Client Engagement with CAT Advisors

The Oregon SBDC Network's Capital Access Team (CAT) is led by highly qualified SBDC advisors who engage clients via face-to-face and distance counseling (Skype, telephone, videoconferencing and e-mail). The CAT also coordinates “R U Bankable” events in select communities to provide forums for learning about access to capital and acquiring small business loans.

The CAT works with clients that are referred to them by local SBDC Centers and lead Advisors.
In order to ready for a referral to the CAT, clients must pre-qualify by meeting these basic requirements.
All advising is confidential, and each case will be managed collaboratively with the client's local Advisor.

Typical CAT process: 

1. New clients to a SBDC register for business advising.
2. SBDC clients work with their local SBDC Advisor to satisfy the CAT readiness requirements.
3. The SBDC Advisor refers the client to the CAT.
4. The client completes the CAT Readiness Assessment online and sends it.
5. A CAT Advisor meets with the client to review their loan package, provide feedback, answer questions, and suggest changes and additions to the loan package.
6. The client updates the loan package for subsequent CAT review.
7. Once the loan package is complete and ready for lender presentations, the CAT can assist the client and Lead Advisor to develop a finance strategy and locate potential lenders.

Centers and Advisors are encouraged to refer clients to the CAT when:

1. The client has satisfied the CAT readiness requirements. Click here to download the CAT readiness check-list.
2. The local SBDC Center lacks the immediate capacity to assist the client’s loan proposal needs promptly and effectively.
3. The proposed loan package’s complexity requires CAT expertise such as financial analysis, linkage to appropriate loan products/services, and fine tuning the loan presentation.
4. The client can benefit from CAT mentoring and coaching prior to a lender presentation.
5. The CAT can help facilitate dialog between the client and the lender or investor.

Client Readiness Assessment

CAT Team Advisors

Rick Stone, MBA

The Small Business Development Centers of Portland, Clackamas and Mt.Hood Community Colleges
OSBDCN Capital Access Team Leader, Strategic Advisor and Instructor

PHONE: 503‐720‐1630  
EMAIL: rickgstone@comcast.net
SKYPE: rickgstone

Rick developed the R U Bankable/Access to Capital programs at the Small Business Development Centers in the Portland area. Rick also developed a loan packaging process that has increased financial funding for clients at PCC, CCC and MHCC SBDC’s.

Business Specialties:

• Loan packaging— public and private-sector banking relationships
• Financial analysis and projections—Optimist
• Business plans
• Strategic planning
• Problem solving
• Human resource management
• Leases
• Franchises

Background: 

• Currently Strategic Advisor/Instructor and Lead Loan Packager at the Portland area Small Business Development Centers
• Independent Commercial and Residential Loan Broker — 6 years
• SBDC Advisor since 1993 — over 5,000 hours of business counseling
• MBA in Business Administration and BA in Management of Human Resources
• Multiple outlet retail business owner/manager for 28 years  

Noah Brockman, MBA

The Small Business Development Center at Portland Community College
Capital Access Team Co-Lead, Strategic Advisor and Instructor

PHONE: 503-804-2074 
EMAIL: noah.brockman@pcc.edu
SKYPE: noah.brockman

Noah has worked with hundreds of business owners and entrepreneurs at the Portland Community College Small Business Development Center as a Business Advisor, Program Facilitator and Part-time Faculty Instructor since 2008.

Business Specialties:

• Business planning
• Financial projections
• Loan packaging
• Profit Mastery
• Optimist analysis
• Growth strategies
• Market research

 

Testimonials

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Our two-year-old education service business needed expansion capital.  We found the SBDC, and they generously helped us over five months with responsive, professional advice.  The result was a masterpiece loan package / business plan paired with custom selected introductions to the lending community, and eventually a connection to the funding source we needed.   We’ll be back to the SBDC in the future.  

-Mark Seker
Tutor Doctor of Portland
http://yourtutordoctor.com/mseker

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We were working with CAT on our business plan and loan application and found it very professional, proficient and helpful. We wish that other entrepreneurs, especially start-ups, were able to find CAT and work together in order to get financing. Working with CAT was crucial for our understanding of what banks want, and how to approach them.

-Barbara Vybiralova
Bohemian Gourmet Food, Beverton
www.bohemiangourmetfood.com

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I’ve been working with the SBDC for 3 ½ years now. They have been my rock!  As I planned to open my first business,  Impact Learning Center, they helped me do research and obtain funding, provided classes such as 'Quickbooks' and 'Managing a Small Business'. They have given me countless hours of counseling support and guidance.  After reaching my three year mark, my business is doing incredibly well. I’m so grateful for their support and wisdom.  I literally could not have done this business without them.

-Evelyn MacLean 
Impact Learning Center,
www.impactlc.net

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The OSBDCN Capital Access Team has been an incredible resource for our company, helping us work through the challenges of being a start-up by providing general business counseling, reviewing our business, marketing, and financial plans, and making introductions to city, state, and private financial institutions.  We look forward to continuing our work with them and recommend their services to small businesses looking for help acquiring capital for their projects.

Alan Taylor
ZH Brewing LLC, Hillsboro

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Bank of the Cascades has a robust and ongoing relationship with Rick Stone and his OSBDC Capital Access Team.  We have discovered that the emerging companies are very well schooled in their business plans and expectations. The Capital Access Team provides a knowing voice of reason to align the goals of entrepreneurs with the lending/investment appetites of capital providers. From our perspective, an introduction to a business from the Capital Access Team is highly treasured, and we look forward to a continued relationship with Rick and his colleagues.

Patrick McCarthy
Bank of the Cascades,
www.botc.com

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I want to thank you and your colleagues for all the time and energy that OSBDCN has provided to Albina Opportunities Corporation and to our community. You have provided support to small business owners and operators with technical assistance to best position them to qualify for business loans and remain a resource for them as they continue to grow.As you know, many small businesses have had a nearly impossible time getting access to capital since the economy slumped into a deep recession in 2008. Compounding the problem has been the lack by many small businesses to be adequately prepared to provide a handful of attentive lenders with the appropriate documentation needed to tell their story and qualify for a loan. A poorly-constructed business plan is one of their biggest obstacles.Your organization is one of the few that has stepped in to provide high quality advisory services needed by these struggling small businesses. For that I want to thank you and let you know that we continue to be supportive of all that you do for us, for small businesses and for our community at large. Thank you so much!

Terry Brandt
Albina Opportunities Corporation,
www.albinaopportunities.org

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The OSBDCN Capital Access Team is a first-class group of individuals that have a breadth of knowledge and experience across a wide spectrum of industries.  In working with the team over the past 12 months, it is apparent the time and effort they put into working with each client and providing top-notch consultation. The Business plans and financial projections were well thought out and researched.  We look forward to our continued partnership with Rick Stone and the entire OSBDCN Capital Access Team.

Henry Alvarez
Bank of the Cascades,
www.botc.com

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In our work with business owners and those seeking to acquire a business, my clients and I have found the Capital Access Team, under Rick’s leadership, to be a great resource. The knowledge, experience and connections of the Capital Access Team is a valuable resource to the business community.

Jeff Cushing
The Transition Group Business Brokerage,
www.thetransitiongroup.biz

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The CAT team has filled a crucial need for small businesses. Small business owners oftentimes don’t know the first thing about how to secure the working capital they need. CAT is a place they can turn to, helping them through the process. Every growing business needs working capital, CAT is able to help them continue healthy growth and prepare them for the next step.

Suzy Oubre
Alliance Commercial Credit Group,
www.alliancecomcredit.com

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I have had the good fortune to work with Noah Brockman through the Oregon Small Business Development Center (OSBDC) Network Capital Access Team, which specializes in helping clients prepare bank ready loan packages. Noah's leadership skills are exceptional, and he has managed to replicate the successes from his local SBDC Center by deploying a training program that now has six regional managers and over 15 counselors providing the same detail in loan packaging assistance that his team developed in Portland. I am especially impressed with the way Noah documents best practices and develops tools/checklists that our counselors can access to help their clients create detailed and complete loan packages. Noah is a valued member of our OSBDC Network team. He has a deep level of business intelligence that is complimented by his compassion and determination to help others along with his strong financial analysis, project management and communication skills.  

Rick Leibowitz
Small Business Development Center
Rogue Community College

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Noah is a customer advocate who genuinely cares about the client and the future of their business.  He is thorough in explaining financials and helping to write business plans so that the client is bank ready and is able to present the best side of their business when seeking financing.  

Teri Karren-Keith
Albina Community Bank,      
www.albinabank.com

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Noah was essential in helping me obtain funding for a new business venture I was pursuing.  His review of my business plan, willingness to provide suggestions, offer alternatives and personally attend business meetings helped me obtain the funding I sought.  

Mitchell Schram
Stolz Motors,      
www.stolzmotors.com

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Working with Noah on identifying finance options for our business and then working with him on the development of our loan package was a great experience from start to finish. His knowledge of business development and finances was invaluable in this process. I felt like we had strong support and someone to go to throughout the loan process any time we had questions.

    Jennifer Bloeser
    Frog Eyes Wasabi
    www.frogeyeswasabi.com

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Rick Stone at the Capital Access Team was instrumental in helping us understand lender requirements to fund our business.  He helped us prepare an excellent application and secure a loan from the State of Oregon Entrepreneurship Development fund.  What Rick is doing is exactly the help small business in America needs to become successful and help rebuild our economy.

    Keith Kullberg 
    Better Bean Company
    www.betterbeanco.com

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When we were formulating our business plan, we knew that we hadn't done a decent job and that we had a lot of work and thought put into it, but taking it to pros like Rick and Noah at SBDC was beneficial. Not only did they help us tailor our business plan in such a way to make our idea more feasible and palatable to potential lenders, but they also were able to raise questions that we hadn't thought about which helped us not only raise capital, but to be more successful once the doors actually opened.

Brannon Riceci 
Boke Bowl, 
                                  http://bokebowl.com/

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We would highly recommend CAT and Rick Stone to small businesses that need capital. We can't stress enough how much the assistance you gave us has helped resolve our capital needs.  We appreciate the detailed info you provided in order to qualify for a loan from participating banks;  the coaching on how to present the company and ourselves to potential lenders; and the exposure to multiple financial institutions.  Along with that I now have a detailed summary of our financial status to use for future needs. Thanks again, Rick, for you and the CAT's assistance.

Gary Nashif
ATSI Group,
www.atsigroup.com

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Rick Stone, the OSBDCN and specifically the Capital Access Team were instrumental in helping me secure the funding to grow my company to the next stage. They helped along every step of the way, from business planning to connections with the financial community, to ensure our success! And successful we were. We proved our bankability and got a loan to expand capacity. I am deeply grateful.

Sarah Hart 
Alma Chocolate,
www.almachocolate.com