At Accompany Capital we create paths to success and self-sufficiency for immigrants & refugees – as well as other fellow New Yorkers. We don’t just support our clients with affordable loans, we continue to support them with:
Through our partnership with organizations like New York Women in Business, we sponsor and participate in events that highlight women entrepreneurs’ stories and bring together women who are starting, building, or expanding business to learn from each other’s journeys.
Women who are not our clients are also welcome to take advantage of the many workshops we offer on every phase of entrepreneurship, from starting a business, to marketing it successfully and take it to the next level.
We have also created a speaker bureau – AC Voices – highlighting Accompany Capital clients who have successfully navigated the very diverse challenges they have faced and can tell the story compellingly at meetings, conferences, and panels to uplift other women – and men – on their journeys. Contact us to learn more about this program.
Accompany Capital works closely with Women’s Enterprise Action Loan Fund (WEALF) to benefit from referring our clients to WEALF for mentoring while WEALF refers their clients to us for larger loans. WEALF was founded 7 years ago to help women founders and their businesses become financially self-sufficient through interest-free loans of up to $10,000 and one-on-one mentoring from experienced businesswomen to maximize the impact of the loan. Since then, WEALF has been proving – with each loan they grant – that zip code & ethnicity are no barriers to success for women entrepreneurs.
We are very pleased to welcome Ivan Momin, the first recipient of our new Leonid Ostrovsky Lending Fellowship. Ivan is a native New Yorker whose parents are first-generation immigrants from Bangladesh, currently pursuing his Bachelor’s in Finance and Economics at Queens College.
About the Fellowship:
The 12-month fellowship is an early-career opportunity for candidates with an interest in small business lending to immigrants and refugees to receive on-the-job training in leads management, underwriting small business loans, collections, reporting, and community outreach and marketing. The Fellow will also engage in research projects and receive mentoring from senior loan officers.
On-the-job training will include the following key responsibilities:
Fellows will be selected based on:
Please email lendingfellowship@accompanycapital.org or call 212-898-7815 if you have any questions about the fellowship or application process.
This Fellowship is named in memory of Accompany Capital’s Chief Lending Officer from 1997 to 2023, who left an indelible mark on the CDFI sector. Leonid’s passion for small business lending to underserved communities inspired us to create an opportunity for early career professionals, or those wishing to make a career change, to learn and gain paid experience. The Leonid Ostrovsky Lending Fellowship will learn how to provide access to capital to immigrant, refugee, and other underserved entrepreneurs, the importance of which he understood as a Ukrainian refugee.
If you’re interested in supporting the Leonid Ostrovsky Lending Internship, please contact Claire Gohorel for more information or donate here.
Tuesday, June 10
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Accompany Capital 78-27 37th Ave. Suite # 1, Jackson Heights
Join us for a hands-on, workshop where you’ll learn how to use AI tools like ChatGPT, Canva, and more to promote your business, attract new customers, and boost sales — all from your phone .
Learn How to:
● Understand your ideal customer
● Research competitors in seconds
● Create engaging posts and campaigns
● Design visuals using AI + mobile apps
● Track results and plan your next move
Spots Are Limited – Register Today
This workshop is hosted in partnership Tech Incubator at Queens College with programmatic funding provided by TD Charitable Foundation
Click here to watch our collection of free recorded webinars.
Thursday, April 17
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Are you a minority- or woman-owned business looking to secure government contracts and expand your opportunities? This class provides an in-depth guide to the City of New York’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) Program, helping entrepreneurs understand the benefits of certification and how to successfully apply
Participants will learn about:
Additional Business Growth Resources:
– Business development services from NYC Small Business Services (SBS), including legal assistance, funding opportunities, and Business Courses.
Whether you’re just starting or looking to expand your business, this class will equip you with the knowledge and tools to navigate the M/WBE program with confidence.
Speaker: Natalie Williams-Grant, Director, NYC Business Solutions Bronx Center
This workshop is provided in partnership with the NYC Small Business Services and sponsored by Office of Council Member Feliz
Wednesday, April 23
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Whether you’re starting a new business or expanding into a new location, this webinar is designed to help you navigate the complexities of commercial lease agreements with confidence. Join us for an informative session where we’ll break down the essential terms and conditions you need to look out for when signing a lease.
Key topics include:
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your understanding of commercial leases and ensure your business is on the right legal footing.
Register today and take the first step toward securing a smooth and successful leasing experience!
Speaker: Rolando Gonzalez, Esq. Senior Staff Attorney, The Legal Aid Society Harlem Community Law Office, Community Development Project
This workshop is provided in partnership with the NYC Small Business Services, The Legal Aid Society and sponsored by Office of Council Member Salaam
Wednesday, April 30
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
In this insightful webinar, we will explore how small businesses can harness the power of artificial intelligence to streamline operations, enhance customer service, and drive growth. Focusing on the capabilities of ChatGPT, we’ll dive into practical ways AI can transform the way you interact with customers, automate everyday tasks, and improve your marketing strategies.
Key Topics Covered:
Who Should Attend: Small business owners, entrepreneurs, marketers, customer support managers, and anyone interested in learning how AI can make a significant impact on business operations.
Why Attend: AI is no longer just for big companies – small businesses can benefit greatly from these advancements as well. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how you can leverage ChatGPT to take your business to the next level!
Speaker: Catherine Ventura, Venn Diagram, is a Social Media Branding and Content Strategist with over 20 years of experience in visual, written, and filmed content creation
This workshop is provided in partnership with the Queens Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Programmatic Funding by TD Foundation
**This program will be online until further notice, accessible from any device 24 hours a day, 7 days a week**
The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s HomeFirst
Down Payment Assistance Program provides qualified homebuyers with up to $100,000 toward the down
payment or closing costs on a 1-4 family home, a condominium, or a cooperative in one of the five boroughs
of New York City.
The following topics are covered:
Discount code: ACCOMPANYCAPITAL50
Eligibility Requirements: Click here
For more information, please contact Francess Smith at (212) 898-7850 or fsmith@accompanycapital.org
This workshop is put on through the Housing Partnership Development Corporation
Offering simple, delicious, natural Ethiopian coffee and blends that allowing the unique flavors of each type of single origin bean to shine through. Many of our Ethiopian coffees are certified fair-trade and organic. Others are sourced from small farms that are committed to responsible practices but cannot afford the costs of certification. All of our Ethiopian coffees come from small-holder farms and farmers cooperatives.
Inca Heritage offers beautiful women’s hats, capes, coats, shawls, and dresses as well as fun children’s hats and toys, all made with 100% Premium Baby Alpaca and organic cotton from natural, organic sources, environmentally safe, and 100% free of animal cruelty.
Olive oil-based, gentle, all-natural skincare, body care, and hair care products that are safe and effective to combat early signs of aging, allergies, or skin sensitivities, giving you beautiful skin and stronger hair.
Balkan Bites is a female and family-owned business that specializes in wholesome Southeast European comfort foods made with premium ingredients and authentic recipes, such as Burek, a portable stuffed phyllo swirl.
Harlem Chocolate Factory is an artisan chocolate company that strives to convey the cultural experiences of Harlem through their chocolate products, sharing their love for Harlem & Chocolate and bringing diverse voices to the forefront of the chocolate industry. Try their Brownstone Bars and their delicious bonbons and truffles!
The Gilded Grape has a strong focus on local producers, featuring wines from the Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley & North Fork- even Brooklyn – and artisanal spirits such as gin, whiskey, single malts, and vodka from New York State craft distilleries, as well as other popular brands and producers.
Award-winning language learning, translation, interpretation & cultural exchange services, powered by refugee talent & host community members.
Butcher Girls Co. is a virtual butcher shop, hand-delivering curated boxes of local, sustainable, and humanely sourced meat and fish as part of a weekly, biweekly or monthly subscription program.
The Bark Shoppe is a premier pet care facility in Harlem, dedicated to fostering great relationships between pets and their owners. Featuring signature soap-free shampoos for your pet’s coat and sensitive skin; water-based hydrating body sprays infused with natural essences to provide a long-lasting deodorizing scent without sacrificing the natural oils in your pet’s fur; and gentle but effective combs and brushes.
Please contact Claire Gohorel at cgohorel@accompanycapital.org or 212-898-7815 for more information.
The owner of Le’Bulga Inc., a luxury handbag company, Natalia tells an impressive story of building a successful business from the ground up in the highly competitive fashion industry. After immigrating to the United States in 1995 from Uzbekistan, she graduated from FIT with a degree in Fashion Design. Upon graduation, she worked for various high-end fashion brands, which led to her passion for handbag design.
Le’Bulga handbags have been worn by celebrities and fashion insiders, and have been featured in fashion magazines alongside luxury brands including Burberry and Chanel.
The daughter of Filipino immigrants and the owner of SPAdét, Annabelle tells an inspiring story about leveraging entrepreneurship to solve real-world problems. Using her background in biochemistry, she began experimenting with natural personal care products in 2008 to heal her daughter’s eczema. Once she perfected a formula that worked for her daughter, she founded SPAdét, which is best known for its O’Live Castile Soap – a pure, safe, and environmentally friendly liquid cleanser for sensitive skin.
SPAdét has secured large contracts with educational institutions, medical facilities, child learning centers, and specialty pharmacies.
The owner of Alima Hair Braiding in Brooklyn, Alimata tells her moving story about making the best of challenging circumstances – and uplifting other women along the way. A refugee from Burkina Faso who arrived in New York with her husband and children in 2012, she opened two hair braiding salons after putting herself through school.
Alimata’s salons employ eight women from her community. She is also the founder and president of the Association of African Women, a nonprofit networking group for African women entrepreneurs.
Archana came to the US from Nepal in 2003 and studied chemistry and sociology at Hunter College, graduating in 2010. She worked in sales, marketing, and training at Time Warner and Verizon before becoming the business manager at a Manhattan day spa. She was able to save enough money to open her own business on the Upper East Side in 2018: Lenox Spa and Nails, a spacious day spa specializing in manicures, pedicures, and facial treatments. A loan from Accompany Capital helped finance completion of construction and the purchase of spa equipment. Lenox Spa and Nails has created 11 full-time jobs.
As a member of the Accompany Capital Voices Speakers Bureau – women entrepreneurs who are ambassadors for Accompany Capital and experts in their business sectors – she is available to speak to groups about entrepreneurship.
Marieme Keita, who came to New York from the Ivory Coast in 1992, speaks eloquently about work life balance, including making time for the joy her four children bring while still managing employees and a thriving business.
She began work as a hair braider in 1992, later opening her own own storefront braiding salon. Learning by doing, she gained the experience and confidence she needed to open her next business in 2015 – Keita West African Market – and has saved enough to purchase a home for her family as well. Located on a street with extremely high foot traffic in Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn, the Keita West African Market now carries over $200,000 in merchandise and has recently expanded to include Lycamobile and money transfer services as well.
Her goal is to continue to expand and provide the most value she can for her customers, employees, and community while enjoying life and her beloved family as well.
Millie Carbajal started M&M 24HR Daycare when she was 30 years old, a single mom, and a hotel worker. Dissatisfied with the day care choices she found for her young children – particularly for her night shift work – she started researching how to open her own. When she discovered her home didn’t meet state requirements, she found one that did and moved.
The first three years after she opened were hard. She had to cash out her 401k and apply for food stamps to make ends meet while paying for training classes for a Child Development Associate (CDA) degree. She was soon able, however, to open a second location, M&M Preparatory, and then M&M 24HR Daycare, both ow which are affiliated with the New York City’s 3K and Pre-K programs.
Today she serves over 40 families and, in 2019, she and M&M’s 24-hour services were featured in Time Magazine. She now sits on the Board of the UFT as a first Chair, representing child care providers from the Bronx.
Special thanks to the New York Women’s Foundation for supporting this project. Contact us at cgohorel@accompanycapital.org for booking information.
