Meet Mary
Mary is the proud owner of an IT company in Atlanta, GA. Through Grameen America, Mary has found a community of fellow women-owned minority business owners.
Mary first wanted to become an entrepreneur as a student in graduate school. With a decades-long corporate career in information-technology and finance, Mary always knew she’d start her own business once she gained the technical skills and confidence to make that dream a reality. Mary now owns a growing IT company in metro Atlanta.
Mary describes her company as an African American, women-owned technology company with the mission of being a disruptive force changing the traditional way of using technology to the innovative transformative digital technological format. Her business provides end-to-end integrated IT solutions to both private and public companies and is certified in SAP.
“My company has always maintained solid financial strength; however, Grameen America’s advice and financial lending capacity has enabled us to grow the business to help our customers.”
Mary joined Grameen America in February 2023 to help grow her business strategically and financially. Her business needed working capital, so she didn’t have to rely on using personal funds. One of her focuses was ensuring she had up-to-date technology hardware and software to provide to contractors and employees. With her most recent loan, Mary purchased a Lenovo laptop.
“I no longer feel that I’m tackling issues in my business alone. I now have a group of women I can discuss my concerns with. As a woman-owned minority business owner, it was important for me to network with other minority women business owners. We’ve formed a comradery and openly share our successes, challenges, and funding opportunities to grow our businesses.”
Mary’s business goals include growing by 25-30% year over year for the next 3-5 years by maintaining exceptional customer satisfaction ratings.
“I’m on a journey that has already been paved by my ancestors who struggled so much harder than me. I take absolutely nothing for granted on my entrepreneurial journey. As a business owner, I would love to be able to pay it forward by creating opportunities and jobs to make people’s lives better.”
Through Grameen America’s education and trainings, Mary has learned about obtaining business credit, applying to grants, and SEO marketing.
Mary attended the Atlanta branch opening in June 2023, where she heard Robert F. Smith speak and networked with other women business owners from her community.