The VWEC in alignment with its mission to leverage public/private opportunities has partnered with PeopleFund; through an initial grant provided by American First National Bank, to create the Business Growth & Access to Capital (BGAC) Loan Fund for women veteran and female military spouse entrepreneurs, which will open officially open October 2020.

Join us Monday morning for an in-depth conversation about the VWEC’s new BGAC and the continuing challenges facing minorities, women, and veterans  to access capital as they work to grow and expand their businesses; particularly, in this era of COVID 19.

As recently as June 2020, Tamara E. Holmes outlined in an article entitled “Women Business Owners Lack Access to Peers, Capital” a joint effort by the women’s leadership organization, C200 and Wilmington Trust, a wealth advisory firm to assess the future prospects of business owners. Their survey found immunities to potential business obstacles impact both genders, yet females reported that their start is more likely to be at a disadvantage. Their survey uncovered the following:

-  26% of women reported a lack of peer networks impacted business growth

-  47% of women-owned businesses received businesses loans compared to 61% of men that applied based data from New York and the Kansas City Federal Reserve

-  On average, women received 61% of capital sought compared to 68% received on average for men according a survey by Wilmington Trust and C200.

-  50% of women reported spousal involvement with their business compared to only 39% of men

-  16% of women entrepreneurs believe they will never obtain inequity in access to capital double the percentage of men who believe the same is true. 

What are we doing to address systemic issues as well as those created and/or made more intense by the current pandemic?

How is the financial community partnering to answer the call for more access to capital for women to recover and stabilize their businesses?

MEET OUR GUESTS:

Gustavo Lasala | President & CEO | PeopleFund

Gustavo Lasala, PeopleFund’s CEO, is a seasoned leader with broad domestic and international experience that includes organizations considered exemplars of financial inclusion in USA. Prior to PeopleFund he helped Opportunity Fund, Oportun and LiftFund achieve leading positions at a national level. Over his CDFI career, Gustavo deployed more than $600 Million, managed organizations with assets in excess of $150 million and raised or helped raise close to $200 Million in capital.

In 2015, he co-founded Listo, a financial services company serving Low- and Moderate-Income Hispanics through a network of technology-enhanced stores. He led Listo through 2019, growing it from one to five stores serving tens of thousands of clients and leaving the organization on a solid path to profitability.

Gustavo is a long-term CDFI industry-veteran and advocate. He has served on various boards including the board of AEO and OFN and has participated of industry panels for the Federal Reserve of Dallas, Microfinance California, TACDC, OFN and AEO.

Gustavo has a Master in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

Grant Bennett | Director, Veteran Programs | PeopleFund

Grant joined the PeopleFund team as intern in August of 2014 and hired full time in October 2014 as the Lending Support Officer.  He was a Senior Underwriter from March 2016 to April 2018.  Grant is now the Director of Veteran Programs at PeopleFund.  He joined PeopleFund in 2014 and has worked in several departments within the organization.  Grant now works to increase access to capital, business education, and training for military veteran entrepreneurs and their families.  Grant is a US Army and Texas Army National Guard veteran.  He has a BBA in Business Management from St. Edward’s University and a MS in Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas at Austin.

Jemerell Rogers | Director of Lending | PeopleFund

Jemerell Rogers, Director of Lending, is responsible for outreach efforts and loan originations statewide. Jemerell began his career in 2001 as Teller with Bank of America. He developed a solid understanding of retail banking holding various positions in Wells Fargo, One West and IBC where he worked as Branch Manager. As Business Banker, he was invited to meet with Wells Fargo CEO for his outstanding performance. As Manager, he attained superior origination performance, customer satisfaction and staff retention. He honed his management and administration skills as owner at Saenz Trucking Co and after a brief tenure in the processing department DR Horton Builders, he joined PeopleFund in 2016, helping grow its small business loan portfolio from $18 to $35 million.

FACILITATOR:

VR Small | Founder & CEO | Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center

VR Small, is the founder and chief executive officer for the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center (VWEC), a national initiative launched in southern Dallas.  VR testified for the original House Bill to make June 12, Women Veterans Day in Texas.  This year, VR led the launched of the first annual statewide Women Veterans Day Pitch Competition highlighting the innovations and economic impact of current/potential women veteran entrepreneurs.  VR serves on the Advisory Committee for TWU’s Center for Women Entrepreneurs and is a fellow of SMU’s Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity—Inclusive Economy, Dallas Public Voices, the Bush Institute Stand-to-Veteran Leadership Program and is featured in Dallas Innovates: The Future 50 North Texans.  VR is the SBA’s DFW District 2020 Veteran Small Business Advocate of the Year and serves on the 30th Congressional District Veteran Advisory Committee.

In alignment with the VWEC’s mission, VR just completed phase one of the Moments That Matter Research Project exclusively focused on women veteran owned businesses in the DFW metroplex with the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank and has currently launched phase two with SMU’s Hunt Institute, Global Development Lab to conduct a series of national focus groups.

Most importantly, VR is a Navy Veteran, proud stepdaughter, and sister to U.S. Army Retired Vietnam & Iraq Veterans, respectively. Living her personal slogan “Changing the way we see the world and do business,” VR is a motivational speakers, moderator, educator and advocate specifically for women veteran as well as women and small businesses in general—driving social and economic change across our nation.