Client Voice: Nade rebuilds a small business in the wake of the pandemic

It’s National Black Business Month but the Black entrepreneurs who we coach inspire us every day.

“I tried to remain hopeful and take things day by day. When I knew Tiffany [TrustPlus Financial Coach] was gonna call, I wanted to be sure I had good news for her.”

When the COVID-19 crisis hit, Nade’s income disappeared overnight, upending her small cleaning business and her personal finances.

At the time she was expecting a baby with her husband, a taxi driver, dreading what COVID-19 might mean for her and her baby’s health and what the sudden financial freefall would do to her family, business, and employees.

“Nothing was working on my side during the pandemic. I remember I cried to Tiffany one day because I was thinking about how everything was upside down all of a sudden. She followed up with all the resources she could find. She went above my expectations. When those types of people reach out to you it empowers you to not give up because you have people counting on you.”

Tiffany worked with Nade to identify resources including expanded unemployment benefits through the CARES Act and ways to free up limited cash for necessities by negotiating with her creditors to defer payments. Nade also received a $1,000 cash grant in April 2020 from Humanity Forward, which partnered with Neighborhood Trust to distribute unconditional cash relief to Bronx residents early in the pandemic.

“All of us who received the payment, it made a really positive impact on our lives. Whether you use it for rent, electricity, or groceries — it just takes the weight off our shoulders a little bit.”

Over a year later, Nade and her family are on a path to financial security. She and her husband have juggled taking care of their 13-month-old with their work schedules, and she’s getting her business back on track. She has brought on two new employees and a few contractors, giving her more flexibility in her work schedule depending on how many contracts she takes on.

“I’ve signed a few additional contracts that are paying well. I’ve now been able to pay myself and wipe out my personal credit cards, and I’m in the process of paying off the company credit cards.”

What does she think about her rollercoaster path to financial security since the onset of the pandemic?

“I want to tell Tiffany, ‘I know you worry so much about me but I’m starting to do good so you don’t have to worry about me.’”