Difference Makers 2.0 is a new yearlong series from Native CDFI Network and Tribal Business News that highlights how Native community development financial institutions (CDFIs) work alongside their small business clients to accelerate change and create economic opportunities in Native communities.
In this latest episode, “Difference Makers 2.0” sits down with Chi-Ishobak Executive Director, Sean Winters, and clients Wayne Roberts, his wife Julie, and their three children, Meagan, Jordan, and Justin who pitch in to help with the family business, Great Lakes Flooring Specialists Inc. This Native-owned small business found support in Chi-Ishobak to grow their flooring business from a single hospital contract to a thriving regional company.
Chi-Ishobak was officially founded in 2009, and began lending in 2012. To date, the CDFI has closed some 1,224 loans — including 80 commercial small business loans — to the tune of $17 million.’
Executive Director Sean Winters describes the Chi-Ishobak’s evaluation of potential borrowers as “less invasive” than traditional banks. Borrowers are evaluated not just on their ability to pay, but also on their willingness to pay.
“Our whole mission includes responsible lending, and we also want to create an enjoyable experience for our tribal citizens,” Winters said. “That willingness component has allowed us to be a little bit more alert when we are going through our applications.”
Wayne Roberts, a citizen of the Sioux St. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, had been installing commercial flooring for 35 years when he had the opportunity to start his own flooring business in 2015.
The business soon became Great Lakes Flooring Specialists Inc. and grew into a family affair, with Wayne’s wife, Julie, and his three children, Meagan, Jordan, and Justin, all pitching in.
With each job — as is standard in the commercial flooring industry — Great Lakes Flooring had to pay upfront for supplies before completing a job, with payment coming 40-60 days after billing. For large commercial jobs, those upfront costs could run upwards of $100,000.
In addition to issuing Great Lakes Flooring a $50,000 line of credit to help fill the cash flow gaps between ordering supplies and receiving full payment, Chi-Ishobak gave the Roberts family technical assistance to grow their business acumen.
“They were able to give us knowledge, not just capital,” Jordan said. “They provided coaching and support and helped us figure out what we were doing wrong and what we were doing right. We would not have gotten far without them.” From a single hospital contract to a thriving regional company, Great Lakes Flooring Specialists Inc. was built on tradition and teamwork. Listen to episode two to discover how this Native family-owned small company, found success with the help of Chi-Ishobak.
BENTON HARBOR, Mich., and Dowagiac, Mich. – The Women’s Business Center (WBC) at Cornerstone Alliance recently announced a partnership with Chi Ishobak, Inc.
The WBC is the leading regional provider of technical, business, and financial assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs. In partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the WBC emphasizes assisting women, people of color, veterans, and socially or economically disadvantaged individuals.
Chi Ishobak, Inc., promotes the improvement of the financial capacity of all Tribal members by equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and confidence that they need to make informed judgments and to make effective decisions concerning their current and future personal and household circumstances.
“The Women’s Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance is excited to announce the partnership with Chi Ishobak, Inc., in support of native entrepreneurs by providing technical assistance that will enable them to secure much-needed capital to start and grow their businesses,” said Kristen Patzer, Director of the WBC.
This partnership acts as a referral program, sending Tribal Citizens to the WBC to prepare them with necessary business materials before requesting a loan. The WBC will provide free one-on-one business counseling to assist aspiring entrepreneurs with business plan creation and more.
By building capacity for Tribal Citizens, Chi Ishobak, Inc., is helping rebuild the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi as well as Indian Country into supportive and nurturing communities, strong in language and culture.
“I cannot express how excited Chi Ishobak, Inc. is to partner with Cornerstone Alliance and the Women’s Business Center to provide Small Business Development assistance to tribal entrepreneurs,\” said Sean Winters, Chi Ishobak, Inc., Executive Director. \”The high level of expertise, experience, and resources the WBC brings to Chi Ishobak’s Commercial Loan Program contributes another layer of opportunity for both start-up and existing Native-owned businesses.”
Cornerstone Alliance is a non-profit, investor-governed economic development organization. Our focus is to increase employment opportunities, private sector capital investments, and the local tax base in Michigan\’s Great Southwest. We offer specialized business services, particularly in economically distressed areas. For more information: https://cstonealliance.org/
About Cornerstone Alliance Small Business Services We provide technical, business, and financial assistance to small businesses with an emphasis on income-disadvantaged and women-owned businesses. The Women\’s Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. For more information: https://www.cornerstonewbc.com/
One of our longtime partners at Chi Ishobak has been Steve Rider, Government Manager at Pokagon Band of Potawatomi. We started working with Steve when he lived in Seattle. Despite not growing up in the Michigan area, he began learning about his tribe as it started communicating with citizens afar.
He learned about Chi Ishobak from this connection at the perfect time. He and his wife were beginning a women’s self-defense training studio in Seattle and needed the capital to start the business. Not only were they able to get funding, but they received coaching from Sean and our team to build their business plan.
Later, Steve retired from his career as a law enforcement officer and relocated to Michigan to get to know the tribe better. He re-entered the workforce in our area and later became Government Manager with the tribal government, a role which he describes as “Ensuring that what the council sets forth is accomplished.”
Over the years, he’s also taken out auto loans with Chi on a few occasions. Steve praises Chi’s ability to deduct payments from stipends so that it’s easy to stay up-to-date on payments. Then over time, clients build up a credit history and a good credit score without ever having to think about it.
He also adds, “I’ve been impressed from the government perspective on how much effort goes into citizen services from Chi.”
To anyone that wants to improve their financial health, Steve recommends starting with a phone call to Chi. Because they are so focused on helping citizens, they will happily refer you to someone who can help if you aren’t a fit for the loans they offer. They want to be a true partner with tribal citizens and give them the tools they need to be successful. “To those on the fence about working with Chi, contact them and they’ll point you in the right direction.”
One of the most important things that Chi Ishobak offers is its budgeting tools and philosophies. Steve says for him it’s been life-changing and, “After just a few years of working with Chi and taking their advice and guiding my own personal finances, it has really paid dividends for me.”
We’re happy to work with Steve both as a client and as a partner in helping to empower tribal citizens.
(July 2020) After years of working in Human Resources and Talent Development – along with a stint in Culinary school in NYC – J Dutton has taken a much-loved hobby and side hustle and is turning it into a full-fledged business. A very sweet one.
J elaborates: \”I created BrOn’s Confections in 2012. It has been a hobby/home business since then. I am now purchasing commercial equipment and am trying to transition this into a true business.
Inspired by the single mother who raised the family working 2 or 3 jobs, the name BrOn\’s is a combination of her maiden name and the family\’s last name: Br’ from Bristol/Brown and ‘On’ from Dutton. J recalls \”She was the proudest and strongest person I ever knew. She sacrificed a lot for us kids. She passed in 2005 from complications from COPD that she developed while working in a plastic factory. This is a way to honor her and keep her memory alive.\”
While he is still currently looking for investors, J expounded on how he connected with Chi Ishobak for help launching his business. \”I’ve worked with Chi since I began working for the Pokagon Government in 2016. I embraced the history and culture completely. When I was furloughed and my position eliminated due to the COVID shutdown, part of my soul was taken. I was able to work with Chi as part of the Pokagon umbrella but have also been able to collaborate with them on projects. When I started looking for funding to start purchasing some equipment to start the transition to a full business, Chi was my only thought. I trust them and know they have my back.\” Sean Winters, Chi Ishobak\’s Executive Director said “Our CDFI was created as an effort of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indian tribal government to assist businesses get started or expand, and J\’s venture is right up our alley. Happy to be part of this growing business!\”
With bon bon\’s, barks, bars and cheesecakes, BrOn\’s has got something for every sweet tooth and appetite. Take a look (and a bite!) at www.bronsconfections.com.
About Chi-Ishobak
Chi Ishobak is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was established in 2009 promote the improvement of the financial capacity of all Tribal members by equipping them with the skills, knowledge and confidence that they need to make informed judgments and to make effective decisions with respect to their current and future personal and household circumstances. Chi Ishobak provides tribal citizens with the tools and opportunities needed for meaningful lives and self-sufficiency, whether through employment, self-employment, or traditional life-ways.
By building capacity for Tribal Citizens, Chi Ishobak is helping rebuild the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi as well as Indian Country into supportive and nurturing communities, strong in language and culture. For more information: www.chiishobak.org
Dowagiac, MI – Flagstar Bank is keeping a promise and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the communities it serves by giving $1 million in grants to help small businesses owned by Black, Indigenous and people of color whose operating expenses are impacted by COVID-19. Flagstar has partnered with Chi Ishobak to vet and administer the grants.
\”Matt Wesaw, Tribal Chair, made a connection with Flagstar a few weeks ago and this opportunity was presented\” said Sean Winters, Executive Director of Chi Ishobak. \”Matt felt this would be a good fit for us and made the introductions and we were able to find a fit between our organizations. It is another positive opportunity for our small native-owned businesses to continue along the road of recovery.\”
Chi Ishobak will be marketing the grants to their current clients, but are also available for any black, native or people of color-owned business within the Flagstar target markets of Michigan, Indiana and California. Chi will be providing 18 grants of $5,000 each.
Interested applicants can find out more information by going to www.chiishobak.org. To apply, you will need to provide: Most recent tax filing, most recent two months of bank statements, a Certificate of Good Standing and a W-9.
About Flagstar
Flagstar Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: FBC) is a $29.5 billion savings and loan holding company headquartered in Troy, Mich. Flagstar Bank, FSB, provides commercial, small business, and consumer banking services through 160 branches in Michigan, Indiana, California, Wisconsin and Ohio. It also provides home loans through a wholesale network of brokers and correspondents in all 50 states, as well as 87 retail locations in 29 states, representing the combined retail branches of Flagstar and its Opes Advisors mortgage division. Flagstar is a leading national originator and servicer of mortgage and other consumer loans, handling payments and record keeping for $227.4 billion of loans representing slightly over 1.1 million borrowers.