“I truly value that RBAC is in the relationship business, not just the lending business. Their faith, guidance, and commitment to my success have been life-changing, and I continue to recommend them to fellow small business owners.”

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From burst pipes to a thriving med spa, Mia Harris’s journey to business ownership was unique from the start. Despite challenges and setbacks over the years, she was dedicated to her clients, and her tenacity made us believe in her dream, too. For Mia, this wasn’t about numbers and revenue, this was about creating a haven for her community, a place where everyone feels seen and safe. 

Mia’s mission: Create opportunities from challenges 

After growing Belliard’s Salon & Spa from its initial location in the mall to purchasing a commercial property in 2008, Mia knew what it took to serve her clients, but there were some challenges along the way.

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In 2014, Mia had a rough year. The pipes at the spa burst, flooding the entire property, and her former employees started a competing business while she was waiting for the insurance to reimburse her for the damages. Despite these tough moments, Mia had a vision for what her spa could become.  

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In the midst of rebuilding, Mia realized that she  wanted to transform her day spa into a holistic med spa and needed financing to do it. She also wanted to improve her bookkeeping and marketing skills so she could grow the business in a sustainable way.

The roadblocks: Traditional lending wasn’t an option

As Mia focused on getting the Belliard’s location repaired and back up and running, she ran into some financing issues. Her current lender wasn’t willing to restructure her debt. Because she was focused on the future and the long-term health of Belliard’s, Mia reached out to us and remembers that “at a critical moment when traditional lending was no longer available, RBAC believed in me, my history, and my ability to course-correct.”

The route: Microloans and marketing coaching

The evolution of Belliard’s from a day spa to a holistic med spa was going to take the right financing and a trusted partner who could help her achieve her goals. Mia simultaneously needed to cover past damages, pay for current expenses, and plan for future growth. We met all of these goals with a combination of our loan programs. This solution came during some of the most challenging years of Mia’s business journey and supported her as she moved into a more stable phase.

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What really made the difference, Mia says, “was not just the financing, but the technical assistance I received. The RBAC team even connected me with marketing coaching.” This assistance helped her to strengthen her website and blog presence to generate more client interest. 

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We also helped her get QuickBooks up and running to transform how she managed her books. This might sound mundane, but for Mia, it was revelatory. “For the first time,” she says, “I had clear, organized P&Ls that allowed me to understand my business health in real time and present clean financials to lenders and my accountant.” 

The destination: A thriving med spa despite earlier setbacks

Despite the earlier setback of burst pipes and employee issues, Mia persevered to build a thriving med spa. Our support and the marketing coaching, she says “proved invaluable when I was accepted into the prestigious Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, where I could leverage RBAC’s support to negotiate the best possible loan rates, and for the first time in over 30 years, become personally and professionally credit card debt-free.”

The RBAC experience: A trusted partner for more than lending

Seeing Mia turn an unfortunate experience into an opportunity and working alongside her as she rebuilt her building and her dreams, reminds us why we do what we do. Mia credits our team with giving her “the confidence, coaching, and financial tools to transform my spa into a thriving holistic med spa.”

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From this new foundation, Mia is serving her community and providing personalized services to enhance wellbeing and relaxation. Today, at Belliard’s, Mia and her team offer a menu of spa services that include facials, massages, hair cuts and styling, body contouring, and more. We’re off to schedule our appointments!