Fueling Rural Business Growth: Accelerate Past the Death Valley Curve

Bridging the Gap in Rural Business Development

New Growth Capital is a key area for rural community development. In the business startup landscape, the "Death Valley Curve" is a precarious stage where fledgling businesses stand on the edge, balancing growth potential and typically lack of funding to expand,often having not yet achieved substantial revenue. Plus, due to a dispersed population in rural areas, it can make it even more challenging for a rural business to accelerate needed growth.

Enter New Growth Capital

At this stage when a new business may be untested, traditional lenders may overlook it because there isn’t a long enough history of proven revenue yet.

Additionally some businesses, the next stage of growth might require a moderate amount of cash— an amount too small for banks but too large to borrow from family and friends. 

New Growth Capital provides financial support to businesses seeking to:

o   Expand their operations

o   Restructure existing processes

o   Enter new markets

o   Finance significant acquisitions

New Growth Capital allows local business owners an option for making strategic investments and growing business within our local rural communities thereby creating jobs and strengthening our communities.

Funding Rural Business Innovation

Jessi Runner had been operating a brick-and-mortar salon for two years when her husband encouraged her to consider taking her services on the road. He thought she could reach more customers and have more fun going to different places.

However, when they went to their bank to borrow $30,000 to buy a trailer equipped with a large water tank, bathroom, hair washing station, and all the necessary salon equipment, the bank said the loan was too small for them to provide. Fortunately, the bank referred them to the New Growth Women’s Business Center.

With help from the Women's Business Center, Jessi was able to complete a business plan and apply for a loan from New Growth Capital. “It was a fantastic experience,” Jessi said. “They were all so helpful and wanted nothing more than to help, and you could really feel it.”

Jessi says since opening, Beauty Mark Mobile Salon, her business has expanded significantly. The salon now has a schedule to meet clients in towns like Bolivar, Fair Play, Stockton, Warsaw, and Versailles. Additionally, she can take her entire salon on-site for weddings and often attends craft festivals and events on weekends, where she offers specialty braids and other fun services. 

The New Growth Capital Mission

Beauty Mark Mobile Salon exemplifies the type of business New Growth Capital aims to support. Our goal is to help our region’s local business owners expand, reach new markets, and bring innovation to our rural communities.

By doing so, we enable them to create sustainable and thriving livelihoods while fostering connections and strengthening communities here. Many creative business ideas need funding to become reality, and we’re here to provide the funding support that can be hard to find.

To apply for a loan, visit our New Growth Capital Page or contact the New Growth Women’s Business Center at info@newgrowthmo.org or call 417-282-5936

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