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Stefany Thomas, Executive Director of Shine Bright Tutoring, brought three generations of women together to cater to students' learning needs.
And she did it with a small business loan from Agility.
Stefany Thomas grew up with a passion for education, thanks to her mother, an assistant principal, and her grandmother, a retired teacher. With over 80 combined years in education, this trio founded Shine Bright Tutoring, a nonprofit dedicated to helping students reach their academic potential.
With an administrator, a teacher and a tutor at the helm, Shine Bright Tutoring benefits students by providing a well-rounded approach to learning.
Stefany found Agility Bank at a Small Business Administration (SBA) Matchmaking event hosted by the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce. She admits she was initially nervous about the application, but after sitting down and speaking with our bankers, felt the relationship immediately click.
Stefany found Agility Bank at a Small Business Administration (SBA) Matchmaking event hosted by the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce. She admits she was initially nervous about the application, but after sitting down and speaking with our bankers, felt the relationship immediately click.
Stefany applied for her loan using our digital lending platform, A2B Loan Express. She says her business lender, Tan Ghaderi, was encouraging and supportive. Tan followed up with Stefany to keep her in the loop. It was Stefany’s birthday when she found out she was approved.
"Tan called me to let me know my loan was approved. She cheered and celebrated with me and my girlfriends. It was such a beautiful moment of women supporting women."
After Stefany's approval for the exact dollar amount she was seeking, Tan connected Stefany with another Agility banker, Jesus, to get the account open and funded.
Stefany says Jesus was helpful and responsive. She feels like she has a partnership with Tan and Jesus, and they both keep up with her banking needs. She says banking never feels this personal with larger institutions. Stefany has really enjoyed the relationship aspect of the Agility banking experience, and she is never forced to speak to a robot or an AI.
On the advice she has for others looking to launch a nonprofit, Stefany notes that passion has to be behind the mission. The “heart part” matters. People can tell when you care, so do everything from the heart.
Stefany advises to keep putting one foot in front of the other. It feels daunting, but don’t lose your momentum when you come across hurdles.
So far, Shine Bright Tutoring has 100 students enrolled, and Stefany knows every single student and their parents by name. Learn more about Shine Bright at https://shinebright-broh.org/home.