Meet Our Clients

AMY CAPANO
Cathedral

As you walk into Cathedral on University Avenue in Hillcrest, you are overcome by a calming aroma in this menagerie of scents. Owner Amy Capano comments that if she could bottle the combined scent and ambiance in her store she would be a millionaire. This soothing environment is where Amy has called home (at least during business hours) for the past twelve years.  It had always been a dream of Amy's to start her own retail business but she was undecided on the products she would most enjoy selling.  Her first venture was in clothing retail, but as she personally began buying candles and home decor, she found that her passion was in the home accessories niche.  She acquired Cathedral's current location on University and Fourth Avenue at a time when the immediately surrounding area was less than attractive.  Amy took a chance on the location, and her landlord admittedly took a chance on her novelty shop, but soon more and more people where drawn into Cathedral. Now that Hillcrest has become the hotspot for trendy shops and restaurants, Cathedral's location is one of the most enviable in the city.

Amy travels the country twice a year to go to trade shows and scope out the latest trends in home accessories to identify new suppliers for the San Diego market. She also does a lot of research to stay ahead of her competition; she often finds that the latest fashions in home decor are already selling-out at her store when others are barely getting them in stock.  Although Cathedral specializes as a high-end candle boutique, the shopper can find other home items including lamps, shelves, vases and tables. Whether you are a fanatic of the traditional and classic or a collector of the eclectic and modern, you can't walk out of Cathedral without yearning to take many items home with you.

Last spring Cathedral faced the challenge of finding additional capital to pay for inventory.  Amy's accountant suggested she contact ACCION after her bank would not extend more credit.Amy used her $10,000 loan from ACCION to pay for additional inventory and offer San Diegans a larger taste of Cathedral's style.

"I had 12 years of experience with my business and a solid customer base and yet the banks didn't see it. I wanted something so simple and ACCION was the only one who beleived in me," says Amy.

KENNETH SANDERS

ASAP Carrier Service

Kenneth Sanders is probably one of ACCION San Diego’s biggest fans. He has been a client since 2004 and is so enthusiastic about how ACCION San Diego has helped him that  pictures of ACCION staff are found all over his home office. ACCION San Diego has many very hardworking clients and Kenneth is no exception. He started out working two full-time jobs and running a cleaning service on the side with his best friend Ernest. Today, after three consecutive loans with ACCION San Diego, Kenneth still has a cleaning service on the side but focuses on ASAP Carrier Service. ASAP is a delivery service that he owns and runs which delivers tires, rims and other equipment from the American Racing warehouse in Chula Vista to locations throughout San Diego County. In addition, he has an exclusive relationship delivering between Discount Tire stores in San Diego.

It wasn’t easy for Kenneth to start his own business.  He recounts how he was turned down from many banks and was even laughed at in one location. Once he was referred to ACCION San Diego, Kenneth’s perseverance paid off, and he received the business loan he needed. Kenneth says that he would not give up, he attended two seminars for business owners hosted ACCION, made his presence known and continued to come to the office and talk to our loan officers until his initial loan was approved.  He used his first loan to buy materials and a van and his latest loan has been to buy business insurance and security for ASAP. Kenneth is very thankful to the people that have helped him along the way. He mentions that at times he really felt like giving up but that he went back to a scrapbook of his that reminded him of the goals he wanted to reach. “I want to be a success story,” he says. Here at ACCION San Diego we congratulate Kenneth for all his success and commitment to his business.

MERIDETH LEYGRAFF

Flip*N*Fit

Needles, fabric and thread, these are the basic building blocks for producing a garment. Add in five years of experience, a passion for the industry, a touch of creativity and you have the structure for Merideth Leygraff’s Flip*N*Fit business.

It was around the holidays when Merideth and her daughter got together and instead of making the traditional Christmas cookies, they decided to fashion something quite different, sweatpants. The pants were a hit with friends and family and Meredith realized she had tapped into something exciting and new.  Merideth decided to capitalize on her talents and start a personal manufacturing business doing direct sales at one of the largest gymnastic YMCA centers. By designing leotards, cheer briefs, embroidered shorts and sweatshirts, her business has not only expanded since her Christmas days, it has boomed.

With the $5,000 from Merideth’s first loan with ACCION San Diego, she has decided to use the capital towards the creation of her website, purchasing materials and hiring a part time employee. “The loan will help me to get to the next level; I am highly motivated and ready for the next challenge,” says Merideth.

With dozens of colors, prints and materials, Merideth has given a flair to little gymnasts all over San Diego. Her quality work and imaginative ideas make her an asset to the Santee gymnastic community.