Little Rock Cheese Biz Cashing in on Kiva
By: Josh Berry
Updated: March 18, 2013
With Arkansas unemployment rates on the rise a brand new program in Central Arkansas aims to counter-act that by helping out local start-up and growing businesses. It's even back by President Clinton.
One new local business is cashing in on this program.
On the inside of a church, making the most out of its kitchen, you'll find Kent Walker's business.
As the owner he has the luxury of putting his name in the title.
Walker, along with Randy the head cheese maker, are on a mission to create high quality "Kent Walker Artisan Cheese."
He just celebrated a year in business doing cheese his way.
It's a science of sorts but what's not so scientific is their urge and need to expand.
Walker said, "This year is about moving to real economy's of scale, profitable business and being able to pay myself."
Of course paying his one employee as well but he wants to hire more.
"Any bit of help helps."
That's exactly what he's receiving from Kiva City Little Rock.
It's a new program providing crowd-funded loans to businesses like Walker's in hopes it will counter-act unemployment by creating jobs.
Walker added, "A whole bunch of little businesses is a lot stronger than one or two big businesses supporting an economy."
In Walker's case a $10,000 loan will help him get out of the church, hire more and buy a bigger vat all in the name of, well, his name of cheese.
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One new local business is cashing in on this program.
On the inside of a church, making the most out of its kitchen, you'll find Kent Walker's business.
As the owner he has the luxury of putting his name in the title.
Walker, along with Randy the head cheese maker, are on a mission to create high quality "Kent Walker Artisan Cheese."
He just celebrated a year in business doing cheese his way.
It's a science of sorts but what's not so scientific is their urge and need to expand.
Walker said, "This year is about moving to real economy's of scale, profitable business and being able to pay myself."
Of course paying his one employee as well but he wants to hire more.
"Any bit of help helps."
That's exactly what he's receiving from Kiva City Little Rock.
It's a new program providing crowd-funded loans to businesses like Walker's in hopes it will counter-act unemployment by creating jobs.
Walker added, "A whole bunch of little businesses is a lot stronger than one or two big businesses supporting an economy."
In Walker's case a $10,000 loan will help him get out of the church, hire more and buy a bigger vat all in the name of, well, his name of cheese.
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