Let's Talk Small Biz Finance with CIC Tucson

Building Local Economies with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi and Danny Knee | Let's Talk Small Biz Finance

Building Local Economies with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi and Danny Knee: Insights from Pima County’s Economic Development Initiatives. In this episode of the Let's Talk Small Biz Finance Podcast, Danny Knee chats with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi about how regional economic strategies foster community growth, support small businesses, and adapt to global shifts. They explore the tools, policies, and innovative projects driving economic resilience and community benefit in Tucson and beyond. Heath Vescovi-Chiordi is the Director of Economic Development for Pima County. His work focuses on economic development and workforce development with a priority on sustainable and diverse growth. The goal is to increase the county’s viability for business attraction, retention and expansion. He is U of A graduate with a master’s degree in public administration. He’s won numerous awards and accolades including being named one of Tucson’s 40-under- 40, the Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Award for Emerging Leader 2021, being named one of Biz Tucson’s Next Gen leaders in 2022, and the Economic Developer of the Year by the Arizona Association for Economic Development in 2024. About the Host: Danny Knee is the Executive Director of Community Investment Corporation (CIC), a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in small business lending, crowdfunding, and alternative financing in Southern Arizona, including Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma Counties, in addition to programs supporting first-time homeowners and education. Learn more about CIC's programs here: https://cictucson.org [https://cictucson.org/podcast-submission-form] Have a question or suggestion for an upcoming podcast? Submit it here: https://cictucson.org/podcast-submission-form [https://cictucson.org/podcast-submission-form/] Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Heath Vescovici and his role in Pima County 02:05 - Heath’s early career, awards, and personal anecdotes 03:11 - Defining economic development: traditional vs community-based models 04:26 - Balancing community values and economic growth in regional strategies 05:29 - Measuring success: KPIs, public engagement, perception, and future planning 07:24 - Focus on small business retention and expansion efforts in the region 08:49 - Partnering with community organizations and providing access to resources 09:45 - Impact of national and global economic shifts, including tariffs and conflict 11:43 - The interconnected nature of small and large businesses in economic health 12:32 - Personal preference game: Teacher vs. Economic Developer, and pop culture debates 14:00 - Spotlight on overlooked resources: local lenders, community colleges, and regional IDAs 17:13 - Current initiatives in the “lab”: grants, workforce training, aerospace, and tech startup development 21:19 - Building a regional economic brand and international outreach projects 22:21 - Heath’s go-to Sonoran hot dog spot and closing remarks #CommunityFirst #EconomicMobility #GrowTogether #PimaCounty #EconomicDevelopment

Will I Get Funded? Demystifying the Loan Underwriting Process | Coffee Chats with Caroline Nelson

What exactly happens in underwriting? Here’s the truth behind the "black box." If you’ve ever wondered if you will get funded for a loan, in this episode, Caroline and Brandi from CIC share what an underwriter really looks for - and how you can get approved faster. Why are loans underwritten? It’s all about assessing risk. Lenders use a variety of means to understand if your business can handle taking on the debt - using ratios like DSCR (debt service coverage ratio), current assets, cash flow, credit history, additional income, and more. For lenders like CIC, we want to make sure that the amount of money that your business takes on will help you grow and is feasible to be repaid, and not going to be overwhelming and put you in a worse financial place. It’s as much about the numbers as it is about the story behind them. At CIC, our team looks at a potential borrower's character and builds a relationship with them, which helps inform the underwriting process. If the underwriting process ever felt mysterious or scary, we’re here to help. We believe transparency is everything, and knowing how it works and how to be better prepared can actually make the process less intimidating. At its core, underwriting is about supporting your growth. We care about helping you understand your financial standing and what it takes to move forward. Learn how to track your finances here: https://youtu.be/b9XXeVhNAII?si=9a1Jc0CsRdWdMgve [https://youtu.be/b9XXeVhNAII?si=9a1Jc0CsRdWdMgve] Check out our loan calculator here: https://cictucson.org/businesses-that-prosper [https://cictucson.org/businesses-that-prosper] About the Host: Caroline Nelson is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Lending at Community Investment Corporation (CIC), a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in small business lending, crowdfunding, and alternative financing in Southern Arizona, including Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma Counties. Caroline is joined by Brandi Szymanzi, CIC's Rural Lending Manager, for this discussion. Have a question about small business finance, a theme, or a quest expert you'd love us to have on the show? Submit it here! https://cictucson.org/coffee-with-caroline-submission-form [https://cictucson.org/coffee-with-caroline-submission-form/] https://cictucson.org [https://cictucson.org] #BusinessFinance #LoanApprovalTips #Underwriting101 #FinancialFreedom #SmallBizGrowth

How to Secure Business Funding without Using Personal Credit | Coffee Chats with Caroline Nelson

Grab your favorite cup of coffee and join us online for a casual chat about all things small business finance. Caroline Nelson is here to share tips, answer your questions, and help you feel confident managing your business money. This month, we’ll be discussing how to secure business funding without using personal credit. The topic was submitted by a listener and is likely something many current and aspiring business owners want to know more about. Join us as we explore why personal credit is often tied to business funding and the alternative options that may be available. About the Host: Caroline Nelson is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Lending at Community Investment Corporation (CIC), a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in small business lending, crowdfunding, and alternative financing in Southern Arizona, including Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma Counties. Caroline is joined by Brandi Szymanzi, CIC's Rural Lending Manager for this discussion. Dollars and Sense for Entrepreneurs, easy tools to track your small business finances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9XXeVhNAII&t=2s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9XXeVhNAII&t=2s] Business Finance Resources: https://cictucson.org/business-finance [https://cictucson.org/business-finance] Learn more about CIC's Small Business Financing options: https://cictucson.org/businesses-that-prosper [https://cictucson.org/businesses-that-prosper] Learn more about CIC's Kiva Southern Arizona Hub here: https://cictucson.org/kiva [https://cictucson.org/kiva] Have a question or suggestion for an upcoming podcast? Submit it here! https://cictucson.org/coffee-with-caroline-submission-form [https://cictucson.org/coffee-with-caroline-submission-form]

Crowdfunding Your Business Growth with Kiva | A Conversation with Reteisha Byrd and Danny Knee

What does it take to fund a dream? In this episode, CIC Executive Director Danny Knee sits down with Kiva’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Associate Reteisha Byrd for a fast-paced conversation breaking down how Kiva works, for both borrowers and lenders. Who should apply? How much can you raise? Do you need perfect credit? (Spoiler: no.) Plus, how anyone can become a lender and support entrepreneurs right here in Southern Arizona, or around the world. If you’ve been thinking about starting or growing your business, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn how community-powered lending is opening doors across Southern Arizona. Learn more about CIC's Kiva Southern Arizona Hub here: https://cictucson.org/kiva [https://cictucson.org/kiva] Find the full TENWEST schedule and get your tickets at www.tenwest.com [http://www.tenwest.com] #CIC #Kiva #SmallBusinessSupport #TucsonEntrepreneurs #CommunityCapital #EconomicInclusion #WeKnowYourWorth

Impact Investing for a More Inclusive Economy | A Conversation with Alicia Robb and Danny Knee

This week, CIC’s Executive Director Danny Knee caught up with Alicia Robb - economist, angel investor, and Founder & CEO of Next Wave Impact - ahead of TENWEST to talk about what it really takes to unlock capital for entrepreneurs. Alicia is a globally recognized expert on entrepreneurial finance and will be one of the Keynote speakers at TENWEST. From angel investing to research on entrepreneurship and women-owned businesses, Alicia’s work has helped shape how we think about impact investing for the next generation of founders. We’re excited to be part of the dialogue on how impact investing can fuel more inclusive economic opportunity. Don't miss Danny's interactive workshop on Wednesday, March 25th, alongside the Jane Project and Mayor Regina Romero at 10 am, followed by Alicia's keynote speech at 2 pm. Find the full schedule and get your tickets at www.tenwest.com [http://www.tenwest.com] #TENWEST [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=TENWEST] #AccessToCapital [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=AccessToCapital] #Entrepreneurship [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=Entrepreneurship] #AngelInvesting [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=AngelInvesting] #TucsonAZ [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=TucsonAZ] #EconomicOpportunity [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=EconomicOpportunity] #WeKnowYourWorth [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=WeKnowYourWorth]