As a community-owned and run organisation, we constantly support our members and our whole community. One of the ways we help drive the local economy is with a business loan. This is for our members who are starting up their own business.
Joe is a member who used his Smart loan to set up his own landscaping business, Lenella Building Solutions, named after his children.
How did Joe first find us?
“I was initially struggling at Christmas. Then I saw an advert on Facebook and got a small loan just to pay for presents for me and the kids”
Joe liked the service and realised he could use his credit union account to help reach a dream goal of his.
“I was underpaid and overworked and I wanted to do something for myself and my family. To put myself in a better position financially”
Applying for his business loan
Joe got in touch with us to borrow for his own branded van and tools. He felt comfortable applying here as he found our team “friendly” and he valued the feeling of belonging to a community.
At the start Joe had to adjust to the extra pressures of finding regular work and dealing with quiet periods. However, Joe persevered and worked hard for his business. The extra hours are more than worth it for Joe to have something he can call his own.
“You may as well do it for yourself. There were points when I thought I wouldn’t get there but I just stuck at it”
Joe started his business for the benefit of his family and in the process welcomed his second child into the world. However, he did not pause his work and pushed on to get the business to a good place – a true family man.
How Joe felt about us
Joe liked how we treated him as an individual instead of simply a credit score. Joe felt trusted throughout his interactions with us. When his loan was approved, he felt relief as he knew it was a big chance for him to launch his business “It gave me the boost to push on to the next chapter in my life”
He is proud that he has achieved financial stability for his family. In the future Joe wants to expand his business – he has big plans going forward.
For those people who want to start a business for themselves, Joe would recommend us “They make you feel welcome. They know what they’re doing and they care what you are doing”
If you want to start your own business we can help, you can apply to borrow between £150 – £15,000 and get yourself set up, see our loan products here.
