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BBIF Client Spotlight: CCI Group F or the past eight years, Indy Vega and her Orlando-based company, CCI Group, have become a trusted source of linguistic solutions for local, state and federal agencies in Florida.   What started out as a lifestyle business for Vega, allowing her to pursue her passion for languages while becoming her own boss, blossomed into a growing minority-owned company with eight full-time employees providing translation and interpretation services of more than 70 languages, including American Sign Language. “Our main goal is to enable our clients to succeed in a global economy through knowledge and understanding of language and culture,” according to Vega.  Her client-focused mission helped CCI Group thrive.  In fact, after experiencing a 35% growth in business in 2019, CCI Group had aggressive goals for 2020. This all changed with the coronavirus pandemic which forced governments to issue stay-at-home orders to help flatten the curve and reduce the load of patients in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. As a result, businesses were forced to close as Americans self-quarantined. “The future of CCI Group looked uncertain,” states Vega. “Our biggest clients closed unexpectedly without any signs of reopening. Since our employees provide in-person interpreting, there was absolutely nothing we could do to change this situation.”  The pandemic forced a record number of small businesses to close, if only temporarily. According to research from the University of California at Santa Cruz, between February to April 2020, the number of active business owners in the United States plummeted by 3.3 million or 22%, which is the largest drop in business owners on record. During the two-month period, 41% of Black business owners had to close their doors, while 32% of Latino business owners and 25% of female-owned businesses shuttered. In comparison, only 17% of white business owners closed during this period. While there are several factors that explain why minority businesses are closing at a higher rate, the most noteworthy cause is limited access or lack of capital, which makes it difficult to survive financial emergencies and economic downturn. Vega reached out to a national funder to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a loan created under the CARES Act and administered by the Small Business Administration. Despite her existing relationship with her bank, Vega was unable to gain access to the emergency funds. With no recovery strategy, Vega continued to search for a way to access the PPP loan and sought assistance from BBIF, a non- traditional lender and non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). BBIF’s mission is to provide capital and training to black, minority, and underserved small businesses.  As of May 31, 2020, BBIF had provided $5.4 Million in PPP loans to underserved businesses. BBIF secured a PPP loan for CCI Group, allowing Vega to save four full-time positions. “BBIF gave us hope and made this a reality. Thanks to the PPP loan, we are able to focus on adapting effectively to the new normal and even develop our services in other areas that will allow us to bring our staff to work full-time again.” -Indy Vega, CEO of CCI Group

Total Health Guidance (THG ), a BBIF loan & technical assistance coaching client, has been helping people achieve sustainable relief and freedom since 2008.  THG takes a whole-person perspective on emotional health, where passionate counselors work with clients to bring balance where needed. THG’s vision is to help clients receive sustainable relief and freedom by treating both the symptoms and root causes through the use of effective counseling, massage therapy, acupuncture, and nutrition. With a 5-star team, hard-work, and an SBA loan from BBIF, Total Health Guidance was able to double its client base, requiring a larger facility. On November 19th, 2019, THG celebrated its grand re-opening in it larger newly remodeled space in a severely distressed community in Orlando. They are now able to help more people heal and reach their highest potential, with greater options for group and individual sessions. Making their clients feel welcome was a major priority, and THG’s new space was beautifully designed with warm, fresh colors, and a cozy interior, helping clients feel more comfortable as they continue their journey towards wellness. “Since receiving the funding from BBIF, we’ve been able to double the size of our office and are now seeing more clients than we ever imagined! Additionally, the monthly technical assistance coaching has been an invaluable resource in our growth journey.” – Dr. John Stiteler, PsyDN, Counseling/coaching, nutrition, and consumer credit counselor

BBIF and Fifth Third Bank have a history of working together to help black and minority owned businesses grow. The organizations partnered to create a New Markets Tax Credits loan pool, through which $2 million was invested in two Orlando communities: Pine Hills and Washington Shores. This investment is part of a strategic effort to revitalize Orlando’s underserved communities. One of the the loan pool recipients was Derrick Wallace, Chairman and owner of Construct Two Group (CTG), an African American owned construction company, has an impressive 35+ year track record in the construction industry. Mr. Wallace has a passion for the community demonstrated by a long history of service. Derrick was born and raised in Washington Shores, a small urban neighborhood in Orlando.  This year, Derrick is realizing a long time  dream, building his company headquarters in the heart of his community. With the help of partner BBIF , a statewide non-profit Florida CDFI, he is able to do just that. “Helping contractors scale and providing capital to business owners to acquire or build their own real estate are two points of intentional, strategic focus” adds Jasmine Gebon, VP Strategic Initiatives, BBIF . Through the investment he is making into the community, it is Derrick’s goal is that his actions will inspire youth as well as other local entrepreneurs to invest back into their communities. This type of investment is critical in creating change and opportunity, new jobs, as well as hire and train people from the community.   “I want to be a beacon of hope to the entrepreneurs, as well as bring opportunity and training to the local community.” Derrick Wallace, Chairman, Construct Two Group

Shelli Freeland Eddie, Esq. Demographic: Black-Owned, Woman-Owned Location: Sarasota, FL Loan Program: Micro Loan Fund January 03, 2017 BUSINESS DETAILS Number of employees: 1 Number of years in business: 3 Shelli Freeland Eddie has practiced in the State of Florida for the past 10 years. For 5 years she served as an Assistant State Attorney for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit of Sarasota County. In 2012 she became the Founder/CEO of The Freeland Eddie Law Group, P.A. Her firm is “A Full-Service Law Firm Committed to Community.” Practice areas include family, civil, criminal, business incorporation, and asset protection services. Attorney Eddie is also affiliated with the prestigious Law Academy of Booker High School, which provides clinical experiences and mentoring opportunities to students in the areas of law and law enforcement. Booker is the first school in Sarasota County, FL to build an actual Mock Trial Courtroom on its campus. Attorney Eddie previously served as the Legal Redress Chair for the Sarasota Branch of the NAACP, and currently works with justice-affected individuals by helping to expunge/seal criminal records, restore voting rights, and preparing employment packages to bridge the gap between past criminal consequences and gainful employment. A graduate from the University of Kentucky Colleges of Law (JD) and Arts and Sciences (BA), Attorney Eddie also taught doctoral level classes in education law and public policy at Argosy University. She has served as a legal correspondent on the Sarasota WWSB/ABC-7 Television Show, “Black Almanac.” In May 2015, after serving her community for over a decade, Attorney Eddie was elected to a four year term as Sarasota City Commissioner for District 3, the first African-American ever elected to this non-minority district. A proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Attorney Eddie has committed to a life of service. The Freeland Eddie Law Group was created in 2012 and is located in Sarasota, FL. Her practice services Central Florida and the Gulf Coast from Orlando to Ft. Myers. The Freeland Eddie Law Group was created in 2012 and is located in Sarasota, FL.

Robert L. Burns Demographic: Black-Owned Location: Orlando, FL Loan Program: Black Business Loan Fund January 03, 2017 BUSINESS DETAILS Number of employees: 30 Number of years in business: 21 RL Burns Inc. is a full service General Construction and Construction Management company in Downtown Orlando. 
President and CEO Robert (Bob) Burns is a Florida State Certified General Contractor. Bob has a background in Construction Management and attended the Philadelphia College of Art where he majored in Furniture Design and minored in Structures and Construction. Complemented by a range of experience within the Construction Industry, Bob’s expertise includes but is not limited to: general construction, estimating and CPM scheduling. As a continuing Vertical Contractor, Bob has an upstanding relationship with governmental agencies in Central Florida. Bob performs his many functions and responsibilities in consonance with the company’s values, which he established. In addition, by relocating the corporate office to the downtown Orlando district, he has a vested interest in the ongoing Parramore Revitalization Effort by the City of Orlando. Bob is a hands-on owner and makes it a point of being personally involved in each construction project. Formed on the values of quality, service, performance, and delivery, R L Burns Inc. specializes in pre-construction design-build, new building construction, renovation, facilities maintenance, and post construction services for commercial and multi-family construction projects in the State of Florida. The company works with a diverse clientele in the Education, Aviation and Commercial Markets to include UCF, Orange County Public Schools, The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, The City of Orlando and Walt Disney World. In addition, R L Burns Inc. is a certified 8(a) general contractor with an extensive resume of Federal Government Projects. BBIF is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). We are a mission-driven organization that helps BIPOC and underserved small businesses thrive by providing loan capital alongside business development training.