New Growth Connects Businesses with a Network of Support
When you connect with New Growth and New Growth’s Women’s Business Center, you're not just tapping into a single resource; you're accessing an entire network of support dedicated to helping your business thrive.
Like other organizations in our area, New Growth is committed to accelerating the success of business owners in our region, thereby creating jobs and strengthening communities. Alongside our network of partners, we strive to connect business owners with the right resource at the right time, whether that resource comes directly from us or from our extensive network of community and business development organizations.
Partnering with Experts Like Kelly Asbury to Drive Success
Kelly Asbury, Director and Business Consultant at the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) located at State Fair Community College in Sedalia, is one of the many valuable partners in the New Growth network. The SBDC, much like New Growth’s Women’s Business Center (WBC), offers no-cost business consulting and low-cost or free business training. While the SBDC serves areas in Missouri that are different than New Growth’s areas, its physical territory often overlaps with that of New Growth’s WBC, leading to shared clients. Both organizations are quick to refer clients to one another when specific expertise is needed.
Connecting Business Plan to Retail Community Space: A Success Story
When Lindsey Star, owner of Artistic Isle in Sedalia, Missouri sought guidance for expanding her business, she started working with Kelly Asbury at the SBDC to refine her business plan. Kelly then referred her to New Growth for the financing needed to secure her new space —a renovated church that now serves as a vibrant studio and retail location where Lindsey sells her unique organic watercolors and showcases work by local artists.
Lindsey envisioned creating a welcoming community space that would bring people together. Her studio serves as a creative hub during art walks and the farmer's market. As an active member of the local chamber of commerce, Lindsey even used her artistic talents to promote the annual Hot Air Balloon and Kite Festival.
“I’m always looking for ways to make this space fun and inviting,” she says, embodying the spirit of community that New Growth aims to support.
New Growth: More than Just Micro-Loans
"New Growth has been amazing to work with," Kelly says, particularly noting how often she refers clients to New Growth’s micro-lending program and credit counseling services. She often meets business owners seeking loans who sometimes lack credit history due to their youth or limited use of credit. In other cases, past credit issues may require just a little targeted action to make significant improvement. Having a trusted partner like New Growth to help these clients confidently take action in this area is invaluable, she said.
While Kelly specializes in helping clients develop business plans specifically for SBA loans, some clients are better suited for micro-loans—loans ranging from $500 to $50,000—accessed through New Growth. Or, depending on the application, these micro-loans can sometimes serve as "gap loans," providing the necessary down payment for other needed financing.
What Many Don't Realize
What Kelly wishes more people knew is that New Growth is always exploring new ways to support their clients and the broader community. One outstanding resource New Growth offers is specialized connections and business support for farm and food businesses, particularly as co-director of the five-state Heartland Regional Food Business Center, which now offers a Business Builder Grant Program. Kelly believes this is a significant opportunity for farm and food businesses who are often located in rural communities to benefit from enhanced business connections and support.
Similarly, Kelly wants people to know that her SBDC supports more than just start-ups. They have partners who specialize in various industries, including agriculture and technology. Importantly, they are equipped to assist established businesses facing expansion challenges or those planning for succession, such as selling the business and retiring.
A Network Designed to Support Your Success
New Growth is more than just a resource—it’s your gateway to a broader network of support tailored to meet your business needs. Through strategic partnerships with experts like Kelly Asbury at the SBDC, New Growth provides the connections and guidance that help businesses thrive, fostering vibrant communities along the way.