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CivicSD Empowers Entrepreneur to Expand Fashion Business

October 11, 2017

SAN DIEGO, CA— Growing up in the West African nation of Togo, Lili Klu discovered she had a natural talent for sewing when she was just 15. She followed that passion, enrolling in a program to hone her skills.

“After the first year I knew I had made the right choice,” she recalled—and in fact, finished the three-year program in just one year. Soon after, her husband got a U.S. Visa and enlisted in the Navy, which ultimately brought them to San Diego. Today, Lili is now running her own business, LK Fashion Boutique, known for its distinct West African clothing.

“Whenever customers come into my boutique they are always mesmerized by the patterns and their beautiful bright colors,” she said. “That is exactly the experience that I want my clients to have whenever they come to my boutique.”

Klu is now poised to grow that clientele significantly, thanks to help from a business program run by Civic San Diego (CivicSD).

Over the past several months, she has participated in the Business Improvement District Access to Capital (BID A2C) program, which helps entrepreneurs find alternative financing if they do not qualify for conventional bank loans.

“Entrepreneurs like Lili are underserved, and that is unfortunate because small businesses are the backbone of our economy,” said Gustavo Bidart, economic & community development manager for CivicSD, who oversees the programmatic collaboration. “It’s important these business owners get access to the appropriate and timely capital they need to succeed. We realize financing is not always one-size-fits-all. In some cases, a traditional loan may not be the best fit for a business owner.”

In Klu’s case, for example, she was able to work with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) San Diego to secure a $5,000 KIVA loan. The loan was half crowd-funded, with LISC matching dollar-for-dollar.

Klu plans to use the money to improve her website, boost her social media presence, increase her inventory and hire more seamstresses—including those in her fashion academy, which she recently launched to empower the next generation of local designers. As part of the BID A2C program, Klu will also receive ongoing mentorship to help ensure she reaches her business goals.

“We are proud to be helping entrepreneurs like these,” said Bidart, adding that there are about 50 other small business owners benefitting from the BID A2C program, which was launched less than a year ago. “This is one of the many ways we are committed to revitalizing underserved communities.”

The community is invited to help Klu celebrate the expansion of her business on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 11 a.m. at LK Fashion Boutique, 5285 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA, 92115.

For more information about the BID A2C program, click here

For more information or to request photos from the event, please contact Gustavo Bidart at (619) 533-7108 or Bidart@civicsd.com.

Last modified: February 3, 2021

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