This newsletter provides information for small businesses in the Rocket City area. It includes a calendar of upcoming events in May and June, such as business workshops and networking opportunities. It also features an interview with Yoshida Thomas of Neighborhood Concepts Inc, which started the North Alabama Revolving Loan Fund to provide capital to small businesses that have difficulty accessing traditional financing. The newsletter concludes with classified advertising space for local businesses.

1. Rocket City PerkVolume Issue #7 May29
A Newsletter Highlighting the Perks For and
By Small Businesses and Startups in The
Rocket City and Surrounding Area.
Rocket City PerkVolume Issue #7 May29
A Newsletter Highlighting the Perks For and
By Small Businesses and Startups in The
Rocket City and Surrounding Area.

2. Table of Contents
Positive Motion and Art Acknowledgement 3
Small Business News and Events 4
Business Lead Focus...... 10
Classifieds....................... 12
Contact and Be A Part:
Rocket City Perk is a newsletter to Connect Small Businesses,
Startups and those who want to support local Businesses in
the Rocket City and surrounding Areas.
https://www.facebook.com/rocketcityperk
Editor: MT Bryan contact via Mtbryandesigns@gmail.com
Writers: MT Bryan
Contributing Artists: Christina Wegman
http://christinawegman.blogspot.com/2012/09/pricing-and-commissions.html.
Jaeme Case
www.jaeme.org
Advertisers and Sponsors: Alabama Revolving Loan Fund
Advertisering and Sponsoring
Classifieds $.50/blurp
1/4 Page $30
1/2 Page $55
3/4 Page $80
Full Page and Sponsor $100
2
Rocket City Perk Issue #7 May 29

3. 3
“Take a moment and look around your own
backyard. You might find something hidden
thats beyond your expectations”
Positive MotionA positive thought, phrase or concept to help shape your approach
from day to day
The art on the cover is provided by Christina Wegman of Christina Wegman Fine Art.
Illustrating an iconic scene from . This owner-run small business is one of the prized
downtown shops that has grown out of the Clinton Row Project. Characterized by its
bright and cheerful interior and its equally cheery owner and art, the gallery is open six
days a week. Focusing on prints and originals, customers can also commission portraits
of their pets, family, landscapes or even full murals. Pricing can be found at the shop
and at http://christinawegman.blogspot.com/2012/09/pricing-and-commissions.
html.
With her work gracing the walls of not just galleries, but local favorites like Sam and
Greg’s, her works ranging from abstracts with a modern tilt and portraits with a tra-
ditional base and creative twists blend together our Rocket City’s mix of varying back-
grounds. While she may not have been native born, having traveled not just across the
country but also Canada and Europe, she has been part of the art community here
since 2007. After completing her degree in German at the Rocket City’s own Univer-
sity of Alabama Huntsville she has become as much a native of the area through her
depiction of the people, places and views that are so unique to it.

4. Small Business News and Events,
SBN&E
A calendar and update about Special Events that went on and on the Horizon
This Past Month:
5/1-2 – WhistleStop BBQ Festival – Huntsville Depot – www.whistlestopweekend.com
5/1-8/28-Huntsville Open Tech Coffee-7:45am - 9:00amHudson Alpha
5/4-7 – AUVSI Unmanned Systems 2015 – Atlanta – www.auvsi.org
5/5 – Cinco de Mayo
5/5 - Lunch and Learn: Identifying and Avoiding Startup Pitfalls 12pm-1pm - Biztech
5/4-5/8 Alabama Small Business Week
5/6 - Free Coworking Wednesdays 9:00am- Biztech
Whiteboard Wednesdays 1:00pm
5/7 - Weekly Empowering Veterans Steering Committees Meetings 9:00am -10:30am - Biz-
tech
5/7 - Lunch and Learn: Leadership 12pm-1pm - Biztech
5/7 - HACK U: Understanding Internet Protocols and Networking 5:00pm - Biztech
5/7 - Sip and Hatch 5:30pm - Space and Rocket Center Davidson Center
5/8 - Walk and Talk 1:30pm -2:00 pm - Biztech
5/10 – Mother’s Day
5/12 - Lunch and Learn: Communication in Business 12pm-1pm - Biztech
5/14 - HACK U: Learning Rails 5:00pm - Biztech
5/16 – Armed Forces Day
5/18 – 2015 AUSA Msl. Golf Tourn. – VHCC – details TBD – www.ausaredstone.org
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5. 5
5/18 - HACK U: Education vs. Certification 5:00pm - Biztech
5/18-19 – 2015 AUSA Missile Recept./Symp. – details TBD – www.ausaredstone.org
5/19 - Lunch and Learn: SEO and Responsive Web 12pm -1pm - Biztech
5/21 - 515@515 Entreprenuerial Meetup - Biztech
5/25 – Memorial Day – Federal Holiday
5/25 - Sip+Hatch -5:30pm-9:00pm Space and Rocket Center Davidson Center
5/29 - The Power of Social Entrepreneurship 2:00pm-4:00pm-Hudson Alpha https://www.
eventbrite.com/e/the-power-ofsocial-entrepreneurship-tickets-17048095312
Coming this Month:
6/3-4 – SCSS/ISSA/Cyber HSV 7th SE Cyber Secty. Summit – VBC-S – troy.zeidman@imprim-
is-inc.com – www.secybersummit.org
6/4 – ADAA Lunch (1130-1300) – Jackson Ctr. – BG Todorov, MDA – james.jenkins2@ngc.com
6/2 GSA Federal Acquisition Service - Chanda Tallman - 8:30am- Biztech
6/2 BZ Sensors- 8:30am - Biztech
6/2 CSSA4:30pm - Biztech
6/3 TRAINING: FastTrac5:30pm - Biztech
6/3 - GSA Federal Acquisition Service - Chanda Tallman8:30am - Biztech
6/3 - Free Co-Working Wednesday-9:00am - Biztech
6/3 - White Board Wednesday1:00pm - Biztech
6/3 - Office Hours1:00pm - Biztech
6/4 HACK U:: Cross Platform Desktop Application-5:00pm - Biztech

6. 6/5 - Joanne - Empowering Veterans Committee Meeting - 9:00am - Biztech
6/5 - WBCNA – Engage - 1:00pm - Biztech
6/6 – D-Day (1944)
6/6 – Vets w/Vettes Car Show (9:00am) – Milton Frank Stad. – www.vetswithvettes.us
6/6 – AUSA+ BBQ w/Vets. (1100-1300) – Tut Fann – pullomwillie@aol.com
6/8- HACK U:: Understanding Internet Protocols and Networking - Biztech
6/9 - BZ Sensors - 8:30am - Biztech
6/9 - TRAINING: FastTrac - 5:30pm - Biztech
6/10 - Free Co-Working Wednesday- 9:00am - Biztech
6/10 - White Board Wednesday - 1:00pm - Biztech
6/12 - Open Tech (H.O.T Coffee) – 7:30am-Hudson Alpha Auditorium
6/12 - WBCNA – Engage - 1:00pm - Biztech
6/12 - Walk and Talk - 1:30pm - Biztech
6/13 – AUSA Army Birthday Ball – VBC – details TBD
6/14 – Flag Day
6/15-21 – Paris Air Show – LeBourget – www.paris-air-show.com
6/16 - BZ Sensors - 8:30am - Biztech
6/16 - TRAINING: QuickBooks - Level 3 - 5:00pm- Biztech
6/16 - TRAINING: FastTrac- 5:30pm - Biztech
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7. 7
6/17 - TRAINING: Excel Class 2- 8:30am - Biztech
6/17 - Free Co-Working Wednesday- 9:00am - Biztech
6/17 - White Board Wednesday - 1:00pm - Biztech
6/17 - Office Hours- 1:00pm - Biztech
6/18 – MRC All-Hands (4:00pm) – Bldg. 3494A, Rm. 144 – anwarul.haq.ctr@mda.mil
6/18 – HATS POY Bqt. (6:00pm) – Westin – details TBD – leigh.christian@aetossystems.com
6/ 6/19 – Quad-A Golf Tourn. (8:00pm) – Hampton Cove – www.tvc-aaaa.com
6/19 - WBCNA – Engage - 1:00pm - Biztech
6/20 – MOAA Summer Party (6:00pm-9:30pm) – The Summit – Carrie Hightower 882-3992 –
S-15Jun
6/21 – Father’s Day
6/21 – SUMMER BEGINS
6/21-27 – Armed Forces Celebration Week – data tent.; details TBD
6/22 – Armed Forces Week Proclamation Signing
6/22 - Armed Forces Week Concert in the Park
6/22 - WBCNA - Society of 75- 11:30am - Biztech
6/23-24 – Army Soldier Show – VBC
6/23 - BZ Sensors- 8:30am - Biztech
6/23 - TRAINING: FastTrac - 5:30pm - Biztech

8. 6/24 – Armed Forces Week Luncheon
6/24 - Free Co-Working Wednesday- 9:00am - Biztech
6/24 - White Board Wednesday-1:00pm - Biztech
6/25 - 515 Entrepreneur Meet Up - 5:00pm - Biztech
6/26-6/28 - HAMACON, Huntsville And Madison Anime Convetion. 10:00am-5:00pm- VBC
South Hall. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hamacon-6-tickets-14444500891
6/26 - Open Tech (H.O.T Coffee) – 7:30am-Hudson Alpha
6/26 - WBCNA – Engage - 1:00pm - Biztech
6/26 - Walk and talk - 1:30pm- Biztech
6/30 - BZ Sensors - 8:30am - Biztech
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9. Yoshida Thomas
256-534-0075
ythomas@neighborhoodconcepts.org

10. Business Lead Focus
An Interview on a Company or Event thats helping to Shape the Small Business
Environment
Neighborhood Concepts (NCI) is a Huntsville-based non-profit with over 25 years of experience
strengthening communities through the development of affordable housing and the advance-
ment of economic opportunities.
In 2008, representatives of the Food Bank of North Alabama asked NCI to provide real estate
development services related to the creation of the Pulaski Pike Market, a workers-cooperative
grocery store to be located in a Huntsville food desert. Because of the economic downturn,
access to capital had tightened and NCI was not able to secure the necessary funds for the real
estate transaction.
Because local and regional banks were not able to provide the necessary financing, NCI explored
the possibility of obtaining a loan from a Community Development Financial Institution or
“CDFI”. A CDFI is a Treasury designated private entity, usually non-profit, that provides access
to capital to consumers and small businesses; particularly those that are underserved, willing
to locate their business in underserved communities or able to provide services to this popula-
tion. Although there were a few Alabama-based CDFI’s, most were providing consumer banking
services rather than commercial lending to small businesses and entrepreneurs in the State of
Alabama; and the Pulaski Pike Market was outside of the geographic footprint of non-Alabama
CDFI’s who did provide commercial lending.
Neighborhood Concepts saw a gap in the market and an opportunity to provide commercial
banking services for community development activities. In 2012, NCI formed the North Ala-
bama Revolving Loan Fund, LLC (NARLF) to provide access to capital to small businesses with
an eye to becoming a certified Community Development Financial Institution or CDFI in the
future.
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11. 11
The Food Bank of North Alabama provided a generous gift of $300,000 to capitalize the Hiatt
Fund which is focused on providing access to capital to businesses that support a local food
economy or create jobs in North Alabama. In 2013, the City of Huntsville provided an additional
$250,000 to seed The Huntsville Fund which is focused on lending to local businesses within the
City limits. Loans, which range from $2,500 to $50,000, are available for start-up costs, working
capital, inventory and equipment purchase, leasehold improvements, and real estate transactions.
NARLF was designed to address a need for capital that is currently being unmet by traditional
lending sources. NARLF has more flexibility in its lending decisions allowing them to make
loans to start-up businesses or those looking for smaller amounts of capital that typically might
not be able to access conventional financing. This flexibility coupled with sound business prac-
tices allows NARLF to honor the social investment goals of its funders while still being good
stewards of these investments.
To date, NARLF has made 12 loans totaling $215,000 to small businesses in North Alabama.
Loans range in size from $4,000 to $50,000 and include a local food producer who needed a line
of credit for working capital as well as equipment financing. When NARLF made the loan in late
2012, the borrower was selling her product in local independent grocery stores. Today, she is
in conversation with Walmart and expects to be in all of their southeastern distribution centers
by summer 2015. Forty-eight percent of NARLF’s loans have been made to minorities, 84% to
women-owned businesses, 36% to veterans and 60% were made to business owners with person-
al income below $50,000.

12. Classifieds
At $.50 a blurb Small Businesses and Startups can advertise their
openings and needs to one another.
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