Access to Capital
MEET KESHIA VILLAS
We are excited to have Keshia Villas on board as the new KC Chamber’s Access to Capital Program Administrator! Keshia brings program management experience to her role and works closely with Vicky Kulikov, Small Business Director. She is excited to get to know you and help you get connected to our access to capital programming. (Many of you may have already been in touch!) Outside of her Chamber work, Keshia runs her own small business. She understands and relates to the daily struggles and joys of being an entrepreneur. We are fortunate to have her expertise and talent for this important work, funded by a 3-year grant from The Kauffman Foundation. If you would like to set up time to connect with her, email her at kvillas@kcchamber.com.
For fun, Keshia enjoys traveling with her husband, trying restaurants around Kansas City, and volunteering at their church. She lives in the Parkville area with her husband Dan and their cat Harvey Specter.
ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATION (ESO) SPOTLIGHT
AltCap has been a longstanding pillar in our business community helping underserved business owners access the capital they need to grow their businesses.
Every year they host a pitch competition, granting thousands of dollars to business owners in the KC area. This year, the pitch competition will come to a culmination on November 16 at the Global Entrepreneur Week (GEW) conference (November 15-17). Get your submission in now, because there are only a few days left to apply! The submission deadline is October 8.
UPCOMING EVENTS
October 8
AltCap Your Biz Pitch Competition Submission Deadline
October 19
SEO, Algorithms and Analytics – Oh My!
Virtual and In-person at Mid-Continent Public Library Colbern Road Branch
12:00-1:00 pm
October 24
QuickBooks Fundamentals – for Online Users (Cost $199)
Regnier Center at Johnson County Community College
8:30 am – 12:30 pm
November 15-17
Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) Conference
Plexpod Westport
November 17
Capital Connections Happy Hour*—Registration to open soon
1923 Event Space
Plexpod Westport Common Auditorium
4:00-6:00 pm
*This is a networking time for small business owners and lenders.
TIP FROM A LENDER
Building a strong relationship with your banker can be crucial for the success of your small businesses. In order to help a business owner establish and maintain a positive and productive relationship, here is a tip that a business should consider. Maintain open communication: Communicate regularly with your banker, not just when you need something. Keep them informed about your business’s progress, challenges, and plans for the future. Avoid a transactional relationship.
Theodis Watson
Community Development Banking
CrossFirst Bank
COMING SOON
Look forward to learning more about the following in future newsletters:
- Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs) in the community
- Lending products by financial institutions in our community
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Keshia Villas at kvillas@kcchamber.com or 816-374-5443. Thank you!