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Seeing our clients achieve key milestones is what drives our work at BCL of Texas. From startups that have expanded to multi-employee businesses to families buying their first homes, our success all comes down to you.
Denise Gee Uzzelle came to the BCL of Texas Business Assistance Center with an idea for a new business. By the time she had completed last summer’s Microenterprise Bootcamp hosted by BCL, she had formed Starting Point Human Capital Advisors, LLC. Starting Point provides a full suite of HR services including recruiting, policy development and employee retention, scalable for businesses of any size. Thanks to her dedication and drive, she quickly secured a staffing contract with a multinational Fortune 100 corporation, and a little over a year later her business continues to grow.
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BCL is known for our small business lending programs, but did you know we also work with partners like city and local governments to help them reach small businesses for grants like covid-19 relief packages? Since the start of the pandemic, we have distributed over $11.5 million in grant relief funding to over 300 businesses.
One of our early customers, BCL worked with Rudy Ruiz of Community Development Management, Inc. for an SBA 504 loan to help them grow their operations. Founded in 1979, Community Development Management is a consulting firm that works with communities across Central and South Texas for community development projects like public works, housing, disaster relief, parks and recreation, and economic development.
Ruth and Arnold Guerra were born and raised in Gonzales, Texas, where they have opened hotels, restaurants, and built homes to meet their community’s needs. “We started with nothing,” Ruth said. Now, they have built over 100 homes in their community of 7,000 people.
I visited the Guerras and we drove around the town, as Ruth pointed out both homes she and her husband had worked on, as well as other neighborhoods of older homes in states of disrepair. Gonzales has not had new home construction in a long time. “Big builders are not going to come into this town,” Ruth said. In a previous subdivision, a builder constructed about 5 homes and then left town, the work unfinished. We drove past a 17-home affordable subdivision of 3-bedroom homes the Guerras built in 2009.
Now, they are building Angel Oaks, a 6-home development for median income families, featuring 3-bedroom ranch-style homes with yards. A longtime customer of BCL, having worked with us in the past for an SBA 504 loan, the Guerra family is now working with BCL’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Texas Community Builders for our new pre-development loan product.
The demand for median-priced new housing in Gonzales is apparent, as five of the Angel Oaks homes have already been purchased, just as groundbreaking has barely begun. Most of the buyers are people of color, and all are first-time homeowners. “People are getting out of renting and into their first homes,” Ruth said.
And as with their hotels, their construction business is a family venture. They’ve taught their two daughters skills in construction, management, and project administration. “In the big city, you get a job and you learn one thing,” Ruth said. She said her daughters are now prepared with a wide range of skills to take on all kinds of jobs.
“I’m really glad that Texas Community Builders is investing in small developers,” Ruth said. “I appreciate that they saw that we have projects that will benefit individuals that probably never would have been able to buy a home. Without Texas Community Builders, we would not have been able to do this project.”
From the sound of it, you would almost think Teresa Villanueva was running a nonprofit in addition to a full-service cafeteria, catering, and delivery company that focuses on providing healthy, homemade, affordable meals for everyone.
Teresa and her husband Juan incorporated several social benefits into their start-up, TV Dinners, as she began to realize the need for them. Started 4 years ago in the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) building, TV Dinners began by serving breakfast tacos, and in the beginning Teresa used the proceeds from one meal to purchase supplies for the next.
Jamie and Ricky had always rented, and when the idea of homeownership came up they weren’t sure where to start. Jamie approached Daniel Garcia at BCL of Texas, who answered some of her initial questions and recommended they take the 8-hour Homebuyer Education course at the BCL of Texas HomeOwnership Center.
What do Disney resorts, upscale New York condos, judges’ chambers, and the Austin Performing Arts Center have in common?
They all feature woodwork and furniture completed at Widner Finishing, a 54,000-square foot manufacturer located in the small town of Rogers, TX. Owner Adam Fuhr said, “These products add value to communities and buildings all over the world.”
SportHooks was born out of a runner’s love for her sport and her growing collection of medals. Founder Marcey Futris, who has now run a full marathon in all 50 states and on 4 continents, was looking for a place to display her race medals.
Suite 500 Austin, TX 78701 P: 512.912.9884 F: 346.301.5752 NMLS #1114924
Suite 1220 Dallas, TX 75208 P: 214.688.7456 F: 346.301.5752 NMLS #1114924
Suite 2 San Marcos, TX 78666 P: 512.383.0027 NMLS #1114924