Alfred Enchill, Founder and CEO of Elegant Stitches, started by selling garments at trade shows but found that his embroidered apparel gained more traction. In 1997, pivoting his sales strategy to accommodate the growing demand for embroidery, Alfred created Elegant Stitches in his basement and later brought on his son Auric to help him grow it to where it is now. With 25 years under their belt, Alfred and Auric wanted to jumpstart company growth, leading them to enroll in the BEI. The pair knew that through BEI, they would have access to the right resources, people, and financing.
In addition to being matched with a BEI Strategic Advisor, the Elegant Stitches team was coached by a BEI marketing specialist. The specialist helped the team develop a long-term marketing plan consisting of email marketing, social media campaigns, and seasonal sample products to send to corporate prospects. The marketing strategy is backed by proper software implementation to support these efforts. On the sales front, Al and Aurie’s BEI Strategic Advisor was able to help them develop sales targets and create strategies to help them hit their targets.
Elegant Stitches has properly executed their plan, and as a result, has seen nearly 100% growth in sales year over year. Additionally, the father and son duo were able to make two hires adding a full-time administrative assistant to allow them to concentrate on sales and strategy. They are also evaluating the possibility of acquiring another company.
Massachusetts businesses and donors could benefit from $375,000 in state tax credits recently awarded to Nectar Community Investments.
The credits give donors a 50% break on their state taxes for contributions to Nectar, a community development financial institution that assists small-business owners and homeowners with guidance and capital.
The nonprofit works in Massachusetts communities where there’s usually not much access to either.
In a news release Tuesday, Nectar said it received the maximum award under the Community Investment Tax Credit Program of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.
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Small Business Loan Officer Kristin Wallace recently served on a panel at the City of Lawrence’s Capital Access event, where she connected with local small business owners, startups and aspiring entrepreneurs about how Nectar’s products can support their growth. We caught up with Kristin after the event to hear her perspective on the challenges that small businesses face in accessing capital and what resources are available to them here in Massachusetts.
For small businesses looking to grow, what are some of the biggest barriers in accessing capital?
Many of the entrepreneurs we serve face systemic barriers that go far beyond credit history or collateral. Racism, language access challenges, immigration status, gender bias, and limited access to fair and affordable financial products all contribute to persistent funding gaps. Capable, experienced business owners in historically disinvested communities are often denied capital because traditional financial systems were not designed with their experiences or realities in mind. As a result, entrepreneurs of color, women business owners, and low-income entrepreneurs are frequently underfunded — not because they are underprepared, but because the system itself is not equitable.
What is Nectar doing to overcome those barriers?
Nectar is committed to reimagining how capital flows to historically disinvested communities. We …
Nectar Community Investments, a community development financial institution (CDFI) and community development corporation (CDC), has received $375,000 in tax credits from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) program. Nectar received the maximum award, which incentivizes donors with a 50 percent refundable state tax credit to support the organization’s work of providing capital, advisory services and other assistance to small business owners and homeowners.
“We’re grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for this impactful award, which recognizes the integral role that CDCs like Nectar play in building generational wealth in Massachusetts,” said Nectar Executive Director Glynn Lloyd. “As we continue in our mission to grow the assets and wealth of underserved communities, we encourage donors across the Commonwealth to take advantage of this win-win opportunity: earning state tax credits while investing in economic mobility, climate resilience and more.”
Since its launch in 2012, the CITC program has been a flexible, unrestricted and integral source of funding for CDCs and civil society organizations (CSO), promoting local innovation and long-term impact. At Nectar, CITC contributions seed new programs and drive innovations, support ongoing programs and operations, fill funding gaps, and leverage other resources. Donors receive a 50 percent …