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Pride Construction, LLC.
Ever since she was a little girl, Michelle Saunders of New Haven, Connecticut has been interested in masonry. What
began as an apprenticeship with her father, rapidly evolved into a passion and a career she has been with for over 20 years.For many years Michelle worked as a member of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craft Workers, (BAC) Local 1, however in 2008 when union work started to disappear, Michelle decided to start her own masonry business. Today, Michelle Saunders is the Owner and Principal of Pride Construction, LLC a small and growing business performing a variety of masonry projects across Connecticut.
As many small and medium size contractors know too well, the standard 30-120 day delay in contract payment can be an extreme challenge when covering the upfront costs of materials, equipment, and labor of the work. Lack of access to startup capital tends to prevent small and mid-sized private contractors from bidding on certain jobs, or expanding into larger contracts.
In March of 2012 Michelle Saunders was faced that challenging situation. She was in need of upfront financing for a masonry subcontract working on two public housing units in New Haven. After being turned down multiple times by traditional lenders due to credit and required collateral standards, Michelle was close to forgoing the contract altogether. At the last minute, a staff member of New Haven’s Small Business Initiative recommended that she approach The Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund for funding.
Within a week The Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund was able to approve a $6,250 loan to Pride Construction, LLC that will provide Michelle with short-term financing needed to cover upfront labor, material, tool and equipment cost required to complete a masonry subcontract for Crystal Property Managers. Additionally, The Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund provided Michelle with one-on-one technical assistance through the borrowing process. “The Loan Fund’s program has been a god send,” said Michelle Saunders when asked about her experience working with GNHCLF.
Pride Construction is a very appropriate name for Michelle’s business and she has a lot to be proud of running a successful contracting business in a male dominated field with the current economic challenges. The Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund has been happy to offer our assistance and we look forward to working with Michelle and Pride Construction, LLC in the future.
- Massaro Community Farm
The Massaro Community Farm is a nonprofit, 57 acre farm located in Woodbridge, CT. The farm’s mission is to keep farming, feed people, and build community while enhancing the quality of life for generations to come. In 2010 the Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund made a $100,000 loan to the Massaro Community Farm that was used to rehabilitate the farm’s existing house and barn, which dates back to 1852. To learn more about the Massaro Community Farm, visit http://www.massarofarm.org.