AmPac, a certified lender for the SBA (Small Business Administration) founded in 2005, launched a Growth Resource Center called ‘Entrepreneur Ecosystem’ which includes co-working space, growth resource training centers, and conference room space for entrepreneurs.  

As a capital partner, AmPaC Business Capital can help early stage startups to sustain and thrive in the marketplace when the need for cash is most pressing.

Woman Behind the AmPac

Behind this initiative is Hilda Kennedy, founder of AmPac Business Capital, a successful nonprofit community lender, who started in the City of Inglewood as Chief of Staff to the Mayor, Executive Assistant to the City Manager, and later as the Economic Development Director. Finally, she transitioned into founding AmPac Business Capital.

The Ecosystem Services

The center provides year-round training for 5 to 7 entrepreneurs looking to start a business or to refresh the ones they have already in place. A unique flexible model of AmPac is that it allows entrepreneurs to sign up for Entrepreneur Ecosystem memberships that include a diverse range of service levels from a 25-day Punch Card to a Virtual Level.

$45M Loan Fund and a Career Advice by Bill Lowenstein

Hilda’s career highlight was establishing a $45 million fund using Department of Housing and Urban Development funds with matching bank funds to provide financing to businesses in the community.

Encouraged by her mentor and successful businessperson, Bill Lowenstein, Hilda then transitioned into the lending business by obtaining an SBA license and opening AmPac Business Capital.

$2M in SBA Micro Loans

AmPac Business Capital has so far distributed $2 Million in SBA micro loans, with an average loan size of $35,000. This was achieved within two years of its operation. Microloans are smaller-sized loans of up to $50K provided through SBA funding intermediaries and AmPac happens to be that intermediary in the Inland Empire in Ontario California.

These microloans are used for:

• Working capital 
• Inventory 
• Supplies 
• Furniture 
• Fixtures 
• Machinery 
• Equipment 

Entrepreneurs or interested people can book a visit at the AmPac Business Capital to learn more about the entrepreneur ecosystem.

Let’s visit the AmPac Business Capital’s office in Ontario, CA.

Other stories you might find useful and relevant to this AmPac Business Capital story:

• Inland Empire’s 10 plus Startup and Business Incubators
• Esri: The Google of Inland Empire
• Top 10 Startup Investors in the Inland Empire Region

Author: Sharjeel

Sharjeel joined Startempire Wire as emerging technologies editor. Earlier, he worked at Silicon Canals, a leading English language technology media source for the Benelux and wider Europe. He covered the European technology and startup ecosystem digging into latest funding rounds of startups.