistance Center, a coworking space located inside the Southeastern Utah Association of Local Government building. First off, the space itself brings together so many vital resources for small business owners in the area like business advising, a commissary kitchen, podcasting room, 3D printer, meeting space, and coworking desks. BTAC really embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship and working together as a community so it was the perfect place to hold the 1st annual business expo. The expo was a volunteer effort organized by representatives from both chambers of commerce, the city of Helper, USU, the BATC, the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, the SBDC, (and more!) and was definitely a labor of love to bring it to life. People in the area should consider themselves so lucky to have such amazing individuals on their entrepreneurial "team" because it definitely takes a village to start and grow your own business! I chatted with so many people the evening flew by like the Helper train! Chatting with budding new entrepreneurs and strategizing with existing business owners looking to grow made for great conversation. Us resource partners heard a lot of amazing ideas and it was fun connecting every business owner with the right resource for them. Participating vendors included:
  Owner Bella Tukuafu Johnson Utah Microloan Fund's May Business of the Month is none other than Kalo Clinical Research. A woman/minority-owned clinical research site local to the greater Salt Lake area. What makes them so special? We will let owner Bella Tukuafu Johnson tell you herself! Keep reading to learn more.
UMLF: Hi Bella! We’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month. Tell us about yourself. Bella: I am Bella Tukuafu Johnson, born and raised in a tiny town called Punalu’u on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. I’m the 9th child of 14 siblings (5th daughter of 7), raised in the mountains without electricity until I was 12 years old, where at that point we built an electrical plant run by the river so we had electricity moving forward. While we were poor in material things, we were extremely blessed in love and the abundance of goodness. I attended Kahuku High School where I built rich and lasting friends that continue today. I obtained a bachelor’s degree in international studies with an emphasis in Health at BYU Provo, and promptly secured employment at the University of Utah in the field of health research, focusing on cancer, pediatric and genetic research, inclusively providing me with over 14 years of research experience in health. My joy and priority of life centers around my immediate family consisting of my loving and supportive husband Floyd Johnson, and our incredibly cool kids, Olysia, Kalea, Sam, Uati, Ka’eo and Eva Johnson. My life experience and rich heritage have created a drive in me to learn, grow and expand my horizons, including the opening and growth of Kalo Clinical Research (KCR). UMLF: For those who need the 411, tell us about Kalo and what you do? Bella: For a medication to be approved for general use, it needs to be studied rigorously in a clinical trial to find out if it works, and if it is safe for use. We work to ensure new treatments are safe and effective and answer other questions about how to treat and prevent diseases. Today, people are living longer, healthier lives, due to medical advances driven by clinical research. Since 1990, there has been a 60% reduction in deaths for children under 5. Since 2000, 36 million lives have been saved by childhood vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. The chances of surviving cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis in the USA increased from 50% in 1970 to 67% in 2007. Kalo Clinical Research (KCR) is a people-focused branch of science. We offer superior on-site pharmaceutical clinical trials to patients with chronic medical conditions (like diabetes, heart disease, asthma, etc.), providing professional and positive experiences in research for those willing to volunteer and test the medication(s) for future patients. UMLF: Obviously representation matters in clinical research but what may not be so obvious are the consequences when there is a lack of diversity in this area. Can you tell about some of those? Bella: Until recently, researchers and clinicians assumed that what they learned about white male participants could be safely applied to anybody in medicine regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or other variables. We now know that this is not true. The same dose of medication does not affect a 350lb White male the same as it would a 120 lb Asian woman. African Americans and Latinos (and other communities) make up over 35% of the US population, but account for less than 8% of participants in many clinical studies. When it comes medical research, there is no standard or average human. The FDA has approved drugs which were proven to be safe and effective for overwhelmingly white study participants, but then were proven later unsafe and/or ineffective for minority populations. Unfortunately, racial and ethnic minorities experience more preventable disease and poorer health outcomes (health disparities in conditions like asthma, heart disease and diabetes), yet they are often not included in and rarely receive the benefits of research studies as often as white people are. Humans are generally more alike than not, and we are genuinely grateful for the work and volunteers from the white community who have helped to shape medicine up to this point. However, we must include other communities in research if we want to discover answers to the improvement of medicine for all. UMLF: Are there certain studies you continually have participation in or does it change over the years?Bella: We do our best to find clinical trials that will be beneficial to the communities we serve, providing medications related to heart disease, diabetes and asthma, as well as other necessary indications. The trials change over the years, and we will often taken on other indications, especially as we have interested physicians who want to work with us and provide trials specific to their fields, like gastroenterology, dermatology, etc. UMLF: It seems like your work will have long-lasting effects on the medical industry and that you should be super proud of the contributions Kalo is and will continue to have. Do you ever stop take it all in? Bella: We do feel very honored to be a part of the medical industry and know that what we have to contribute is very valuable. Every so often we do look back on our progress, on our impact on the neighborhoods and people we serve, and feel fortunate to be in the roles that we are in. Through clinical trials, patients are often given access to medical treatments that are not yet available to the public, with superior medical oversight. Insurance is not required for participation, and medications are typically offered at no cost with additional payment stipends for the participants to help cover the time and effort required to participate in the studies, often between $500-$5,000/study depending on the complexity of involvement. It is so satisfying when we can adequately educate and empower members of the community and people are able to take advantage of this resource not only for themselves but for those in the future. Additionally, we work within the community to inform/educate people about the opportunities available for employment within clinical research. Medicine is a field that many come to with the intent to alleviate people’s pain and suffering, and careers in healthcare offer high salaries and job safety. However, not everyone can obtain the higher-level education required for most of these jobs. We specifically reach out to those who are interested in health and science, but who (for whatever reason) haven’t had the chance to obtain higher education or degrees. Many careers in clinical trials do not require advanced degrees, but study coordinators average $60,491 per year in salary. We train and advance people from entry-level positions to polished medical professionals within the field. We strive to create an inclusive environment that engages all our employees and provide them with the capacity to develop and grow, both professionally and personally. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? Bella: I fell into the entrepreneur role by circumstance, and years ago would have never thought I’d be where I am now. It was immediately apparent how much I didn’t know about running a company (despite my expertise in the healthcare/research field), and as soon as I had the opportunity, I hired a business coach to improve my leadership skills as well as the operations and systems of the company. This has continued be one of the best investments I’ve made in myself and in the company. However, one of the main challenges that I continue to face is the financial viability and capacity to navigate the ebbs and flows of payments for work done from the pharmaceutical companies that we contract with. Sometimes we go for months without getting paid due to a myriad of reasons, which means we must be self-sustaining until we finally see the accounts receivables come through. I have often expressed how I feel we have the most incredible company, and we just need money. LOL. We have overcome this challenge by finding those willing to help us make it through until we are continuously cash-flow positive. UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Bella: Our funding from the Utah Microloan Fund came just in the nick of time, when payroll was due, and our existing funds had run out. Miracles like this have contributed to our continued progress and ultimate success, and we are infinitely grateful for the resource and the timing of the approval and receipt of the Utah Microloan Fund who helped us when no one else would. Thank you Bella! Keep up the amazing work that you are doing! To stay in touch with Kalo visit:   Omar, Abdul, and some of the SLC Econ Development Team This week is National Small Business Week and to celebrate we joined the Salt Lake City Department of Economic Development and their Business Development team for their Redwood Road Commerce & Culture Food Tour. Our group of participants got to stop by three local restaurants, meet the owners, and get a taste of what business is like for these treasured establishments within our city. We definitely left FULL of great food and conversation! Our first stop took us to Global Place Somali Restaurant located at 1151 S. Redwood Road Suite 101 where we met met Omar and Abdul. While they told us about the history of the restaurant, their culture, and their plans for the future, our group dined family-style. Sombusa, crispy fish, pasta, and more! It was hard to not fill up at our very first spot. Global Place is a collective of businesses for the Somali community including a market, barber shop, tailor, the restaurant and also serves as a gathering space for their community. It was fun to walk through and check it out.  The Lavulo Family & Roberta of SLC Econ Dev Next we ventured over to Pacific Seas, an authentic Polynesian restaurant that has been family-owned and operated for over 25 years. We kicked off our meal with Mango Otai, a deliciously sweet drink that we wanted seconds of. For food we tried Lu, (Taro leaves cooked in coconut milk), Sipi (lamb ribs), Umala, and some delicious sides. The Lavulo Family told us about each of the dishes and their stories about how they all come together to run the business together. City Councilman Alejandro Puy E also stopped by to join in the meal. Pacific Seas is also located at 1151 S Redwood Rd, Suite 107 and they are open every day except Sunday from 11am - 6pm.  Ishmael and Naweed of Noor Restaurant As our group walked to the third location, Noor Restaurant, we were looking at each other like "Can we fit more food? We're so full!". But the second we walked into Noor we quickly decided YES WE CAN! All that was missing was the red carpet as the owners really pulled out all of the stops. Tender lamb shanks, chicken skoor with rice and chappatti (like a thin butter naan), beef KK, creamy jalapeno sauce, fragrant rice, and tasty noodles were laid on the tables just waiting for us to dig in. Another family-owned eatery, Noor has been in business since 2011 and you can tell why when you take your very first bite. Noor is located at 1151 Paxton Ave Suite 108, just around the corner of the building that houses all three of these great restaurants. They're open from 11am - 9pm 7 days a week. All in all it was a fantastic day and we are super grateful for the team at SLC Economic Development for putting it together and introducing us to all of these fabulous restaurants!
  Ummm we have big news! Today we were recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Utah District Office as the SBA’s Microlender of the Year. Can we get a yee-haw?! 🤠
“The SBA understands that sometimes all an entrepreneur needs are a few thousand dollars to get their business up and running,” said Marla Trollan, Utah SBA District Director. “SBA Microloans were created to help small businesses and start-ups navigate the complex world of gaining capital. Without great credit, collateral, or so many years in business it can be almost impossible for entrepreneurs to get a traditional business loan. We are proud that the Utah Microloan Fund has been an amazing non-profit lending partner throughout the state of Utah." The National Small Business Week Awards Luncheon was held at Mountain America Credit Union in West Jordan. The event recognized the FY22 top performing SBA Lenders that administer the different loan programs the SBA has to offer. Delicious food, great company, and rousing speeches made the award ceremony a very special day. We're proud of our continued commitment to providing microloans and business advising to Utah's underserved communities and filling the financial gap for first-time business owners. Because of the support of the SBA, we are able to helps Utahns far and wide. Congrats to the other winners:
We can't wait to see what this year brings! ❤️  Are you a small business that often wonders what resources might be available for your business? Do you want to expand? Do you want to grow into new markets? Whatever stage you are in, this is the small business resource expo for you! Where: Business Technical Assistance Center @ 375 S Carbon Ave, Price, UT 84501 When: May 16th from 4-6pm Cost: Free! RSVP here Join us for an open house from 4-6pm where you can: - Network and learn about community and government resources available for helping small businesses. - Talk directly with representatives from small business and entrepreneurial support organizations about how they can help you grow your business. - Meet vendors who can help you with marketing, web design, and more. - Meet representatives from Helper and the Emery and Carbon Chambers of Commerce. - Learn about different funding options for your business. - Enjoy light refreshments while you mix and mingle. Participating vendors include:
Register now for the event here: Carbon & Emery Business Resource Expo  Hosted by the Business Technical Assitance Center.   So you're a small business owner who is in need of funding. Maybe you've bootstrapped it so far, borrowed from friends and family or even put together a Kickstarter. Whatever the case may be, if you are an entrepreneur who is now looking for a loan to help get you to the next step of growth, have no fear! Keep reading to learn some helpful tips that if followed could help you get the stamp of approval!
As a brief intro, we are the Utah Microloan Fund, a non-profit organization that since 1991 has provided microloans from $5k - $50k to small business owners throughout the state of Utah. As a CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) our mission is to help fill the gap of funding for first time entrepreneurs as well as underserved communities including minorities, women, Veterans, LGBTQ+, and rural. Over 30+ years of lending has led us to be pretty dang good at identifying what makes some applications meh vs outstanding so here's our list! Be proactive. 🏃♀️
Create a strong business plan & cashflow projection. ✏️
Request a reasonable loan amount. 💰
Have a clear Use of Funds. 📄
Don't even think about lying! 👀
Know your credit. 💵
Think of collateral or cosigner options. 🚚
Show off! ✨
By keeping these factors in mind and presenting a well-organized and thought-out loan application, you can increase your chances of getting approved for a loan. Good luck with your application and we look forward to working with you! Learn more at www.umlf.org.   Hey everyone, Sara here! You've probably seen me around at events, social media posts, or out and about but let me introduce myself. My name is Sara Day and I am the Program Manager of Training and Outreach for the Utah Microloan Fund. Which really is just a fancy way to say that my job is getting the word out about the UMLF and helping entrepreneurs across the state. Both of which I LOVE to do! If you follow us on social then you know that I have been traveling a bunch all over the state so I decided that I should start a travel blog on each of the unique areas I visit so keep reading if you want to tag along! I have always loved exploring all the little corners of Utah both big and small and learning about the history, vibes, and what's next for each area. My husband and I and our two dogs will pick a different place on the map and hit the road with our Utah Roadside History book & trusty trip journal and set out to fully immerse ourselves in that area. So you can imagine this is the perfect job for me because I get to do outreach across the state. Utah has an incredibly rich and diverse history. From our Indigenous tribes, pioneer history, mining, railroads, national parks, oil, tourism, skiing, the list goes on. As such, each of our 29 counties all face unique challenges, varied population density, booms and busts, different sources of income, etc. No two counties are the same and one solution does not fit all. But no matter where you go, there is always a chamber of commerce ready and willing to not only fight for the needs of their business community, but also bringing people together to support and nurture entrepreneurship. Many of these are run by volunteers! So you can imagine how happy I was to discover that a group of Utahns had put together the Rural Utah Coalition of Chambers (RUCC) whose purpose is to bring a united voice on the important causes that affect rural Utah businesses, share ideas and resources, and create dialogue with government officials and legislators. April 6th and 7th marked the 1st annual conference for RUCC and it was held at the beautiful Uintah Conference Center in Vernal, the Northeast corner of the state. Co-hosted by the Vernal Chamber, the conference was a big hit! Chambers from all over the state were in attendance to mix, mingle, and learn along with resource providers, government entities, economic development, local businesses and more. We heard from some amazing speakers on relevant topics to our state's rural areas - the economy, resources the chambers can bring back to their members, government programs available, grant writing and much more. There were also tours to local places of interest, my favorites being the the Hotel Vernal Haunt (scary even in the day time!) and the Innovation Hub for small business owners. We heard from City Manager Quinn Bennion about all of the huge changes the city of Vernal is implementing to revitalize their downtown and beyond. You can really see the love and passion behind all of these projects and how much people deeply care about their community. The organizing team behind RUCC did such an amazing job at providing a great conference for the over 200 attendees. We will definitely be back next year!  Flaming Gorge Lastly, Vernal is Dinoland and there is so much to do throughout the Uinta Basin. I am going to be ending my blogs with some of my recommendations for planning your visit to whatever area I journey to, so don't miss out! Here's what I have for the area:
Don't skip the history. There is so much to see and learn. Definitely carve out a significant part of your trip for this!
Get outside. Hiking, biking, boating, swimming, ATV trails, you name it, await.
Look for treasures at the vintage/thrift stores.
Eat, Drink and be merry.
Watch the calendar. Vernal has a TON of cool events so keep an eye on their event calendar for all of the happenings.
Until next time! - Sara  Owner Jonathan Cagnacci Nestled in the heart of American Fork, Màstra Italian Bakery and Bistro has been a beloved destination for foodies, focaccia enthusiasts, and Italian cuisine aficionados alike. From its authentic, artisanal bread to its mouthwatering bistro fare, our April Business of the Month has captured the hearts and taste buds of locals and visitors alike. To learn more about the story behind this celebrated bakery and bistro, we e-sat down with its owner, Jonathan Cagnucci. In our conversation, he shared insights on the passion and craftsmanship that goes into every Màstra creation, his philosophy on cooking, and what's next for the bakery and bistro.
UMLF: Hi Jonathan! We’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month. Tell us about yourself. Jonathan: “My name is Jonathan I'm the founder and owner of Màstra Italian Bakery Bistro. I'm married to Stefania, and we have together two daughters, Nicole, and Elena. I grew up in Genova Italy, developing a spontaneous interest for food, history and serving others. In 2001 at the age of 17 I started working at Panificio Mario, a historical bakery in downtown Genova, where I found my own dimension between traditional food and timeless baking techniques. In 2015 after I graduated in Italy as a Master Baker Instructor, I decided to start my own restaurant in Utah, to achieve my dream to serve the community by sharing quality Italian food and the beauty of Italian tradition.” UMLF: For those who haven’t dined at Màstra yet, what can they expect from their experience? Jonathan: “Màstra Italian bakery bistro comes from the idea of offering to the community real great food made from scratch and an amazing value for the money Italian experience. At Màstra there is a family atmosphere and the food in our menu is not sophisticated but it's made to taste just authentic and amazing. The interiors are not luxurious, they look clean and bright and celebrate the art of artisan food making. At Màstra you won't find fancy servers but our welcoming staff making sure that you have a great experience. Everything at Màstra is designed so you can be nourished by the flavors, the warmth and atmosphere of Italy spending an unbeatable money for value price.” UMLF: One of the menu options that immediately jumps out as a fan favorite in your reviews is your focaccia! What goes into making this must-try bread? Jonathan: “Focaccia Genovese means a lot to me. It's an important piece of my life and heritage. The Focaccia itself (fugassa in Genovese) derives from the Latin word focus, which means baked in a fireplace. The Focaccia Genovese was born in the harbor city of Genova in the Middle Ages, and it remains remarkably popular today. Bakeries across the city still bake focaccia all night through the morning, and almost everyone buys a slice daily. In Genova, focaccia is not just food, it’s a secular ritual. At the end of ‘500 in Genova, focaccia was so popular it was enjoyed with wine and other treats as part of wedding celebrations. Legend has it that since these celebrations occurred in church, focaccia eventually became a popular appetizer during funerals too. This tradition was quickly put to an end by the local Bishop Matteo Gambaro. He threatened to “excommunicate anyone, aristocrats or plebeians” as fugassa was deemed too joyous for such somber occasions. This portable, delicious flatbread is the beloved food of travelers, workers, and students even today in our times. For Màstra It's a true privilege to exclusively offer this delightful bread and charming tradition to the community here in Utah.” UMLF: The quality of your ingredients seems incredibly important to you, what is your process for sourcing the items that go into your dishes? Jonathan: “Since 2015, when I moved here, I began selecting as many local affordable quality raw materials as I could, to cook my family recipe for my relatives and friends. Still today I keep asking my friends who are part of the Italian community, if by chance they found any quality ingredient I can use in my kitchen. At Màstra we currently use over 20 ingredients imported from Italy, sourced from 6 different stores. We also use local flours and about 600/month organic basil plants locally grown, to make our fresh Pesto Sauce.” UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? Jonathan: “We first opened the restaurant doors in February 2021. Things started going great for us from the very beginning. Locals were super excited to finally have an authentic Italian restaurant in Utah County and so, pretty soon we began to be pretty popular and appreciated. A few months later in the October of the same year, my family and I had to go to Rome, for a two-week trip to get our US work Visas at the US Embassy. Well at that time this specific US Embassy was really overloaded with work, due to a shortage of employees from Covid 19, and the enormous amount of refugee Visas they had to issue for the Afghanistan crisis. So, our two weeks trip became a nightmare where my family and I got stuck in Italy, without the option to come back to the US, far away from my young business, our house, school, and lives. During this time, Màstra employees strived so much to keep the service consistent and make the customers happy. And so, after six weeks we all agreed that it would be just impossible to offer a sufficient service with such a reduced staff and lack of management. So, I had to close my young bistro, let go all of my employees, suppliers, connections, customers... everything. Even worse was the fact that I didn't really know if I would ever be able to open the restaurant again. In February 2022, after 4 months stuck in Italy, without ever hearing once from the Embassy, we finally got contacted about our Visas, and we were able to come back to the US and Utah. As we returned it took me a while to come back to check the restaurant. I was afraid to go see what was left there. After four days I took courage to go check. At this point I found this dusty, empty, quiet dining room. No customers were there, nor employees. No delicious smell nor laughs and cheers. Just desolation and ashes. Restarting again from the ground has been one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life. At that point, it was almost impossible to find employees and to reconnect to my original network. I'm a pretty optimistic guy and I rarely cry. Nevertheless, I remember one night, driving back home, after I spent the whole day trying to train these unskilled new guys, I found myself lost in tears. That night for a minute I really thought that I couldn't make it again. It's been a year since that chapter of my life. Today Màstra is stronger than ever, and business is doing amazing. Looking back, I feel humble and truly grateful for the support that I received from my family, employees, friends, customers, and local food bloggers that helped me to put back together all the pieces, one brick on top of another.” UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Jonathan: “Utah Microloan has been precious for the rebirth of my business. After 3 months since I reopened, I realized that I needed some new and better equipment to speed up my production and improve efficiency without having super skilled staff available. I needed some funds to fill that gap caused by losing my previous trained employees. UMLF has been a great tool that helped me to relaunch my business, in a short time. Still remember TJ has been so helpful and patient helping me to fill up and submit all the forms and information required for the loan. I also remember the day of my final interview with Brandon. He made me feel he was believing in me as an entrepreneur and in my project. That gave me that extra confidence that I needed in that controversial time of my venture. I'm still really grateful for UMLF for trusting me, believing in my project, and giving me the opportunity to boost my operation taking my kitchen to the next step.” To plan your visit to Mastras check out: Address: 476 N 900 W American Fork, UT 84003 Web: www.mastraorders.com Facebook: Mastra Italian Bakery Bistro  On March 21st, 2023 Square Financial Services announced the recipients of the 22 Squared Grant Initiative, a microgrant program launched in partnership with the Community Foundation of Utah. For the second year in a row, the program awarded microgrants to Utah-based nonprofits that focus on at least one of Square Financial Services’ community development pillars: small business development, affordable housing, reentry support and entrepreneurship, and financial capability and wellness.
In addition to providing 19 grants of $2,200 to nonprofits across the state, Square Financial Services awarded grants of $5,000 to three organizations for exceptional and innovative community development work: Utah Microloan Fund (UMLF): The Utah Microloan Fund empowers underserved communities throughout Utah by providing microloans up to $50,000, as well as business advice, classes, and management support to entrepreneurs. Over half of UMLF’s clients are recognized as being low-to-moderate income, and nearly one-third identify as women or minorities. UAACC Charitable Foundation: The Utah African American Chamber of Commerce (UAACC) Charitable Foundation is dedicated to developing young Black professionals, providing resources to small business owners, and growing wealth in Utah’s Black community through its wide breadth of programming. Working with various organizations across Utah, the UAACC offers mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities to high school students and young professionals of color with the goal of increasing the pipeline of Black talent from 8th grade to the C-Suite. Circles Salt Lake: Circles Salt Lake is focused on breaking cycles of poverty and addressing the systemic barriers people in low-income communities regularly face. As a community-led initiative, Circles staff and volunteers collaborate to offer financial literacy education, mentoring, peer-to-peer counseling, and connections to basic but vital resources like transportation, healthcare, and job opportunities. “We recognize the growing need for both funding and education for business owners in Utah, especially in underbanked populations,” said Doug Keefe, Executive Director of the Utah Microloan Fund. “Self-employment and microenterprise development offer a significant opportunity to provide income, and with this grant, we’ll be able to expand our grassroots outreach and offer resources to traditionally underserved communities across the state.” “Nonprofits throughout Utah have had a transformational impact and can help revitalize local communities,” said Lew Goodwin, CEO of Square Financial Services. “Many of last year’s grant recipients have provided programming, financial resources, and education to small businesses and entrepreneurs in minority, refugee, and low-to-moderate income populations. In partnership with the Community Foundation of Utah, we’ve expanded grant funds by nearly 30% this year to help even more nonprofits make strides in the critical community development work that ultimately leads to economic empowerment.” For a full list of winners, please visit: https://utahcf.org/community-impact/initiatives/293#2023-awardees About Square Square helps sellers more easily run and grow their businesses with its integrated ecosystem of commerce solutions. Square offers purpose-built software to run complex restaurant, retail, and professional services operations, versatile e-commerce tools, embedded financial services and banking products, buy now, pay later functionality through Afterpay, staff management and payroll capabilities, and much more – all of which work together to save sellers time and effort. Millions of sellers across the globe trust Square to power their business and help them thrive in the economy. Square is part of Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ), a global technology company with a focus on financial services. For more information, visit www.squareup.com.  Worthfull Media is the Utah Microloan Fund's March Business of the Month, and we can't wait for you to learn more about them! We digitally sat down with owner Christine Baird to learn all about Worthfull and what makes them worth every penny! UMLF: Hi Christine! We’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month. Tell us about yourself. Christine: "Hi and thank you! I am a media producer who loves podcasts, hosting, and design. After years in corporate sales, I did a career 180 and have been working in podcast production and media strategy since 2014. I worked on Lewis Howes’ brand, The School of Greatness, for four years, where I grew his top-ranked podcast from less than 1 million downloads to over 80 million. In 2018, I stepped away from producing that brand, moved to Salt Lake City from LA, and started Worthfull Media. Since then it has grown to support dozens of small businesses, personal brands, and larger endeavors in launching and growing their shows and impact." UMLF: For those who need the 411, tell us about Worthfull Media and what you do? Christine: "We are a boutique media production house that serves seasoned coaches, consultants, speakers, and authors who want to podcast and YouTube. Our core values are worth and well-being. We LOVE what’s possible when experts share their wisdom through podcasting and YouTube. We think it’s one of the very best ways to connect our human race and share the knowledge we are learning together. Our core values come from nearly a decade of working closely with recognizable personal brands and seeing the power — and pitfalls — of making media in the digital age. We make shows that share your most enticing ideas, thus attracting your ideal audience, without sacrificing your well-being or self-worth. We call it worthfull media." UMLF: What are some of your favorite productions that have taken place at the studio since you opened? Christine: "I have loved having my longtime friend and now client Magalie René in studio twice in the past few months to film two seasons of her new YouTube show, The C Word. She's a brilliant compassion and confidence expert who facilitates trainings in the corporate environment, plus she has great style and personality, so it's been really fun to bring her wisdom to a YouTube show and give her the full support of a studio and team. We also recorded Season 3 of our own podcast, Think Like a Producer, with my co-host Tiff Tyler, and we brought in guests to be our case studies as we showcased how to put together great video episodes in studio." UMLF: Do you have any advice for people who are thinking about getting into podcasting?
Christine: "Yes! It's a super powerful medium to share your expertise and ideas with your existing audience. No other media format creates the kind of intimacy that podcasting does, however, no one is very good at it when they start. So start! You'll get better as you go and learn a lot along the way. You'll pick up skills like owning your voice, being comfortable speaking publicly, and it may lead you to opportunities you could never imagine. It's a lot more fun when you hire people to help you with production, but it's okay to start on an amateur level and find your way." UMLF: It’s Women’s History Month. Do you feel proud of your accomplishments so far as a woman-owned business (you should!) and what does the future look like for you? Christine: "I do feel proud of myself for how far I've come as a small business owner. It was never my plan, but the path kept opening in front of me, and it's where I see the biggest possibilities for me to contribute to the world. Working in a male-dominated industry like online media, it's been really interesting to see how valued a female perspective and emotional intelligence is, so I plan on leaning more and more into those talents as I build out my team and clientele. We are doing way more YouTube shows now, which is why we opened our studio, and I see more of our future work being video-first." UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? "I think I've become so used to self-doubt, I'm numb to it, haha! It's been a wild ride to expand my business from a solopreneur shop to a full agency with a brick and mortar studio coming out of a pandemic, but I've learned to trust the next right step instead of trying to figure out the big picture right away. One of my biggest challenges is keeping in my lane and focused on what I know I do well, rather than getting tempted to just do it the way everyone else has been doing it. I want to make media better, so that means doing things differently." UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Christine: "Having kept my business fully remote until last year, I hadn't prepared for a physical location expansion in my business. But I kept getting the idea and seeing the possibility and then I found the perfect space, so I needed support to bridge the gap in my finances. UMLF was so helpful for a non-traditional business like mine that had been mostly a solo operation up until that point, and I'm so grateful for their support in thinking through how to make this expansion successful." Website: https://worthfullmedia.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/worthfullmedia Facebook: www.facebook.com/worthfullmedia   "For me, I just want my clients to feel like they are in a safe space. It's really about giving people time and the effort of allowing them to be seen." We love the philosophy of Josh Lucero, veteran hair guru and owner of the newly-opened Lucero Hair and Wellness salon. Located at 1095 S State Street in downtown Salt Lake City, we would like to introduce you to our February Business of the Month. Keep reading to learn more! UMLF: Hi Josh! We’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month. Tell us about yourself and why you started doing hair? Joshua: "I'm honored got be here and to have this platform to share my experience. I have lived in Utah for 16 years and have truly called it my home for the last 5. I grew up in phoenix and have slowly transitioned to the cold and the environment. I have had a traumatic childhood that has helped shaped me into the man I am today. With that being said, I had hit my rock bottom in life and hair saved me from myself. I have been doing hair for 10 years, and have finally been able to open my own hair studio, Lucero Hair and Wellness." UMLF: Lucero Hair and Wellness is an inclusive hair salon. Can you tell our readers more about what that means and the importance behind the decision? Joshua: "Of course! The past ways to book your services was as a “Men’s Haircut” or a “Women’s Layered Haircut” or any different variation of that. We have decided to do time-based services instead. This allows us to remove the gendered aspect of haircutting, and focus on the individual and their hair. We have clients who identify as a women, who have faced gendered haircuts, and vice versa for men. We also have people who identify as non-binary who have struggled to find somewhere to feel safe and seen, and we have decided to create that space for them. We aren’t the first to do it this way, but we are the first to push inclusion and acceptance." UMLF: What are some of your favorite services that are offered at the salon?
Joshua: "I love a good one hour hair service. I like to add a hot towel wrap, straight razor neck shave, and deep condition after a relaxing wash. I love to be pampered, so I would even book an hour and half and have someone give me a facial!" UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? Joshua: "Honestly, nobody teaches you how to do this. Especially in a tech college program. You literally start at the roughest draft and have to scrap the bottom and find resources. I wish there was an easier way for people to find resources and assistance. I am on a board for the Utah Hair and Creative Association, which helps people in creative industries find the resources they need to succeed. I hope to help people find their own success and to really push them to lead a team. Not everybody wants that, but allowing them the opportunity creates trust and community." UMLF: How has the Utah Microloan Fund helped your business? Joshua: "The skills and assistance to truly have the money has been monumental in my success. The UMLF has been a great advocate in bettering our communities and allowing business to thrive." Thanks Josh! Lucero Hair and Wellness also offers facial waxing, shaves, hair systems, color services, facials and more. To check out all of their offerings visit: Website: https://lucerohairandwellness.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/jlucerohair Instagram: www.instagram.com/lucerohair_andwellness   Owner Tania Rodriguez UMLF: Hi Tania! We’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month. Tell us about yourself. Tania: "I'm originally from Chihuahua Mexico, I shared the same dream as many as those who came to this Country, to build a better life for me and my family, I have lived in Ogden Utah for more than half of my life, my favorite part of Utah is the mountains and the people, Ogdentines accepted me and opened their arms to me until they made feel that I'm one of them, so this is my place to stay, Ogden is now what I can call home." UMLF: Tell us about Los Churros del Norte and why you decided to start your business? Tania: "Los Churros del Norte started as a business idea that with a lot of sacrifices and work it's now a reality. I'm a big fan of small business ownership, I think it's the backbone of American innovation. But to be successful you first have to have the courage to go for it. I'm an immigrant and Ogden is now my home. From a very young age I discovered that my mission in this life is to serve others, at the age of 12 I began my volunteer service and I continue to do so. Now I have a family to support and I had to find a way to generate money to continue helping others, now I not only help through the American Red Cross but also do my bit through my small business that one day will make a difference in our community, none of this could be possible without the support of my husband, my family and my community." UMLF: What are some of the different kinds of desserts you make and which is your favorite ? Tania: "We make 'Authentic Mexican Churros from scratch and by hand with dipping sauces like homemade dulce de leche, chocolate or vanilla. Coconut mango rice pudding and sopaipillas topped with strawberries and bananas, whipped cream and chocolate, dulce de leche sauce. My favorite is the churros because nobody makes them from scratch and in every bite the flavors take me to Mexico where I'm from." UMLF: Where can people find your delicious goodies? Tania: "People can find me in different events around Weber and Davis county, we often post where we will be on our Facebook and Instagram." UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? Tania: "The challenge that I faced as a small business owner was to start, it was hard to start and know that all can go wrong, but I consider myself a risk taker and I had to do it, I worked hard and I kept trying. It can be scary to start a business on your own, but I found great leadership and guidance from ULMF. I'm very grateful for them." To stay in touch with Los Churros follow them at:
 Small business owners have a lot on their plate. Between managing employees, dealing with finances, and trying to grow their business, it can be tough to find the time or resources to pursue new opportunities. That's where microloans come in! Here are five reasons why small business owners should consider a microloan:
Overall, microloans can be a great option for small business owners looking for flexibility, speed, and personalized support. If you're a small business owner considering your financing options, it's worth considering a microloan as a way to get the support you need to grow your business. If you are interested in pursuing a microloan please call (801) 746-1180 or visit our website at www.umlf.org.  The Utah Microloan Fund's Building Your Business series is a valuable resource for both brand new startups and business owners looking to grow their companies. The series, which is held virtually on a rotating schedule, consists of four classes: Proof of Concept, Pricing Strategy, Mastering Your Cashflow Projections, and Writing an Effective Business Plan. These classes are free and all are welcome to attend.
Overall, the Building Your Business series is a valuable resource for business owners of all levels. Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow your existing business, these classes provide the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the competitive world of entrepreneurship. Also by attending and learning about topics such as market research, pricing strategy, and financial projections, business owners can demonstrate to potential lenders that they have a strong understanding of their industry and the financial management skills needed to successfully grow their business. If you are considering applying for a microloan, this is a great place to start! About the UMLF: The Utah Microloan Fund has helped make business owners' dreams a reality since 1991 by providing business training, mentoring, and microloans up to $50k to Utah small business owners. We help people who:
To learn more visit: www.umlf.org or give us a call at 801-746-1180  Is there any better feeling on Earth than warming up your cold hands? Our December Business of the Month doesn't think so! Keep reading to learn more about Toasty Touch and why they should be #1 on your gift lift this year. 🎄 UMLF: Hey guys! We’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month. Can you introduce yourselves to our readers? “We're Nico and Natalie Dicou, co-founders of Toasty Touch and inventors of the world's thinnest heated gloves. We're a married queer couple. We work best when we're together, so you'll always find us strategizing and putting our brains together to solve a business dilemma. It's fun being in business with your best friend.” UMLF: Tell us about Toasty Touch and why you decided to start this business? “We started Toasty Touch because we saw that this product was not on the market and we decided that we could bring it to life. In Fall 2020, Natalie got diagnosed with Raynaud's, a circulation condition where your hands become icy cold and white in mildly cold temperatures. She tried every heated glove on the market, but they were all too bulky or too thick. You couldn't do the things you wanted to while wearing them. The bulky heated gloves made your hands warm, but you couldn't even pick up a phone call while wearing them. Natalie became obsessed with the idea of making battery powered heated gloves that were thin enough to let you type with or make a phone call while wearing them. Here's a blog she wrote about it: https://toastytouch.com/blogs/coldhandsblog/imafrostyblog UMLF: We’re sure there was a lot of trial and error with bringing your gloves to life. Can you tell us about your creation process?
“Creating these gloves took patience and effort, for sure. We had so many prototypes and designs and feedback sessions with our manufacturing team. We really wanted the fabric on the gloves to feel luxurious and comfortable, not too tight or rigid. We added touch screen pads to the fingers so you could use them with your phone or typing, and also made it so they are comfortable enough to wear for an extended period of time. They have three heat settings, and the rechargeable batteries fit into a small zipper pouch under the wrist. Right now we carry the gloves in the color black, but gray and navy blue will be hitting our store in a few weeks!” UMLF: Your gloves can obviously benefit so many people for different reasons! Have there been any surprising ways people have utilized your gloves that you didn’t expect? “We love hearing from customers on how they're using our gloves. While these were developed primarily for indoor use because of their lightweight nature, people from all walks of life have been using them. We've learned that crossing guards, photographers and mail carriers are big fans of Toasty Touch heated gloves. Anyone with cold hands can benefit from warm, soothing heat applied consistently all the way to your fingertips. Our reviews (https://toastytouch.com/pages/reviews) describe our product as "game-changing" and "life-altering". Our customers' reviews literally bring tears to our eyes when we read them because we know how much they are helping people. It's really wonderful to be a part of.” UMLF: Entrepreneurship has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? “We started this business almost a year ago in February. We picked a date to launch and announced it on our social media platforms. The day came, and we had tons of interest on our site and traffic coming from all over. We set the stock levels and launched the store. No sales. But there were tons of people on the site! What could be going on? Nico realized that on our product page, during a website theme update, the "add to cart" button had been accidently deleted and was not displaying. So there was no way for customers to check out! It was beyond frustrating to realize! After designing and implementing our whole store and launching the site, Nico had forgotten to double check the add to cart button was live! In that moment, Natalie gave a good pep talk to Nico, she refocused and added it back to the store with a little on the fly coding. We were able to get back on our feet and have an exciting first sales day of our ultra-thin heated gloves. It totally was unexpected and just something we had to work through together It just goes to show that even when you plan for everything, things you already thought were covered pop up and say "Pay attention to me!" As an entrepreneur it's up to you. You have to handle these moments with grace and patience, and it will most likely make you laugh looking back at it!” UMLF: How has the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? “The UMLF helped our company Toasty Touch immensely by providing a loan to our business when we were needing to ramp up our Google ad spend and order more inventory. It could not have come at a better time because it set us up for success and our biggest sales months ever. Thank you to the UMLF team for believing in us and helping us get our ultra-thin heated gloves out into the world!” To stay in touch with Toast Touch visit: www.facebook.com/toasty.touch www.instagram.com/toasty.touch https://toastytouch.com  UMLF: Hey Will! We're excited to interview you as our Business of the Month for Xtreme Foamworx. Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
"I am Will Laird; I grew up on a large cattle ranch outside Evanston, Wyoming, where I acquired many skills I use in my business today. Grit, hard work, and determination that I can do anything are some of those skills I use. I have lived in the St George area for five years. My wife and I have come to enjoy the St George area and the people we know in this area. I am the father to 2 amazing boys who are in sports and school. I volunteer as a football coach on my son's team and enjoy fishing and hunting when I get the time to do so." UMLF: Tell us about Xtreme Foamworks and why you decided to start it. Will: "Xtreme Foamworx is a custom foam fabrication business. We take large billets of foam and make almost anything a person can think of out of that foam to serve its purpose. I have been in this industry for 10+ years now and have made a point to be the one to make the "impossible" possible. We started the business because we desired to take more control of our financial future and to serve the area with a local shop to handle the needs of our growing city. When I moved down to St George, I left a similar business up in Utah county and had many business friends who wanted us to start a foam company. So we started up Xtreme Foamworx LLC. We started with a 5000 sq ft shop in Evanston, Wyoming and a portion of the shop in St George. We made many weekly trips up and back to the Wasatch Front to get materials and deliver goods. After a year and a half, we could start completing truckload orders and making fewer trips with more work. In 2019 we hired our first employees in the St George area, and things took off." UMLF: For someone who isn't familiar with foam fabrication, what are some of the things people can order from you? Will: "At Xtreme Foamworx, we make custom stuff. We have helped make prototypes to large runs of architectural shapes for the stucco to packaging components for all types of products. We have become known for our large sculptures. We serve anyone from a single person to large-scale businesses." UMLF: You get to work on so many cool things. Do you have a favorite project you can tell us about? Will: "Some of my favorite projects we have worked on have been the big ones! The 1st large project we took on was the Evermore Park pumpkins. This project tested our new business in 2018 to produce 26 pumpkins that would range in height from 6ft tall to 24' tall. We had five weeks to create these and made it on schedule. Another project was a much more recent one, and that was working with Tuacahn Theatre on their sets for the 2022 summer shows. We made large props and set pieces that they designed. We made the parts with different foam densities and hard coats, and then they did the magic of scenic painting for a fantastic set. One last one was from 2021. Paparazzi reached out to us,and we had to excellent opportunity to make some amazing sculptures for their event in Las Vegas. We made ten balloon animal sculptures that were 6 ft tall to 10 ft tall and some signs and large letters. Lots of creativity, time, and hard work went into each project. I don't always know the exact method. I will build some of the projects that come, but we always find a way. What makes these projects my favorite is the creative aspects we had to approach these with to make them." UMLF: What would your dream project be? Will: When we get creative projects, we always enjoy them and their challenges. The dream project is creative, complex, and fully funded. I would love to make the dream set sculpture or feature for someone with the budget to do it and the timeframe to make it fit their dreams. UMLF: Entrepreneurship has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced a small business owner and how you overcame it? Will: "One of our toughest challenges was getting our funding into place once we established business. We were initially funded by a family friend who gave us a three-year loan to build machines and get up and going. Once we had the machines built and business was moving forward, we realized we needed to grow to be more successful. In the last two years, we have struggled with establishing credit limits with our vendors as we didn't have a company credit card until last year. We had to pay for all materials upfront, and most customers would pay COD or net 15. As we have grown our customer base to larger companies, they will extend us to a net 30-45. I had to be the squeaky wheel and push to meet with the right people to get our credit line with our leading supplier. This was a six-month struggle, with me persisting with my sales rep, his supervisor, and the company's vice president to arrange a meeting to get set up. Once I accomplished the line of credit has helped us grow and maintain a much better cash flow." UMLF: How has the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Will: "Utah Microloan Fund was vital in helping us gain the working capital we needed to grow our workforce to handle our increased workload. The process with UMLF was straightforward. We had a guiding hand through the process; if any questions arose, we had someone to reach out to and help. We have been highly grateful for the willingness of UMLF to help small businesses that banks want to turn away before they know the business. I have recommended the UMLF to many entrepreneur friends in the state to get their businesses to the next step." To check out more from Xtreme Foamworx visit: Website: www.xtfoam.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/Xtfoam Instagram: www.instagram.com/xtreme_foamworx  Owners Marley Nelson & Kelsey Grunigen UMLF: Hey guys! We’re excited to interview you as our Business of the Month. Can you introduce yourselves to our readers?
UMLF: Tell us about Wild Mesa and why you decided to start your own biking venture?
UMLF: Are these tours better for beginners or all skill levels?
UMLF: In an outdoor state such as ours there are lots of different companies to choose from when booking a tour. Why is Wild Mesa a cut above the rest?
UMLF: Entrepreneurship has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced a small business owner and how you overcame it?
UMLF: How has the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business?
UMLF: Aw thanks guys! To stay in touch with Wild Mesa or to book a tour please visit:  August is Black Business Month, a time to acknowledge and appreciate Black-owned businesses across the nation and all they represent in America's continual striving for diversity and equality. While it is of incredible importance to focus your efforts on these communities during the month of August, it goes without saying that this should be kept top of mind year-round.
Why?
So what are the best ways to get involved? With Your Dollars Shop at Black-owned businesses. Restaurants, hair salons & barber shops, clothing stores, gifts -- Utah has it all if you know where to look! Two of our favorite directories of local Black-owned businesses throughout the state are:
With Your Network Even if you’re not able to monetarily support Black owned businesses to the extent you would like, spreading the word is just as important! Building awareness is something you can't put a price on.
With Your Connections Utah has some pretty amazing resources for small business owners, but people don't always know about them.
Our mission is to help small business owners across the state of Utah access funding and training, with a focus on the underserved. Our microloan program is available to business owners wanting to get their idea started or to grow their existing business. In addition, the UMLF provides virtual classes as well as a digital class library for small business owners. These are free and open to the community. Learn more here: UMLF Classes Use the hashtag #utahblackbusiness to tag your excursions and make a habit of celebrating Black businesses this month and every month. ❤️ |
