I was raised in New York City by my mother and grandmother who emigrated from Bogota, Colombia. My first exposure to the entrepreneurial spirit, particularly within the food industry, was through my grandmother, "Lita". She sold homemade empanadas at a local English-Language school to students during their class breaks. As business grew, she made me her afternoon "sales assistant". Earning 5 dollars a day as a 9-year-old sparked the hustle in me!
Although I had no intention of taking an entrepreneurial path as I applied to colleges, I wrote my admission essay about my grandmother being a luminous example of self-motivation and adaptability. Getting into a prestigious university had been life's ultimate destination, but once I was admitted, I floundered finding clear direction moving forward. I changed my major four times and ultimately graduated with a BA in Economics from NYU.
Once I graduated, I went in a different direction and began to explore my artistic side by pursuing an acting career while working at a downtown bar owned by a local entrepreneur. Unexpectedly, this period became a formative chapter. It encouraged me to embrace my free-spiritedness and I felt drawn to explore a more nature connected way of life. I decided to relocate from New York for the first time in my life to experience off-grid farming which took me to Hawaii, California, Baja and eventually Colorado. Although farm life was a sweet experience, it didn't quite feel like my conclusive path, I missed the dynamic, everyday interaction with customers. I took a break from farming and worked at a juice bar in Aspen, this setting blended livelier paced energy with my appreciation of whole eating and living. This is when all the seemingly haphazard pieces, fell into place and I knew I had found my path.
Adding to basket
Funded
A loan helped a minority-woman owned business to establish a branded, juice delivery subscription platform.
Norma's story
This loan is special because:
More about this loan
Business Description
Sweet Gold Juice offers cold-pressed juices & smoothies to the Denver-Metro Area. All our offerings are organic, glass-bottled and raw. We encourage customers to return their bottles for a small deposit. Our 4-step sanitizing process allows us to reuse the bottles and reduce our product's carbon footprint. Sweet Gold's production is based out of a commissary kitchen which is shared with 30 other locally based businesses. Our primary points of sale are a stand at Stanley Marketplace and May through October, mobile stands at various farmers markets. We also have wholesale outlets through Choice Market and Supper Bell, a locally based, prepared meal delivery company. Online ordering is available through our website but largely speaking, it's been an untapped channel.
The business had a soft launch in April of 2018 but it debuted as a year-round operation in 2020. I have proudly, fully supported myself through the business since April of 2020. During the summer I employ 10 part-time employees whose cumulative hours amount to 4 full-time positions. In the quieter winter months, I keep one production employee and one part-time sales employee.
My motivation for starting this business was a cumulative result of merging my personal interests and the brighter pieces of my work and volunteer experience. In retrospect, I realize that juice, being a central element of my background, both as a New Yorker and first generation Colombian, was influential too. In New York there's a juice bar on every block and in watching Anthony Bourdain's episode in Colombia, you'll quickly learn a fresh juice is a sure remedy for just about anything!
Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sweetgoldjuiceco/ !
What is the purpose of this loan?
In the past 3 years I've had many ideas on how to grow the business but they've remained ideas rather than realities due to limited capital. With this loan, I would set all these intentions into action, primarily by fine tuning and elevating the branding. Once branding is established, I will invest in professional product photography and an updated and more comprehensive website focusing on subscription based home delivery. I will also add branded merchandise such as shirts, cooler bags and juice carriers for purchase at all points of sale. Once all these changes are set in place, I will invest in a marketing campaign. Since launching Sweet Gold, I have yet to spend any money on marketing so it will be an exciting step for the business. Some of the funds will also go towards labor so that I can take time on a weekly basis to work on recipe development in order to expand the menu.
Loan details
Loan length:
Repayment schedule
Monthly: One repayment made per month
End of term: One repayment made at the end of the loan term
Irregular: Any other repayment schedule
To see a detailed repayment schedule for a specific loan, click the "Repayment schedule" link on the loan profile under "Loan details."
What is the disbursed date?
In the case of partner loans, many of our Lending Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Lending Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Lending Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
Funding model
What does "Partner covers currency loss" mean & how could it affect my Kiva loans?
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Lending Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Lending Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Lending Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Lending Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Do Kiva borrowers pay any interest on their loans?
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Lending Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Lending Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
We also encourage you to read the following articles if you are interested in further educating yourself on the topic: Microfinance 101 (https://www.kiva.org/microfinance), Top 10 things to know about microfinance (https://www.kiva.org/blog/top-10-things-to-know-about-microfinance), Microfinance interest rates explained (https://www.kiva.org/blog/whats-up-with-microfinance-interest-rates)
What is a risk rating?
The Lending Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Lending Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Lending Partner section of every loan. Lending Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Lending Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
How are loans facilitated?
Kiva loans are facilitated through 2 models, partner and direct, that enable us to reach the greatest number of people around the world.
For partner loans, borrowers apply to a local Lending Partner, which manages the loan on the ground. Lending Partners are responsible for screening borrowers, disbursing loans, posting borrowers to the Kiva website for funding, collecting repayments and otherwise administering Kiva loans on the ground to borrowers.
For direct loans, borrowers apply through the Kiva website and may or may not be endorsed by a Trustee. Unlike Lending Partners, Trustees don't handle any financial transactions or have any duty to repay loans on behalf of their borrowers. Instead, Trustees take the role of providing support and business advice to their borrowers throughout the term of the loan.
More information about successive and concurrent loans
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Lending Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
About Sweet Gold Juice Co (LLC)
Lenders and lending teams
Country: United States
Trustee: Prairie Rose Development
What are Trustee tiers?
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
Why are you endorsing Norma?
Norma's organic cold-pressed juice and smoothie business, provides healthy and nutritious food options in recyclable glass bottles. As a Latina women business owner, Norma will use requested loan proceeds to expand operations and hire new employees. We heartily endorse her loan!
Tags
Loan tags help lenders find loans that match certain areas of interest.
Loan details
Loan length:
Repayment schedule
Monthly: One repayment made per month
End of term: One repayment made at the end of the loan term
Irregular: Any other repayment schedule
To see a detailed repayment schedule for a specific loan, click the "Repayment schedule" link on the loan profile under "Loan details."
What is the disbursed date?
In the case of partner loans, many of our Lending Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Lending Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Lending Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
Funding model
What does "Partner covers currency loss" mean & how could it affect my Kiva loans?
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Lending Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Lending Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Lending Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Lending Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Do Kiva borrowers pay any interest on their loans?
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Lending Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Lending Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
We also encourage you to read the following articles if you are interested in further educating yourself on the topic: Microfinance 101 (https://www.kiva.org/microfinance), Top 10 things to know about microfinance (https://www.kiva.org/blog/top-10-things-to-know-about-microfinance), Microfinance interest rates explained (https://www.kiva.org/blog/whats-up-with-microfinance-interest-rates)
What is a risk rating?
The Lending Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Lending Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Lending Partner section of every loan. Lending Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Lending Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
How are loans facilitated?
Kiva loans are facilitated through 2 models, partner and direct, that enable us to reach the greatest number of people around the world.
For partner loans, borrowers apply to a local Lending Partner, which manages the loan on the ground. Lending Partners are responsible for screening borrowers, disbursing loans, posting borrowers to the Kiva website for funding, collecting repayments and otherwise administering Kiva loans on the ground to borrowers.
For direct loans, borrowers apply through the Kiva website and may or may not be endorsed by a Trustee. Unlike Lending Partners, Trustees don't handle any financial transactions or have any duty to repay loans on behalf of their borrowers. Instead, Trustees take the role of providing support and business advice to their borrowers throughout the term of the loan.
More information about successive and concurrent loans
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Lending Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
Trustee: Prairie Rose Development
What are Trustee tiers?
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
Why are you endorsing Norma?
Norma's organic cold-pressed juice and smoothie business, provides healthy and nutritious food options in recyclable glass bottles. As a Latina women business owner, Norma will use requested loan proceeds to expand operations and hire new employees. We heartily endorse her loan!
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