On the 2nd day of Business Plan Development... Write out your company overview! The company overview is the section of your business plan that outlines your company's mission statement, goals, and legal structure. After reading the Company Overview, the reader should have a basic understanding of your business’s mission and vision, goals, target market, legal structure, and competitive landscape. Therefore, consider asking yourself: 📌 What is your company's mission? 📌 What are your company's philosophies & values? 📌 What are your short- and long-term goals for the company? 📌 Who is your target market? 📌 What industry is your business in, & what makes it competitive? 📌 What legal structure will your business operate as? Sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership or corporation? Find this section in our business plan template today for additional insight on what to consider. You can download the template for free at valleyedp.com/business-resource-center. Want additional assistance? 📨 Schedule an appointment with one of our business resource advisors today by contacting us at valleyedp.com/contact. #The12DaysofBusinessPlanDevelopment 🎄

The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County is hosting a Business Resource Fair next Monday, December 9th from 10am to Noon at the Main Library at 305 Wick Avenue. And, you're invited! 🎉 The purpose of the Fair is to provide small businesses with the opportunity to access local resources to help them grow their existing business or to help those who want to start a new one. The Fair is available to everyone in the community. Tables will be staffed by federal, state, and local agencies allowing participants to get one-on-one access to resources and relationships vital to success in business. The Valley Partners team hopes to see you there!

On the 1st day of Business Plan Development... Let's define what a business plan is! 📑 A business plan is a document that defines in detail the company’s objectives and how it plans to achieve its goals from a marketing, financial, and operational perspective. Lenders like to see clients with a business plan because it shows that the client understands their business. A well-researched and thought-out plan should be a vital part of your business’ growth strategy and a living document that you review at least annually as your business develops. Business plans are an important and strategic tool when starting a business for several reasons: 1) It helps you plot your course & focus your efforts. 2) It forces you to research and thoroughly understand your market. 3) It assists you in determining your financial needs and startup costs. 4) Developing a business plan proves your commitment to the business, as the time you've invested in research shows dedication to your company's success. The benefits are plentiful! Ready to develop your own business plan? 💻 Check out our website to download our template for FREE at valleyedp.com/business-resource-center. 📨 Contact a business resource advisor today to schedule an appointment for one-on-one assistance at valleyedp.com/contact. #The12DaysofBusinessPlanDevelopment 🎄

You've heard of the Twelve Days of Christmas... But, have you heard of the Twelve Days of Business Plan Development? In light of the Christmas season [AND with December being National Write a Business Plan Month], Valley Partners is delighted to present to you 12 steps on how to develop a business plan over the next 12 days! 📲 Look out for our upcoming posts with our team's best practices on business plan development. 💻 Download the business plan template from our website for FREE at valleyedp.com/business-resource-center to start developing yours today! ✔️ Schedule an appointment with one of our business resource advisors for one-on-one assistance at valleyedp.com/contact. Merry Christmas! 🎄

Our very own business resource manager, Matthew Longmire, spoke on the importance of minority businesses having access to the proper resources they need to succeed at the Business Journal's Lenders Event! This event was part of the Business Journal's Roundtable Series on Minority Business. 💻 Click here to watch the full segment: https://businessjournaldaily.com/minority-businesses-in-need-of-proper-resources/

Thank you to our Tier I MBAC Cleveland friends for welcoming us and the Tier I MBAC from Mansfield team into your new space yesterday! We always appreciate the opportunity of meeting, supporting, and collaborating with other MBAC organizations across Ohio. 😊

Special shoutout to Tracy Jordan, owner of Happy Campers Learning Center—a 5-star, gold-rated licensed pre-school in partnership with the Ohio Department of Education! She is opening up a new location at 1451 Churchill Hubbard Rd, Girard, OH 44420 and chose to partner with Valley Partners to do so. Congratulations to you, Tracy! The VP team wishes you the best in your future entrepreneurial endeavors. 🎉

The American Heart Association (@american_heart) Social Impact Funds is actively seeking to support great social enterprises and organizations that are reducing the social and economic barriers to health equity in the Youngstown metro area. They are seeking solutions addressing access to healthcare, food security, and economic empowerment within under-resourced communities. For-profit and non-profit organizations are encouraged to apply for funding up to $200,000. Application deadline is Friday, December 6 at 5pm EST. You can apply through this link: https://heart-impactfund.fluxx.io. For more information, please visit their website: https://www.heart.org/en/aha-ventures/social-impact-funds. Any questions can be directed to socialimpactfund@heart.org. ❤️‍🩹

The VP team is ready for the big game tonight! Many thanks to our fearless leader [& Steelers fan], Teresa Miller, for letting us support our teams today in the office. 🏈🏆💪

Valley Partners is your local CDFI boots-on-the-ground organization! What does that mean? We are a community development lender with a mission to expand economic opportunities for our underserved communities. Empowering underserved communities through small business financial education, counseling and community partnerships, our team provides free group and one-on-one technical assistance to clients, guiding them through accessing capital for their small business creation or expansion. Interested in learning more? Be sure to check out our website & contact a VP team member today! 🔗 https://www.valleyedp.com/

Kent Wallace, Sr.—co-owner of YoGo Bikeshare (@yogo_bikeshare) and customer relations manager—joined the US Air Force and served for 4 years, being honorably discharged in June of 1986. He served as both a Jet Engine Mechanic and a Non-commissioned Officer achieving the rank of E4 Sargent. As he is very proud to have served his country—visiting Germany, France, England and Amsterdam—he now is the co-owner of YoGo Bikeshare, LLC, a family-owned & operated micro-mobility business right here in the heart Youngstown, OH. Their mission is to foster healthy community interaction while providing an environmentally friendly alternative through cost effective transportation. Thank you, Kent, for the sacrifices you made to serve our country! To learn more about YoGo Bikeshare, please visit their website at https://www.yogobikeshare.com/. #NationalVeteransSmallBusinessWeek 🇺🇸

Are you a veteran or active military entrepreneur looking to purchase a building for your business? Ask about our special discounts! As a nonprofit small business lender, our SBA VetLoan Advantage program helps lower your SBA 504 Commercial Real Estate loan costs setting you up for long-term growth & success. Be sure to contact VP's SBA Lender, Maureen Stenglein, today for more information. 📧 maureen@valleyedp.com ☎️ 330.759.3668 ext. 114

Michael Lee & Donnie Reid have a rich aviation history that has led to a business partnership. They explored a few business ideas before settling on The Five 4's Distillery, which is a distillery featuring a hometown bar, regular trivia nights, live entertainment, and future distilling plans! The establishment is named after the zip code of Newton Falls, Ohio 44444—where their establishment is located. With their business model including everything Ohio—i.e., their use of Ohio-sourced gains and serving local Ohio craft beers, wines, & Spirits—they have just been approved for their first label, which allows them to announce their first bottling event & grand opening soon! Some of their biggest events so far have allowed them to donate proceeds to the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Ch11, and they continue to host weekly live entertainment. Both Michael & Donnie are members of the Ohio Distillers Guild & part of the Ohio Bourbon Trail. Read more in our post about their military history. Thank you, Michael & Donnie, for your service to our country! Be sure to follow their Instagram page at @five4sdistillery for more updates about their continued growth in 2025. #NationalVeteransSmallBusinessWeek 🇺🇸

Eric D. Garrett, Sr.—owner of Beyond Expectations Barber College, LLC (@bebcyoungstown)—joined the United States Army in 1989 where he served with the 10th Special Forces Group Airborne Unit based out of Fort Devens, Massachusetts, providing humanitarian aid to the Kurdish people during the Persian Gulf War. Mr. Eric was honorably discharged in 1993. His exemplary career in the Armed Services is marked by more than 10 “Decorations”, medals, badges, citations, campaign ribbons, and awards. Additionally, as BEBC seeks to provide a quality, vocational education experience surpassing all expectations, Mr. Eric hosts back-to-school events at his Youngstown and Akron locations, which include haircuts and free school supplies, through the Beyond Expectations Community Fund (BECF). By BEBC becoming Akron's very own premier barber college, residents will no longer need to leave the community to receive quality vocational experience, preparing them for gainful employment. Beyond Expectations will become an asset to the community surpassing all expectations! Thank you for your service, Councilman Garrett—not to mention the work you do in your local communities! For more information on BEBC, please visit bebc-ohio.com. #NationalVeteransSmallBusinessWeek 🇺🇸

Check out our 504 Program funding rates for the month of November! 🍂 These rates are fixed for the entire term of the loan, so there's no uncertainty in the SBA payment. 🍂 The 504 program typically only requires a 10% equity injection, so you can keep more working capital in your pocket. 🍂 This program is a risk mitigant to the bank, so banks become more comfortable with the financing. Want to know more? Contact Maureen today to see how this program might be of benefit to your business!

Patriot At Home is a full-service Home Health Agency offering a full spectrum of health care modalities to patients in the home setting. Owned and led by three US military veterans with deep roots in many aspects of healthcare, all employees adhere to a high standard of excellence. Founders and co-owners—Craig Colton, Greg Davis, & Sean Davis—are Northeast Ohio residents, each proudly and honorably served in the military, and believe in the mission of treating each patient as one of their own family members. Veteran-owned Patriot at Home was founded on the core values of duty, honor, country, and compassion. As personal extensions of this philosophy, each of their providers are driven to earn your trust by treating every patient with dignity, respect, and the highest quality care. Thank you for your service and sacrifice, Craig, Greg, & Sean! We honor you all & the important work you do at Patriot at Home on this Veterans Day. 🇺🇸 For more information on Patriot at Home, be sure to visit their website at https://www.patriotathome.org/.

On this Veterans Day, we are happy to announce that we are officially an SBA VetLoan Advantage Program Lender! This means that we now offer special discounts on the SBA 504 loan for the military community. Be sure to contact our SBA Lender, Maureen Stenglein, by emailing maureen@valleyedp.com or by calling 330.759.3668 ext 114 today for more information. Happy Veterans Day! 🇺🇸

We had a blast at United Way of Trumbull County's (@unitedway_trumbull) Dueling Pianos event last night! The Piano Maniacs were AWESOME, and we were happy to be able to support United Way's community initiatives. 🎼🎹🎊

Attorney Brittany Brantley provided valuable information at yesterday's lunch-and-learn seminar! As she shared detailed information on how entrepreneurs can keep their businesses safe, every participant in the room was enlightened by her excellent presentation. Be on the lookout for more seminars and events to come in 2025! Check out our website for more information on how our team can serve you in your entrepreneurial journey. 🔗 https://www.valleyedp.com

Happy birthday to VP's #birthdaytwins: Mario Nero, director of lending and Tamyah Petty, office manager & loan closer! We appreciate the hard work you both do at Valley Partners. Thank you for bringing loads of fun every day to the office! 🎂🎉🎈

Join the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Youngstown State University (@youngstownstate) & The Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County (@theplymc) for a small business startup workshop series! This exclusive seminar series is designed to provide in-depth insights across the critical areas of starting a business and highlight the importance of backing your ideas with solid data. Each session will offer valuable expertise and resources tailored towards the sustainability and growth of businesses. Detailed information about each session can be found on the flier. Spaces are limited to 50 participants per session, so be sure to reserve your spot today! 🔗 Head to this link to register: https://ysubusiness.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5aT86xkCtdOrP38?Q_CHL=qr

Special shoutout to Rita Hoffman for growing and scaling Converse All Steel Services Inc. as majority owner! Since her parents began the company in 1986, she's continued to cultivate the business' growth, fostering what their team believes to be one of the best custom flame cutting businesses in the industry. Thank you for choosing Valley Partners to join you on your entrepreneurial journey, Rita! We're cheering you on. 🔗 Learn more about what Converse All Steel Services Inc. does here: http://www.converseallsteel.com/

There's still time to register, but spaces are limited! Learn how to keep your business safe & increase your brand awareness by joining Valley Partners' upcoming Lunch & Learn Seminar on Thursday, November 7th. A free lunch will be provided for those in attendance! 📲 Head to tinyurl.com/vpbranding to register.

Valley Partners team members were honored & excited to celebrate Gloris Griffin at her ribbon-cutting ceremony today! 🎉 As Gloris continues helping her clients make significant life changes to better the quality of their lives, families, and communities through Gloris Counseling Services, we can’t wait to see how her impact continues at her new location: 197 West Market Street, Ste 301, Warren, OH 44481. Feel free to explore her services at GlorisCounselingServices.com. Thank you for the important work you do in the Valley, Gloris! Cheering you on. 🎉🥳🎊

Congratulations to Derick Watson—owner of Upper Class Cutz LLC—as he continues to elevate his barbershop to new heights! We are honored he chose to partner with us so he can continue offering top-notch haircuts and styling at his one-stop shop for grooming. 💇

#ThrowbackThursday to when Vershanda Black—owner of TopNotchmeals LLC—treated our entire Business Accounting and Legal Assistance cohort to her yummy breakfast menu one morning for class! Not to mention, the delicious buffet she served the funders at our round table event this month. Cooking has been a passion of Vershanda's since she began cooking for the kids and families within her community. She's been serving THE community in the Valley for 4 years now through TopNotchMeals LLC with fresh and made-to-order meals. When she's not whipping up meals, she's watching cooking shows & enjoying time with family and friends—especially with her granddaughters. National Women's Small Business Month can't end without celebrating Vershanda for her many entrepreneurial achievements! (And, thanking her for feeding us this month! 😊) Be sure to place an order of your own by calling 330-707-4300. Tell her & her team that Valley Partners sent you! 🍳🥞🍝🍔🍗

Happy Halloween from your favorite Inside Out emotions…otherwise known as the Valley Partners team! 😄🤢😱😡😢🤫😰🥺🤩 Who wants to guess which of our board members showed up this morning in full-blown costume?! (Hint: He also serves on our loan committee…) 👻

Thank you Opportunity Finance Network (@oppfinance)! #ofn40 What a remarkable event with the perfect tagline for their 40th Anniversary celebration in Los Angeles last week! Made by History. Made for this Moment. Valley Partners team members embarked on learning about green/climate lending to further expand our loan products and services. We always return from OFN Conferences feeling rejuvenated by the energy of all the #CDFIs in the room. Being a part of so many Impact Makers together gets us revved up and ready to make a difference! Congratulations to Inclusive Action for the City (@inclusivaction) for their awards as Lender of the Year and Emerging Growth CDFI! Learning about your tremendous work with Vendors in LA while taking the tour with your team was amazing!

Learn how to keep your business safe & increase your brand awareness at Valley Partners' upcoming Lunch & Learn Seminar! Join us on Thursday, November 7th to hear from Attorney Brittany Brantley & branding extraordinaire, Noel Powers, for an informational session on legal & branding business principles. 📲 Head to tinyurl.com/vpbranding to register before Tuesday, November 5th!

Happy #WomensWednesday! Today, we celebrate Omadee Curry—the owner of Curry Chemical Company LLC. 🌟 Omadee is a Valley native that graduated from The Rayen School. Omadee initially furthered her education at Westminster College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Later, she extended her knowledge at Youngstown State University by achieving master’s degrees in both Economics and Chemistry. Omadee has had a diverse career background: Marketing in the Automotive Industry, Sales in the Pharmaceutical Industry, and Sales & Procurement in the Chemical Industry. Each experience helped structure the foundation for creating her Chemical Repackaging Facility: Curry Chemical Company. Curry Chemical Company LLC is a chemical repackaging facility that services the agriculture sector of the Chemical Industry. Located in Warren, OH here in the Valley, it is the only 3rd party repackaging facility to serve the Chemical AG Industry in its US region. Since relocating to Warren, OH, the company has had an opportunity to create seasonal employment for local residents and expand its customer base to include a World Class Leader within the Agriculture Market. These recent accomplishments were made possible with the direct help and guidance of Valley Partners. Valley Partners provided both financial aid and support to help Curry Chemical Company keep the doors open and restructure the foundation for creating a unique employment opportunity for our community. We are honored to have been able to support you in your entrepreneurial success, Omadee! Thank you for continuing to put this region on the map. #WomensLeadHERship2025 👩‍🔬💪✨

It's been a million-dollar month here at Valley Partners! Special shoutout to our SBA Lender, Maureen Stenglein, for getting THREE 504 Loans approved this month—approximating a $1.71 million total. 💸 Here's her ✨ superstar ✨ pose to celebrate the milestone. GREAT WORK, MAUREEN! 🎉😎🌟🤩

Valley Partners was honored to receive the Ohio Department of Development’s (ODOD) Capital Infusion & Best Overall Performance Award as a Tier 1 MBAC yesterday afternoon at the statewide MBAC retreat! Thank you to Chief Monica Womack & the entire ODOD staff for the honorable recognition. We are looking forward to continuing our work for small businesses in this region. 🎊

Thank you to The Business Journal | Youngstown Publishing Co. (@the_business_journal_ytown) for spreading the word about our recent $800,000 Financial Assistance Award—granted by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund! 🎉 To learn more about our active campaign to continue supporting underserved entrepreneurs, be sure to read the article at the businessjournaldaily.com.

It's #WomensWednesday! Today, Valley Partners is celebrating Lisa Robinson. Lisa is the owner of Show Stopper Landscaping, LLC—located right here in Youngstown, OH! Since she started the business in 2013, her passion for gardening and landscaping continues to grow stronger. Her experience in growing and selling fresh fruits, vegetables, different kinds of flower arrangements, and baskets has allowed for her business to flourish and comfort every person who stops by her pop-up shops. Not to mention, the labor required to grow fresh fruits continues to create more jobs in Youngstown—which is one of the many reasons why her business adds so much value to the Valley! Be on the lookout for Lisa to scale her business into a full-blown garden center! It's an honor to celebrate you today, Lisa! #WomensLeadHERship2025 💐🍓🥦🌷🍅

Start your week off by learning some of the Better Business Bureau's (@bbb_youngstown) best tips on how to spruce up your small business' marketing campaigns this fall! For 10 fun & creative ways to increase your brand awareness, head to bbb.org to learn more. 🍂🍁🌥

🎉GOOD NEWS!🎉 Valley Partner's GrowBiz Loan Fund has been awarded $800,000 in Financial Assistance (FA) by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund)! The GrowBiz Loan Fund is a revolving loan fund created in 2021 with the initial funds received by VP from the CDFI Fund. Its purpose is to offer affordable capital to small business entrepreneurs looking to start or grow their business here in the Valley—located in an underserved geographic area designated by the CDFI Fund. This significant funding is part of a larger initiative where 357 CDFIs received a total of $408.2 million to provide financial services and products to low-income and underserved individuals and communities across America. Check out the full announcement here 🎊: https://www.cdfifund.gov/news/605

Thank you to every banker, non-profit/foundation, financial institution, & municipality representative who joined us this morning for our Funders Round Table event! As we were proud & honored to share with you the work Valley Partners has done across the region so far, we appreciate you taking the time to learn more about our impact as a CDFI organization. Also, a special thank you to our keynote speaker, Shaundretta Boykins—the Ohio Department of Development's (@ohiodevelopment) Manager of Business Development and Entrepreneurship, for providing valuable information on state-level funding opportunities! The Valley Partners team is grateful to have your support as you continue to champion & cheer us on. 📲 For more information about Valley Partners, be sure to visit our website at valleyedp.com.

Contribute Your Insights to Ohio's Disparity Study! Join the Ohio Department of Development (@ohiodevelopment) in supporting the growth and sustainability of all businesses by participating in the State of Ohio's virtual information sessions for minority-owned, women-owned, and Veteran-friendly enterprises. These sessions, part of a comprehensive Disparity Study led by MGT Consulting Group, aim to connect entrepreneurs with vital resources that foster success, job creation, and economic growth. Your insights will help identify the challenges businesses face when engaging with the State and other entities, ensuring a more equitable marketplace for everyone. We invite all businesses, whether certified or not, to take part in this important initiative. Together, we can make a lasting impact in Ohio! — Virtual Business Information Session 1: Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024 | 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. — Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/c3f7255a-758f-4762-8f1a-8a7cbb12c869@c1e07384-8224-4bc1-9b9d-25b6a4412a1b?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Virtual Business Information Session 2: Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024 | 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. — Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/abf99aad-6c27-4e7e-91ba-a8221fd3064a@c1e07384-8224-4bc1-9b9d-25b6a4412a1b?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

For today's #WomensWednesday, we are celebrating... Amy Phillips! Amy Phillips is the owner of Sunshine Golden Acres Farm Market & Soap Co. (@sunshinegoldenacres). Her company specializes in making natural goat milk soap & products made with raw goat milk from Phillips' 7-acre goat farm! They also have a farm market where they sell produce, Amish baked goods, home decor, Amish sheds and poly furniture. Additionally, they have an Etsy store online where they are now shipping to 50 states! They are open every Thursday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm & on Sunday from 10am to 3pm. The month of May through October, they have huge farmers markets on the first & third Sundays of the month with over 40 vendors, along with food trucks, petting zoos & pony rides. They pride themselves in making the best quality soap around. Give them a visit at 3335 Mahoning Ave NW, Warren, OH 44483 or visit their website at sunshinegoldenacres.com & Etsy store at sunshinegoldenacres.etsy.com. 🐄🧀🥦🐎🧼🍂 Cheering you on, Amy! #WomensLeadHERship2025

Twenty-five of our Business Accounting & Legal Assistance Grant Program participants graduated from the 6-week cohort yesterday morning! Each participant is walking out of the program with: 📌 a completed business plan 📌 a better understanding of business plan development, legal & insurance principles, strong marketing, tax returns, and financial statements 📌 experience in pitching their business idea to a panel of funders 📌 and, $8,000 covering accounting & legal services. The Valley Partners team is so proud to have witnessed all of their hard work and commitment to completing the program! Thank you to The Business Journal (@the_business_journal_ytown) for helping us celebrate these amazing business owners! Please take the time to read their article to learn more about the graduation ceremony. And, many thanks to our wonderful donors who made this program possible: 🎉 The Raymond John Wean Foundation 🎉 The Youngstown Foundation 🎉 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund (@thecdfifund) 🎉 The Valley Vision

Congratulations to Jackie Brown, owner of Doughlicious Bakery, on her ribbon cutting this afternoon! After much hard work and dedication to her business, the Valley Partners team celebrates Jackie as she continues to soar in her entrepreneurial journey. Be sure to give her a visit on 1040 East Market St in Warren, OH! You'll certainly want to taste her signature kolachi rolls & other delicious treats.👩‍🍳🧁🍪🍰

Our 504 loan program has SPOOKY low rates👻🎃 Contact Maureen for more information to see if it is a good fit to grow your business!

Mayor Jamael Tito Brown is inviting all banks, non-profits/foundations, financial institutions, & municipalities to Valley Partners’ upcoming Funders Round Table event! Come hear about how your partnership with Valley Partners can increase capital for small businesses. With insights provided by the Ohio Department of Development’s (@ohiodevelopment) Manager of Business Development & Entrepreneurship—Shaundretta Boykins—this is an event you don’t want to miss! 📲 Register here: https://www.valleyedp.com/banking-with-the-valley-s-partners--funders-round-table

⛳️ Valley Partners' 9th Annual Golf Outing ⛳️ A sincere thank you to every golfer, sponsor, and donor who participated. We look forward to hosting you again next year!

For small start-ups and businesses in the field of health, health education, nutrition & food security, check out the American Heart Association's (@american_heart) virtual townhall discussion on October 10 from 10am-11am regarding the launch of their Social Impact Fund in the Youngstown community. To learn more about the opportunities available to fund your health-related initiatives and programming, register for the virtual discussion on Thursday, October 10th at 10 am here: https://heart.zoom.us/j/84422916402?pwd=65ZS1sauahRc9xLbYQxi2PlgUYmFhr.1

Attention all grassroot groups & nonprofit organizations! The Raymond John Wean Foundation offers funding for grass roots groups that center race equity and inclusion, expand capacity & foster leadership of residents, and leverage financial, human, and material resources. Be sure to register for their next workshop to be eligible for grants! See flier for details and additional eligibility requirements.

Today's success story is with @annas_cookin! Anna's talent in cooking Puerto Rican American home dishes grew into her starting her own restaurant! Check out their Hot Food Meals and Always Available Items that will keep you coming back. With Valley Partners' assistance and much hard work and planning from Anna, Anna made improvements to her restaurant, and secured working capital to grow her business! You can find them at 4750 Mahoning ave, Austintown, OH or on DoorDash!

Valley Partners’ executive director—Teresa Miller—& business resource advisor—Tanay Hill—went on the WFMJ Weekend Today show to talk about VP’s upcoming Funders Round Table event! 📺 Be sure to catch the full interview on WFMJ’s weekend news! 📲 For registration & information on how you can join us at the Funders Round Table event, visit valleyedp.com.

Valley Partners’ leading lady & today’s birthday girl (🥳)—Executive Director Teresa Miller—is inviting all lenders & financial institutions to join us on Thursday, October 17 for our Funders Round Table event! Come learn about how strategic partnership with Valley Partners can strengthen the community & economic development of every small business in the region. 📲 Click here for more information ®gistration: https://www.valleyedp.com/banking-with-the-valley-s-partners--funders-round-table

Mayor Doug Franklin wants to see all banks, non-profits/foundations, financial institutions, & municipalities at Valley Partner’s upcoming Funders Round Table event! With insights provided by our keynote speaker, Shaundretta Boykins—the Ohio Department of Development’s Manager of Business Development and Entrepreneurship—this is an event you don’t want to miss! 📲 Head to valleyedp.com for more information ®gistration.

It's National Women's Small Business Month! On this #WomensWednesday, we're celebrating longtime business owner in the region, Tracy Jordan! Tracy L Jordan is the owner and director at Happy Campers Learning Center, which is a 5-star, gold-rated licensed pre-school in partnership with the Ohio Department of Education. Happy Campers serves children from mid-to-low-income families aged 2 months to 10 years old. For 23 years, Tracy has served the community by being an advocate for young children and early childhood educators. Tracy has sat on several boards in the city of Youngstown, including South Ave Business Assoc. (SABA), Midlothian Health Clinic, Taft Promise Neighborhood, and South Ave Area Neighborhood Development initiative (S.A.A.N.D.I). Tracy also spends time mentoring and consulting young entrepreneurs looking to start their own childcare centers. To date, she has assisted 5 clients with the process of starting and opening their own childcare business. Always the entrepreneur in 2011, Tracy established Willdan Enterprise LLC, which is a rental property company that provides affordable housing to residents in Mahoning Valley. Willdan Enterprise LLC manages commercial properties as well. During covid, the company launched a YouTube channel called "Buy the Block Back"—an informative site that shows interested parties how to purchase and flip homes for profit. Tracy is a lifelong resident of Youngstown, a graduate of Youngstown South High School, & she currently holds an Early Childhood Development associate's degree. Tracy continues to increase her business knowledge by continuing her professional education, along with taking trainings and attending workshops, in the fields of Early Childhood and Real Estate and Business Management. Hats off to you & all of your accomplishments, Tracy! See below for more Happy Campers Learning Center information. 📍518 E Indianola Ave, Youngstown, OH ☎️ 330.788.4300 📧 happy.campers2@yahoo.com #WomensLeadHERship2025

Thank you to the @the_business_journal_ytown for featuring our upcoming Funders Round Table event, inviting all banks, foundations, & municipalities to register! 💻 Be sure to read the full article for more information. 📲To register for the event, head to valleyedp.com.

City of Youngstown’s Director of Economic Development & Valley Partners’ (VP) Board Member, Stephanie Gilchrist, wants to see YOU at VP’s upcoming Funders Round Table event on Thursday, October 17th at 10 am. Learn how your partnership with VP can benefit small businesses across the region. All banks, non-profits/foundations, & municipalities welcome. 📲 Click here for more information ®gistration: https://www.valleyedp.com/banking-with-the-valley-s-partners--funders-round-table

We had a blast at our 9th annual Golf Outing last Friday! Thank you to those of you who attended, sponsored, and/or donated to this event. We hope you will participate again next year! Be on the lookout for next year's date & more information on how you can join us. 🏌️‍♀️⛳🥇🏌🏾‍♂️

Thank you to our hole sponsors! Maloney + Novotny, @color3embroidery, Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell, Ltd., Liberty Open MRI, Joe Depascale CPA, @akronchildrens, 717 Credit Union, ms consultants, inc., Mercy Health Foundation Mahoning Valley, and Vista Azul

Thank you to some of our bronze sponsors: @wahakataco, @bodine_and_company, Druschel Financial Services, Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, and Falmer Screw Products!

Our Golf Outing is this week! Thank you to some of our Bronze Sponsors: @huntingtonbank, Castlo, @middlefieldbank, and P&L Metalcrafts!⛳️

Thank you to some of our Bronze Golf Outing Sponsors- @youngstownclothingco, @yourpremierbank, @yogo_bikeshare, @forwardlawrence, and Youngstown Specialty Metals!

Thank you to some of our Silver Golf Outing Sponsors- @hdgrowthpartners, @farmersnationalbank, First National Bank, & Augenstein, Mapes, & Co.!

Thank you to some of our Silver Golf Outing Sponsors- @@youngstownbusinessincubator, @paigebyrnes_1921, Uniserve, and Western Reserve Port Authority!

Calling all banks, non-profits, municipalities, & financial institutions! Valley Partners wants to strategically partner with YOU to strengthen the community and economic development of every small business in the region. Join us on Thursday, October 17th for our first-ever Banking with the Valley’s Partners: Funders Round Table event. With insights provided by our keynote speaker, Shaundretta Boykins—the @ohiodevelopment's Manager of Business Development and Entrepreneurship—this is an event you don’t want to miss! Click here to register: https://form.jotform.com/ValleyPartners/funders

We would like to extend our gratitude to everyone that is sponsoring our golf outing that is coming up on September 27th.⛳️ First up is our Gold Sponsor- Ascension Healthcare!

Check out @yosteria_ in today's client success story! They offer a menu of authentic Italian cuisine, and have excellent pizza and wine🍷🍕Visit them at Smokey Hollow near YSU!

Low interest rates for small businesses? Very mindful, very demure.

We are happy to announce that team spots have sold out, and Bogey's will be our caterer this year! We are looking for donations for our basket raffle and hole sponsors, please contact us if you or your business would like to donate!

You don't want to miss this❕❕ Sign up to save your seat for this FREE lunch & learn with Ellie Platt from @plattinsurance! Visit our website seminar schedule to RSVP

Meet the newest members of our SBA and Local Economic Development Funds committees, Sarah Boyarko & Stuart Cordell! In her position as Vice President of Economic Development at Lake to River, Sarah Boyarko leads all aspects of the economic development team which is focused on job growth and investment throughout the four-county region. Prior to Lake to River, Boyarko spent nearly 18 years at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, where she held a variety of executive level positions including operations and human resources and spent 14 years leading economic development throughout Mahoning and Trumbull Counties. Under her direction, the Chamber’s economic development team managed 215 expansion and attraction projects, resulting in $6.2 billion of private investment and the creation of 10,178 new jobs throughout the Valley. Prior to the Chamber, Boyarko spent 12 years in law enforcement. Stuart is the President and CEO of The Business of Good Foundation (a private foundation) and E Capital Partners, LLC (a social venture capital fund), both based in Ashtabula, Ohio. The Foundation and E Capital focus on assisting students and entrepreneurs in their quest for greater knowledge and opportunity. Stuart is also a retired attorney and former partner in the law firm of Warren and Young PLL in Ashtabula, Ohio. In his legal career, Stuart concentrated his practice in the areas of business formation and transactions, non-profit organizations, real estate, estate planning and probate administration. Stuart has served as an officer and on the boards of several for profit and non-profit entities in northeast Ohio as well as at the state level. He is currently on the Board of Directors of Andover Bank.

Happy international dog day! Meet the dogs of VP: Bosco (Bulldog - Teresa), Lola and Louie (Australian Cattle Dog/Australian Shepherd and Yorkie - Madison), & Sophie Denise and Dutch Edward (French Bulldog and East German Shepherd - Maureen)

We love to be out in the community! Another great year at the Panerathon💙

Luau on the Lake for our team outing!

Finishing summer off with even lower rates! Call Maureen to see if the 504 program would be a good fit for your project or to learn about our SBA products.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn all you can! Register for our next cohort of classes on our website before 5pm by August 12th . https://www.valleyedp.com/businessaccountinglegalgrant

Read about our beginnings in this great article from the Business Journal! Valley Partners was established back in 1979 in response to the steel mills shutdown, and we’re still continuing on the original mission to this day. Link: https://businessjournaldaily.com/business-journal-at-40-manufacturing-and-the-economy/

Happy July to us! Please contact us at Valley Partners to learn more about the 504 program and how it can benefit your business.

Congrats to Courtney and Joshua on their new business Climb Youngstown! Check out their social media for upcoming events and visit them at 1221 West Western Reserve Road, Youngstown OH.

Be on the lookout for Raising Young Royalty’s second location at 209 West Woodland Avenue, Youngstown OH! At Raising Young Royalty Child Development Center they will teach your young princes and princesses that they are destined for greatness. They strive to provide the best cognitive, physical, social/emotional, language/literacy learning, experience with the arts, and STEM learning so that the students get to experience a quality education at a young age.

Join us for our annual golf outing in September!

Happy 4th!🎇🎆

Congrats Aspasia for being elected to Ohio Craft Brewers Association Board of Directors!

Thank you @deliriumpickling for the amazing peppers and jams! If you have not tried every single one of there peppers you need to ASAP!!!❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Click on the link below to check out these upcoming trainings with SBA Cleveland! https://www.sba.gov/events?keyword=&field_event_dates_value=3&district=75&in_person_or_online=All

You can check our website or contact us at Valley Partners to learn more about the 504 program and how it can benefit your business! 😁

Thank you to some of our funders that have contributed to our loan programs and lending efforts to small businesses in the Valley! With their help, we have been able to assist more and more businesses start-up, grow, expand, and create more jobs. @sbagov Mahoning County Commissioners Trumbull County City of YOUngstown U.S. Department of Agriculture City of Warren U.S. Economic Development Administration

Our 45th Anniversary breakfast was a wonderful way to bring together the people that have shaped our organization into what it is today. Thank you to current/past board members and employees for celebrating with us!

Good morning from our 45th Anniversary Breakfast and Legacy Awards! We’re so happy to have all of our partners together😊

Rates under prime? Yes please! Contact us to learn more about the 504 program and how it can benefit your business

Congrats to our 3rd cohort of graduates of the Business Legal & Accounting Grant Program! A special thank you to The Raymond John Wean Foundation, @The Youngstown Foundation, & The CDFI Fund for making this program possible. Our next cohort will be in the fall, please reach out to Tanay@valleyedp.com to be notified when registration opens!

UPDATE! Due to the emergency downtown, this class will be held at the Valley Partners office. Join us on May 30th for a Sales & Marketing Workshop and FREE lunch to take your business to the next level! RSVP in the link below or on our website. https://form.jotform.com/ValleyPartners/may-30th-2024-rsvp

Happy Cinco+Cinco de Mayo! A little late but we can't pass up an opportunity to have a team bonding party🌮🎉

Come see our table at the Cheers to Beers and Careers event! There is Chick-fil-A, lots of candy, and games!

Interested in contract or procurement opportunities? Check out this upcoming opportunity to meet one-on-one with federal, state, and local government buyers and large prime contractors that represent billions of dollars of upcoming contracts. Visit the link below for more information and registration. https://www.ohiobusinessmatchmaker.com/

April is bringing us showers AND low interest rates below prime!

A fun night for both kids and parents! Have a beer while your kids explore different trade careers while enjoying some Chick-Fil-A and special kid-friendly drinks!

Congrats to Diane Richardson, one of our board members, on winning the Excellence in Economic Development Impact Award from @forwardlawrence!

Congrats again to @sunshinegoldenacres on your grand opening! We can't wait to see the goats again and to take a soap making class!

How awesome is our new MBAC (Minority Business Assistance Center) sign featuring Hannah from @dopethebrand?! Hannah is a local trailblazer being the first black woman owned cidery in Ohio. Check out her ciders, wine, and bar that has incredible vibes right next door to Penguin City.

Have we mentioned that we LOVE our small business clients?!? Thank you and HAPPY 11TH BIRTHDAY to @onehotcookie! 🥳 Check out One Hot Cookie's page to take advantage of their celebration savings on Cookies, Cookie Camper Rentals, and Birthday Party Bookings! Name a better way to celebrate any occasion than with cookies!🍪🍪🍪

Amy from @sunshinegoldenacres came to Valley Partners for assistance with growing her business. Learn about her business and her experience with Valley Partners in this video! You can visit her farmers market or take a soap making class and visit the dwarf goats at 3335 Mahoning Ave NW Warren Oh 44483 Warren, OH 44481. Visit @sunshinegoldenacres facebook or instagram for more info

Today we're kicking off the first day of our third cohort of the Accounting and Legal Grant program! We're happy to have so many entrepreneurs here to learn and better their business🤩