Impact Stories

Small Business. Big Impact. 

We are proud of our clients who add vibrancy to our communities while creating a pathway to prosperity for themselves, their families and their employees. 
 
At LiftFund 26% of our client base includes startups contributing to the local economy and making a difference in their communities. 
 
Read about our clients’ entrepreneurial journey and get inspired by their passion, commitment and resiliency. 

Veteran

Dr. Andre Xavier Smith

Eastside Christian Dental Clinic

Dr. Andre Smith grew up in a low-income neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland. His mother passed away when he was only 10 years old, leaving behind a family of nine children. Due to hardship in the area, Smith says that crime was one of the most appealing routes in his community; however, he chose a different path by joining the military.

After 24 long years of serving his country, Smith looked around his San Antonio commu…

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Montina Young

CIA Media Group

At CNote, we consider ourselves to be the Economic Development Funder industry’s biggest cheerleader. Then we met Montina Young.

When Montina was just 18 months old, her mother abandoned her. She was raised by an aunt, but she ended up homeless when she was 16 years old. Still, Montina managed to get her GED, and she hasn’t looked back since. Professionally, Montina has done a little bit of everything over the course of …

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Naomi J Hardy

Dunamis Transition Solutions

 Solopreneur, Naomi J Hardy, is passionate about people and enjoys managing relationships during change, guiding business owners and their employees during uncertain times. 

A native Louisianan, Naomi grew up in a large family pushing her to learn and manage different personalities, “My family is a close-knit family where cousins are like sisters and brothers; aunts and uncles are like second parents. So, I gre…

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Kassandra Torres

Mírame Boutique

From a young age, Kassandra Torres had a passion for fashion and design. After years of working jobs to help support her husband and four children, Kassandra was ready to fulfill her lifelong dream of running a boutique that helped others look their best. Kassandra attempted to launch an online clothing store in 2017, but she closed it within a year to focus on her family and demanding full-time job. When COVID hit Mercedes…

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Jeanette Sellers

Axum Culture

Jeanette Sellers has a mission: to build community. She wants her children to see it represented in everyday life. 

Jeanette didn’t plan to be an entrepreneur. She noticed her fellow activists crocheting hats and scarves, so she learned fabric arts and lotion-making and started selling her products at festivals to support her education. Soon after, she told her family that she was leaving her PhD program in Chemistry, mo…

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George Hahn

AOS Treatment Solutions

After years of working with Texas-based water treatment firms, George Hahn decided to follow his passion for clean water and launch his own company — AOS Treatment Solutions — in 1999. George used his existing industry connections and expertise to offer a variety of cost-effective services at AOS, eventually becoming a single-point water treatment source for Houston-area industrial and residential clients.

George’s succe…

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