Small Business Boost Loan Helps Mississippi Couple Buy Business

A $65,000 Small Business Boost (SBB) loan from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas), through FHLB Dallas member BankPlus, helped a Mississippi couple complete the purchase of a clothing boutique and hire two part-time employees.

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Christopher and Jessica Pickens, co-owners of Fincher’s in Greenwood, Mississippi, received a $65,000 Small Business Boost loan from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas through BankPlus. (Photo: Business Wire)

When the owner of Fincher’s Inc., a gift and clothing boutique in Greenwood, Mississippi, said she was ready to retire, Jessica Pickens jumped at the chance to purchase the shop.

Getting approval for financing to buy the business proved difficult, however, until she learned about the SBB loan.

“The SBB loan helped us tremendously,” she said. “We wouldn’t have been able to purchase the business without it."

Mark Ouellette, senior vice president and Affordable Housing Program director at BankPlus, credits the SBB with giving business owners time to create cash flow.

“Small Business Boost loans give business owners a chance to get their business started with a little breathing room,” he said. “We’ve found that no payments in the first year and a low interest rate the second year to be a significant help to business owners.”

An SBB loan fills the gap between the loan amount that an FHLB Dallas member institution can fund and the loan request made by an eligible small business. The program doesn’t require any loan payments or interest during the first year — a boost when starting or buying a business. After the first year of the loan, there’s a maximum interest rate of 3 percent in year two and a maximum interest rate of 6 percent after that.

Greg Hettrick, senior vice president and director of Community Investment for FHLB Dallas, said that the SBB helps entrepreneurs navigate the toughest time — their first year in business.

“Having access to capital in the first few years is critical for small businesses,” Mr. Hettrick said.

Visit fhlb.com to learn more about the SBB.

About BankPlus

Founded in 1909, BankPlus is one of the Southeast’s premier regional banks serving consumers and businesses with the latest technology through a full suite of financial services, including retail banking, commercial banking, mortgage lending and wealth management. With over $7.7 billion in total assets, BankPlus operates 83 financial centers throughout Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida. For more information about BankPlus, visit www.bankplus.net.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $125.1 billion as of March 31, 2024, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 800 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit our website at fhlb.com

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