Sforenia “Lady” Robinson, a well-known cook in McGehee, Arkansas, has always had a passion for Southern soul food.

In October 2020, amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lady turned that passion into a business by opening The Lady’s Place, a takeout-only restaurant offering authentic, home-style Southern dishes like Cajun turkey necks, pork chops, and chitterlings. Located in the rural farming town of McGehee, The Lady’s Place quickly became a local favorite, drawing long lines and growing demand.

By March 2022, Lady realized she needed to expand to meet her customers’ requests for a dine-in experience. She sought financial support and was referred to the Lending Team at Communities Unlimited (CU). Through CU, she received a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) loan, funded by Wells Fargo’s Open for Business Fund.

With the loan, Lady added a dining area, created a buffet, purchased commercial-grade kitchen equipment, and made key infrastructure improvements.

Beyond financial support, CU’s Entrepreneurship Team has played a crucial role in helping Lady overcome business challenges. She worked with Area Director Dale Rutherford and Management Consultant LaKetter Cannon. While Lady excelled at creating high-quality food, managing rising ingredient costs and tracking business expenditures posed significant challenges. She also relied on outdated methods for keeping track of her financial transactions, which complicated her ability to run the business smoothly.

Rutherford and Cannon helped Lady develop a structured business model, create a clear implementation plan, and set up an efficient accounting system. These efforts not only helped her track expenditures but also allowed her to revise her pricing strategies to keep up with rising costs. CU also updated its financial tools for Lady, ensuring she could maintain accurate records and stay organized.

With CU’s guidance, Lady adjusted her prices to better reflect the true cost of her products and gained a deeper understanding of her business’s financial health. The improvements she made in organizing her finances and pricing strategies fueled her enthusiasm for further growth.

Since receiving the CDFI loan, Lady’s business has flourished.

“It has been an amazing ride,” Lady said. “I quit my 9-to-5 job in August of last year, and I began my first contract a month later. Now, I have five centers and my restaurant, and we’re anticipating adding another center in the next three months. It’s been awesome, awesome, awesome. I might have to renovate again because my restaurant is outgrowing the space.”

Lady credits much of her success to the strong partnership she’s built with CU.

As The Lady’s Place continues to grow, Lady is considering expanding into neighboring communities. While she hasn’t taken out a second loan yet, she is exploring her options with CU’s help.

“Having y’all’s help means the world to me,” Lady said. “I can reach out directly without being passed around to different people. It feels like I’m part of the family. My goal is to help as many people in my community as I can. Even if I expand to places like Gould, Grady, or Pine Bluff, I want to keep making a difference.”