LISC AmeriCorps

When you want to become an entrepreneur, getting an inside look at what it takes to launch and sustain a successful business gives you a leg up on the competition. That’s exactly what aspiring entrepreneur Gabrielle Rivers is getting from Native American Development Corporation, a Native #CDFI based in Billings, MT that supports economic development in Native American communities.? ? As a LISC AmeriCorps - Economic Mobility Corps member placed with NADC with support from Citi Foundation, Rivers assists the lending team and sees first-hand the impact of the financial coaching and capital the organization provides to entrepreneurs. “To see that she has this beautiful storefront and she's marketing and getting clients in, it’s really cool,” Rivers says of a beauty salon owner who recently opened her own brick and mortar location with help from NADC.? ? The Minnesota native, who will graduate with a business degree from Montana Bible College this spring, plans to return to her home state and get a job with a CDFI as she works on the business plan to open her own coffee shop. Hear what Rivers has learned from the team at NADC that fortifies her resolve to build a successful business. Rural LISC?

Meet Dextrianna Magee (Dex), a rural Mississippi native who recently earned an MBA from William Carey University. She was working three jobs to make ends meet when she discovered RCLF in Gulfport, MS, a #CDFI that helps people become successful homeowners and entrepreneurs. Thanks to the LISC AmeriCorps – Economic Mobility program supported by Citi Foundation, Magee now works at RCLF as an outreach representative, who spends her time in the community promoting the organization’s services and resources. Last fall she attended the Opportunity Finance Network Conference in Los Angeles, where she got to network with people from CDFIs across the country. “They just opened my eyes to a lot of opportunity out there that I just was not aware of,” she said. Magee plans to continue working in the CDFI industry when her AmeriCorps term ends this April. Hear Magee talk about what inspired her to join AmeriCorps and the most important thing she’s learned from her time with RCLF. Rural LISC

Meet Alicia Smith, a British Columbia native and member of the Splatsin Tribe. She traveled all over the U.S. for her husband’s welding job until a few years ago, when the couple decided to settle in Billings, MT and start their own welding business (they have since added a cattle business to their holdings).? ? As they built their businesses, Smith worked a corporate job that left her feeling empty. “I just didn't feel like I was serving my purpose,” she said. She wanted to take what she’s learned and help other indigenous people become successful entrepreneurs. That’s when she discovered Native American Development Corporation, a Native #CDFI based in Billings that supports economic development in Native American communities.? ? As a LISC AmeriCorps - Economic Mobility Corps member placed with NADC with support from Citi Foundation, Smith assists a team that connects indigenous entrepreneurs to the tools, coaching and capital they need to shore up their personal finances and build successful businesses. Impressed with her work and dedication to the mission, NADC hired Smith for a full-time position when her AmeriCorps service term ends in April.? ? ??? Hear Smith talk about what inspired her to work for NADC and why the support it provides to indigenous entrepreneurs is so impactful.?? ? Credit: Murals in video created by Melissa Trombley and Julianne Denny.

Meet Verna Halthon, a rural Alabama native and Tulane University graduate who worked for the State of Mississippi for 27 years before retiring. She quickly realized she wasn’t ready to leave the workforce yet and jumped at the opportunity to become a LISC AmeriCorps - Economic Mobility Corps member with support from Citi Foundation. Placed with Renaissance Community Loan Fund (RCLF) in Gulfport, MS, a #CDFI that helps people become successful homeowners and entrepreneurs, Halthon works as an outreach representative, who spends her time in the community promoting the organization’s services and resources. After Halthon passed the exam to become a HUD-certified housing counselor, RCLF hired her for a full-time position as a housing counselor when her AmeriCorps term ends. She is now soaking up as much knowledge as she can from RCLF’s veteran counselors, as she completes on-the-job training and prepares for her new role. ??? Hear Halthon talk about what she’s learned about housing counseling and how the ongoing, personalized support RCLF offers clients – both pre- and post-purchase – helps people achieve their homeownership goals.