Where’s the money? That’s the question a lot of us are asking when it comes to gaining access to capital during these challenging times. Eager to share her own experience is entrepreneur Tricialee Riley, who will be a featured panelist in the Securing Capital in a Tight Credit Market
session at this year’s Entrepreneurs Conference in Detroit, May 17-20. “I was amazed when the bank turned down my request,†admits the owner of Polish Bar in Brooklyn, New York, a full-service salon in the trendy Clinton-Hills neighborhood. But Riley didn’t let the setback to deter her. She knew her business was profitable and in excellent shape to take on the debt: 2006 revenues were near the $500,000 mark and they had increased around 57% for 2007, and around 25% as of August 2008. So the 34-year-old entrepreneur redirected her efforts from a large lender to community banks instead. This time she was successful, securing enough capital to open a second Polish Bar location in January 2009. This session is a must for those who can’t afford to have their entrepreneurial endeavors sidetracked.