Capital Access was happy to help Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company expand the 2nd generation family business with a $7.8M 504 loan to purchase a 1.9-acre facility for their new, state-of-the-art, cheesemaking operation.

“When we started looking at borrowing funds for the project, that was really our first foray into financing,” Diana Giacomini Hagan, CFO. “The benefit of the 504 loan was the 90 percent financing, which allowed us to get as many dollars as we could out of the project. At the end of the day, we’re ending up with a state-of-the-art cheesemaking facility that’s going to help us get to the next level.”

Capital Access Group announced that Jenny Tice has been hired to serve as Business Development Officer with responsibility for business development, sales, and client relationship activities throughout the Bay Area.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jenny to the Capital Access Group team,” said Jacklyn Jordan, President and CEO, Capital Access Group. “Along with her years of banking experience, she brings a passion for helping small business owners grow and succeed. Her skills complement our existing business development team.”

Ms. Tice possesses seven years of experience in the banking industry, most recently at First Republic Bank, as well as at City National Bank and Wells Fargo Bank prior to that.

“I joined the banking industry right out of college and immediately started working with small business owners,” said Tice. “I love working with businesses through the different phases of growth, because it is always an exciting time when the business is growing, adding new employees, or purchasing new equipment or a new facility. I enjoy hearing their stories—it always inspires me.”

“I was attracted to Capital Access Group because of their great reputation and the experienced staff members, many whom have a long tenure in the industry, and also because I love the work they do with growing businesses,” said Tice.

One of our favorite borrowers, Helen Russell, co-owner of Equator Coffees and Teas, was named one of NBC’s #Pride30 entrepreneurs for mixing business with social responsibility. Helen and her partner, Brooke McDonnell, were named the SBA’s Small Business of the Year in 2016.

Capital Access provided the SBA 504 financing in 2003 for Equator to purchase its own, 5,500-square-foot roasting plant, which Helen calls “one of the best decisions that we’ve ever made,” and since that time, they’ve grown the company from a small roaster and wholesaler to a nationally recognized brand.

Helen encourages LGBTQ entrepreneurs to “stand in our knowledge and believe in our personal power to effect positive change, not only in our lives but in the lives we touch. Positive influence on others will follow suit.”

Capital Access Group was pleased to help Justin Funamura, owner of The Waffle Roost, to secure $1.4M in SBA 504 funds to purchase a 13,000 sq. ft. commercial kitchen in San Jose, CA. Instead of opening his own brick-and-mortar restaurant, which is the typical path for food truck entrepreneurs, Justin decided to own his own commercial catering kitchen instead.

“If I rent, I am completely restricted by commercial kitchen lease rates, and the rates are not conducive to growth,” said Justin. “When I learned about the 504 program, the idea of owning my own commercial kitchen became more of a reality. The 10-percent down payment is a major thing.”

The company currently owns five food trucks and provides catering to corporate events, weddings, private parties and Off the Grid street food events and festivals throughout the Bay Area. Approaching its fifth year, Funamura decided to purchase his own commercial kitchen to stabilize rents and expand the catering side of his business.

In the Bay Area, it’s very difficult to find affordable commercial kitchens to lease, especially ones that support growth. Capital Access Group and the SBA 504 loan opened up Justin’s options and made it possible for him to expand on his own terms.

Capital Access recently helped Brian Flynn, CEO of Hybrid-Design/Super7, to secure $3,130,000 in total project financing to purchase four condominium units in an unfinished warehouse building in San Francisco’s Mission District.

The visual branding and strategy studio has leveraged key investments in the real estate market to propel their growth. The new space gives Hybrid Design and Super7 the room to grow and to take advantage of new opportunities, which they “wouldn’t be able to do without the SBA,” according to Flynn.

“We have always owned our own offices, paying a mortgage instead of rent that is constantly climbing, so that we can afford to stay in the city,” said Flynn.

Capital Access Group provided $7.9 million in total project financing for Byron Renfro, CEO, and Joe Lewis, President and Founder, of Orchard Commercial to purchase a 36,000 sq. ft. office and warehouse building in Santa Clara, CA. This is Orchard’s third SBA 504 loan from Capital Access Group.

In business for over 40 years, Orchard Commercial is an award-winning, integrated real estate company that offers property management, accounting, leasing, engineering, and construction services to clients throughout the Bay Area. Orchard currently manages 14.5 million sq. ft. of commercial real estate in Silicon Valley, the East Bay, and on the Peninsula. The new facility will enable the business to lock in its future occupancy costs and further expand its operations.

“We know real estate and we know a good deal when we see one, so we like the ability to get 90 percent financing because it frees up cash to invest in our buildings,” said Renfro. “As our business expands, the new building allows us to expand with it.”

Capital Access was thrilled to help Kevin Andersen, CEO of NPI Solutions, Inc., secure $7.3 million in financing to purchase a 52,000 sq. ft. industrial office lab space on a 3.8 acre parcel in San Jose, CA. NPI contracts with industrial, technology, medical, and science businesses to design their next-generation products from concept, to prototype, to final assembly and test, to life-end support.

Founded in 2000, NPI has experienced exponential growth, with operations in California, China, and Singapore. After 16 years of leasing and subleasing space in Silicon Valley, however, Kevin and his son Keith, who serves as the Director of Design Engineering for NPI, decided it was time to buy a building of their own.

The Andersens were attracted to the 504 loan’s low, 10 percent down payment, so they could “keep a sufficient amount of money within the company for operations,” according to Keith. The 504 loan also allows the company to lock in costs and make it possible to manage the maintenance of the building.

“We know where we stand now,” said Keith. “We can model what the business looks like in five years, ten years, and twenty years, because we are able to fix the costs and understand them more specifically. We can also manage the maintenance of the building without landlord controls.”

Capital Access Group was pleased to help Elie Antoun, owner of AHK Electronic Sheet Metal, Inc., access $9.3M in SBA 504 funds to purchase a 58,510 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in San Jose. AHK’s expansion takes place in the already booming Silicon Valley, known more for the tech corporations that contribute to the area’s economic growth.

Antoun also owns Etched Media Corporation and recently purchased Tobar Industries to increase AHK’s manufacturing capacity. Co-locating AHK, Tobar Industries, and Etched Media in the new facility allows Antoun to move at a faster pace and run his businesses more efficiently.

“The loan gives us certainty. We know how much rent we’re going to pay, we know how much it’s going to cost us from that perspective,” said Antoun. “The SBA 504 loan provided the security that allowed me to be bold.”

Capital Access Group’s Board of Directors approved a grant to assist in fire recovery for small businesses in the affected North Bay counties. Rotary District 5130 will manage and distribute funds through their Business Grant Recovery Program.

Capital Access Group’s grant will aid small businesses in re-establishing their operations and preventing them from closure due to losses suffered from the fires.

“The North Bay fires devastated many small businesses, affecting the business owners, their families, and the surrounding community,” said Jacklyn Jordan, President and CEO, Capital Access Group. “We are proud to partner with Rotary District 5130 to help rebuild the community and to give small business owners in the area the support they need to get back to business.”

The Rotary District 5130’s Business Grant Recovery Program provides grants of up to $5,000 based upon demonstrated need. The grants may be approved to replace inventory, equipment, tools, repairs, and anything else necessary to re-establish the business. Approved grants do not need to be repaid.

Meet two of Capital Access Group’s latest borrowers, Julia and Johannon Olson, co-owners of Treehut, a design and manufacturing company that handcrafts watches and eyeglasses made of real wood. Capital Access recently helped the husband-and-wife team secure financing to purchase a 7,333-sq. ft. industrial-warehouse building in the center of the city’s thriving South of Market neighborhood.

Over the past four years, Treehut experienced exponential growth. Julia and Joh started operating Treehut out of their basement, and then moved the business twice to accommodate its growth, but leasing space was never a long-term solution.

“We are a manufacturing business, which requires us to customize the space to fit our needs,” said Julia. “Not a lot of landlords are fans of renting space to us for that reason, so we decided it was time to purchase property. Now we have the flexibility to make the space the best use for our manufacturing facility.”

Capital Access Group provided $2,650,000 in total project financing to Lisa Durbrow and Cydney Shald, co-owners of Longview Stables, to purchase an equestrian facility located at 3777 Vineyard Road, Novato, CA. The property includes 15.1 acres of land, a residential building, and multiple horse stables and riding arenas.

Lisa and Cyd, a mother-and-daughter team, have been in business together since 2010. They currently lease space in Nicasio Valley, CA, and will move the business to the new property later this year. They couldn’t have done it without support from Capital Access and the SBA 504 program.

According to Lisa, “The only way that we were going to be able to secure this purchase was with the SBA 504 loan. Our banker told us about the program, and Capital Access Group took a leap of faith in us and our business. They had faith that in what we could do.”

“Working with Capital Access Group was super-easy and seamless,” she said.

Capital Access helped another North Bay business, Redwood Montessori School, to access $320,000 in total project financing to purchase a 1,215-square-foot building at 11201 Main Street, Penngrove, CA. Now the business owners, Aishwarya Kancharla and Daniel Turner, have a monthly mortgage payment that is lower than their rent!

The Redwood Montessori School’s physical environment plays a central role in the overall curriculum, so it was in important development for the business owners to purchase the building. From the developmentally-appropriate classroom layout to creating an outdoor area that enriches children’s interaction with the equipment, the natural environment, their teachers, and peers.

“It feels amazing to own the property,” said Aishwarya. “The low down payment made it possible to buy the property, but beyond that, our monthly mortgage payment is lower than our rent! Now, we can do what we want, what we feel is appropriate for the success of the academic program and our students.”