Since partnering with Communities Unlimited (CU), Brittany Scott, founder of SMART Reproduction in Jonesboro, Arkansas, has been on a mission to scale — and the results speak for themselves. Her company collects, freezes, and distributes goat and sheep semen and embryos across the U.S. and to multiple international markets, helping improve livestock genetics and expand global trade.
At the outset, SMART Repro lacked formal financial systems and a clear operational strategy. With support from CU’s Entrepreneurship Team since December 2023 — including Area Director Dale Rutherford and Management Consultant Barretta Robinson — Brittany took a deep dive into her operations, identifying inefficiencies, aligning revenue streams, and installing systems that positioned the company for sustainable growth.
“A big one was just having someone guide us through strategic planning,” she said. “We cleaned up our operations, documented everything, and aligned all our revenue streams.”
"That gave us clarity and helped us make smarter decisions — especially around accessing capital.”
That structure proved critical. Because Brittany owns multiple businesses, she didn’t meet the SBA’s definition of a woman-owned business, limiting access to certain funding. And after relocating to Jonesboro, local financing options were limited and costly. CU helped her organize the documentation needed to pursue grants and private contracts that had previously been out of reach.
The impact was immediate: SMART Repro nearly doubled its revenue in 2024.
“Now we track gross and net income — we’re not just chasing sales anymore,” Brittany said. “We’re monitoring profitability.”
Through multiple loans from CU’s Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Lending Program, SMART Repro gained the flexibility to cover inventory, payroll, and contract fulfillment. One loan was essential in executing a Department of Defense (DOD) contract that may have otherwise slipped away.
“Because of SBA and USDA changes, we couldn’t get traditional or government loans — even though we’re in production agriculture,” Brittany said.
“CU stepped in when others couldn’t. Their rates are better than retail banks, and so is the support.”
In 2024, SMART Repro expanded to a new farm location. When a fire destroyed their original export center, they were already preparing to relocate. With CU’s help on documentation and loan preparation, the transition was seamless.
That foundation continues to pay off. SMART Repro is now building a new export center to support its growing global business, with a goal of surpassing $1 million in revenue in 2025.
“Everything has changed,” Brittany said. “Having someone I could trust to review our systems, staff, and books — and give honest feedback — helped us build a solid plan.”
For Brittany, CU’s combination of personalized consulting and lending wasn’t just support — it was a catalyst. This is the kind of work that federal and philanthropic investments in CDFIs make possible: supporting entrepreneurs who have been historically overlooked, unlocking economic opportunity, and helping businesses scale beyond local markets.
“Honestly, without CU’s support, I’d be stuck going back to retail banking — and that would really hurt our financials,” Brittany said. “Interest rates are still high, and it would be a lot harder to grow. We’re grateful to work with both sides of CU and definitely don’t want to see you go away. So, whatever we can do to advocate and support your organization, just let us know.”
