Charlotte entrepreneurs earn $10K grants from M&F Bank

M&F BANK

Simply Skin Face + Body Spa owner Nicole Calhoun earned a $10,000 grant from M&F Bank.

A pair of Charlotte-based businesses have earned $10,000 grants from M&F Bank.

CoolWood Urban Forestry and Simply Skin Face and Body Spa earned the prizes from M&F, North Carolina’s only bank owned by people of color, which partnered with the Fiserv Back2Business Program.

The grants are part of M&F’s “Empowering Growth” rebrand. In 2023, the bank joined the Small Business Administration’s Preferred Lender Program, which enables M&F to provide small businesses with faster turnaround times on loan applications.

CoolWood, an arborist service that specializes tree pruning, tree removal and tree care, will use the $10,000 for equipment upgrades.

“We are honored to receive this grant,” CoolWood owner Dustin Counts said. “When we started CoolWood, we wanted our business to be a good partner in the local community, so we looked for vendors and service providers that were locally owned. Banking with M&F keeps our money in the community where we live and work.”

CoolWood Urban Forestry owner Dustin Counts earned a $10,000 grant from M&F Bank.

In addition to the grants, CoolWood and Simply Skin will receive a dedicated business banker to provide personalized guidance, expert advice, and tailored financial solutions as well as complimentary merchant processing equipment. The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce will provide networking opportunities, resources, and support through a complimentary membership.

“Receiving this award means so much to us,” said Nicole Calhoun, owner of Simply Skin, a luxury skincare and injectable boutique that specializes in Botox, medical weight loss, and customized skincare treatment plans. “This grant will help us promote health and wellness from the inside out. It will allow us to invest in advanced training for our team to keep pace with the rapidly evolving beauty industry as we provide the highest quality care.”

Said Travis Rouse, senior vice president and chief sales officer for M&F Bank: “Owning and operating a small business is difficult work, and we know first-hand that $10,000 will go a long way in supporting the small businesses in markets where our bank operates. M&F Bank has a rich history of supporting our local communities, and we’re honored to continue that noble work throughout the state with the Empowering Growth small business grant.”
 

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