Madison City Council members and members of the city's Economic Development Committee wrapped up National Small Business Week on Saturday by touring some of the many local businesses throughout the city that are benefiting from financial assistance from the city's Business Resources Department.
The day began with remarks from Vice Mayor Linda Vakunta, who welcomed the Council members and other city officials and recognized the accomplishments of all of Madison's small business owners.
“We are proud of our efforts to support small businesses, which are essential to our community,” said Dr. Vakunta. “Small businesses embody our vision of an inclusive, innovative and thriving Madison. They create jobs in our community, provide the essential goods and services we all need and contribute to improving the overall quality of life in Madison.”
The tour includes six stops and highlights the diversity of Madison's small businesses, including not only who owns them but also their size and industry.
Stop 1: Duncan's Dog Daycare
The tour began at Duncan's Dog Daycare on the city's east side, near East Towne Mall. Owner Samantha Fiscus has received a total of $25,000 through the City of Madison's Kiva Loan Match Loan Program, which offers match loans of up to $7,500 to businesses that work with designated community partners. Kiva is a crowdfunding platform that offers loans with 0% interest to small business owners and startups, and borrowers can receive loans of up to $15,000.
Participants in the Madison City Small Business Tour pose with Samantha Fiscus, owner of Duncan's Dog Daycare.
Fiscus also received $5,200 through a Small Business Equitable Recovery (SBER) grant in 2021, which helped cover expenses early on in her business’ start-up.
“Because we opened at the beginning of the pandemic, we weren't able to qualify for many of the federal grants and loans and had to rely on Kiva and grants. Business is still struggling and we're barely breaking even, so without the grants we would only be able to pay that month's rent, which was $5,200. It was a huge relief because we didn't know if we would be able to stay open,” Fiscus said.
2nd stop: Sasha A Restoration
The second stop on the tour was Sash-A Restoration, a women-, minority- and veteran-owned window restoration company based on Madison's east side.
Owner Pam Barrett was able to use the $1,063 Small Business Equity and Recovery Grant to purchase health and safety equipment needed to mitigate the effects of lead paint, as well as personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of COVID-19 if it is brought into people's homes.
Participants on the small business tour listen to Pam Barrett, owner of Sash-A Restoration, talk about how she has used city funding for her business.
Sasha-A Restoration opened in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic — a time when many people were considering home renovations.
“That's one of the things that's really helped me market my business, to say, 'Look, the area I'm working in is sealed, I'm lead-safe certified to do this type of work, and I have the proper equipment,'” Barrett said.
Point 3: Smart cleaning solutions
The tour's third stop was in the city's east end, where Smart Cleaning Solutions is constructing a new building as part of the Commercial Ownership Assistance Program, which focuses on helping business owners transition from renting commercial space to owning commercial property and helping them expand their operations.
A new building for Smart Cleaning Solutions is under construction on Agriculture Dr.
The Commercial Ownership Assistance Program is offering $250,000 in forgivable loans to help existing businesses take the next step toward property ownership, specifically targeting resources to communities that have historically faced barriers to obtaining the capital needed to start or expand a business.
The COA program is funded by the Small Business Equity Recovery (SBER) program within the City’s operating budget, as well as Tax Increment Districts 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54. The program has an annual budget of $500,000.
Stop 4: Bombay Bazaar Market and Brothers Cafe
The tour's fourth stop took Alders and city officials to the West Side to view improvements to Bombay Bazaar Market made possible by the Business Resources Office's Healthy Retail Access program.
The program provides funding to businesses that increase access to affordable, healthy and culturally appropriate food. Bombay Bazaar owners Ramesh and Pema Chhabra will receive just over $98,000 from the program in 2023 to improve and increase their market's lighting, shelves and refrigerators, enabling them to stock more and offer more refrigerated and frozen foods from across Southeast Asia.
Bombay Bazaar owners Ramesh and Pema Chhabra speak to Madison City Council members and Economic Development Committee staff during a small business tour.
Prior to the renovation, the store's refrigerators and freezers were over 20 years old and required frequent maintenance, making it difficult to stock many refrigerated and frozen items. The new refrigerators and freezers allow Bombay Bazaar to confidently display more food items, expanding food options for local residents who shop there.
Bombay Bazaar owner Ramesh Chhabra shows off one of the new freezers his company was able to purchase with help from the City of Madison's Healthy Retail Access Program.
After visiting Bombay Bazaar, the group had lunch at Brothers Cafe, located in the same plaza. Brothers Cafe is Madison's first Somali restaurant and serves a diverse menu including a variety of traditional Somali dishes.
5th spot: Earthly Temptation
After lunch, council members and city staff visited Earthly Temptations on South Park Street on Madison's south side. Owner Sarah Branch started making natural products to meet the needs of family and friends in 2020 during the pandemic, eventually opening a retail store in 2022.
“Once I started making products and meditating and using crystals and stuff, I noticed that I was feeling dramatically better and loving life more. So, as I started to heal, I knew I had to give back to the community. So I wanted to get everyone involved in self-care,” Branch told the group.
Small Business Tour members pose for a photo with Sarah Branch of Earthly Temptations, who used a Kiva loan to get a key certification she needed to expand her business.
Branch received a Kiva loan to cover the costs of continuing her education and obtaining a certification that has allowed her to expand her business by offering a variety of classes and healing sessions. She was also able to use the Kiva funds to increase inventory for her retail store and hire someone to help develop her website.
“Now we have all the shelves filled and we're really excited,” Branch said.
Stop 6: JustVeggiez
The final stop on the tour was Just Veggies, which started as a vegan takeout, retail and catering business before moving to a new location at 500 State Street last year.
Madison city council members gathered to take a photo with James Bradsaw Jr., owner of JustVeggiez on State Street.
Owner James Bradsaw Jr. says the impetus for the business came from a conversation he had with his father in 2011, who was experiencing health issues and encouraged James to make a lifestyle change.
“My dad told me on his deathbed that I shouldn't be like him, so I'm trying to change lives and change my community,” Bradsaw Jr. told the group.
As a reminder of that inspiration, a mural of his father is now prominently displayed in the restaurant.
A mural by James Bradsaw Sr., the inspiration for JustVeggiez on State Street, is featured on a mural at his son's restaurant.
JustVeggiez is another business that was able to receive funding through the Small Business Equal Recovery Program and a Kiva loan, but it also benefited from the city's Building Improvement Grant program, receiving $50,000 in 2022.
Learn more about local business resources
The City of Madison's Economic Development Department and Business Resources Office offer a variety of loans and grants to help business owners start or expand their businesses. You can learn more about who is eligible for business assistance and how to apply on the Business Resources Office webpage.