CDFI Success: Maximizing Potential for Women Business Owners

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Nasdaq Center is excited to be joined by experts at Working Solutions CDFI and BMO for a dynamic session on how women business owners can set themselves up for success when working with financial institutions like a CDFI. You’ll hear tips and best practices on everything you need to know to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship long-term, along with strategic advice from Xiomara Rosa-Tedla, Cofounder and Owner at UnoEth, who has worked directly with a CDFI and will explore the ways her business has been positively impacted. Join us to learn how long-term financial support from a CDFI or other alternative financing institution can unlock opportunities for your business!

Key Takeaways:

• How to Optimize Your Use of Funding to Grow Your Business: exploring strategic allocation of funds, best practices for building financial buffers for times of uncertainty, and implementation of continuous performance monitoring.
• Navigating Long-Term Relationships with Financial Institutions: understanding your financial needs, building strong communication channels, and the importance of compliance and risk management.

To learn more about how a CDFI can support you and your business, check out our recent session, “CDFI Fundamentals: A Path for Entrepreneurial Success”

Xiomara Rosa-Tedla

Born and raised in Sacramento, California, Xiomara always knew she wanted to own and run her own business. Fueled by creativity and obsessed with consumer behavior, she initially kicked off her career in advertising after graduating with a degree in Business with a concentration in Marketing from San Francisco State University.

While loving the agency life, she yearned to dive into retail and have more control of the product and what was actually sold as opposed to how we communicate and sell to the customer. Switching gears from advertising to merchandising, she attended FIDM’s Fashion Merchandising graduate program, which led to a new career in Buying and Merchandising in home decor for Pottery Barn Teen. Grinding hard in the corporate world, her father gifted her a handcrafted, artisan-made, leather messenger bag from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Little did she know that this bag would spark the business she always wanted to own and run, UnoEth.

UnoEth (pronounced: ooh-no-eth, meaning ‘one Ethiopia’) is a father-daughter business based in Oakland, CA that partners with artisans in Ethiopia to craft handmade accessories from handbags, travel gear, and to home decor. The duo love to travel and were inspired by their many road trips and international travels to embark on their leather bag and accessories business venture.

Whether it’s long journeys or daily commutes, the two yearned for classic, casual styles with a story. After a trip to visit family in Ethiopia, Dagne brought several leather goods home as gifts for friends and family, only to realize that he needed to go back to Addis Ababa for more! Thus, the birth of UnoEth began.

From pop-up events and local markets, UnoEth expanded their wholesale channel with over 75 retailers nationwide to growing their online store and social media presence to establishing corporate partnerships, worldwide press, TV features and more.

Within this growth, Xiomara witnessed the incredibly positive impact that their brand had created in her father’s home country and realized UnoEth’s mission was to duplicate their business model by helping artisans and small businesses around the globe through intentional strategy and partnerships.

Titi Ikhile

Chief Program Officer, Working Solutions

Titi Ikhile joined Working Solutions in 2016 and serves as Chief Program Officer. She holds a Masters Certificate in Business Analysis from Villanova University, a B.S. in Finance & Entrepreneurship from University of Southern California and she is a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional.

Titi has worked in the area of small business lending and business coaching for over 10 years. Prior to joining Working Solutions, she worked for Citibank, JPMorganChase, Small Business Development Center and ran her own consulting business. In her prior positions, she was responsible for managing and growing multimillion dollar clientele portfolios while overseeing the clients’ lending and deposit needs.

In addition to her diverse background in lending and business coaching, she brings a wealth of experience in financial analysis, sales & marketing and business development.

Ronald L. Milsap

Director, U.S. Zero Barriers to Business, BMO

Ronald L. Milsap is Director, U.S. Zero Barriers to Business, where he is responsible for managing and leading programming for under-represented and underserved, specialty programs, as well as developing specialized strategy, customized products, training and education across BMO Bank, N.A. U.S. footprint. Ron has over 17 years of blended banking experience in commercial underwriting, business banking relationship management and sales, and retail banking management. Prior to joining BMO, Ron served as the CRA Officer for Providence Bank & Trust overseeing its lending, services, and investments into low-to-moderate income communities. Ron is passionate about serving the diverse needs of communities, non-profits and small businesses and leveraging his skills to deliver innovative, industry-specific financing and cash management solutions to help BMO clients realize their vision for success. Ron earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. Ron is a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow and a graduate of the Chicago Urban League’s IMPACT Leadership Development Program. Ron serves on the boards of Invisible Institute, E.G. Woode and the South Shore Chamber of Commerce. Ron is an advisory board member of Community Desk Chicago and a volunteer and mentor with several youth-based organizations. Ron currently resides in Chicago with his wife, son, and daughter.

The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is a 501c(3) public charity whose mission it is to make entrepreneurship accessible to all. We deliver world-class resources and mentoring to enable every entrepreneur across the globe to realize their maximum potential. Please join us and make your gift to ensure these transformative programs may continue to reach the underserved.

All Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least 48 hours in advance of this event; please send an email to [email protected] with the subject header ACCOMMODATION REQUEST. For assistance with registration or other technical difficulties, please contact [email protected]