MIB FEATURED ASSOCIATE MEMBER Prospera is a nonprofit economic development organization that helps businesses find their pathway to success. Working to advance and inspire diverse economies and resilient communities in southwest Montana, their focus is helping people start and grow their businesses, which, in turn, strengthens the local economy. Prospera is celebrating 40 years of economic and community development. The amazing team at Prospera helps motivated entrepreneurs navigate the hurdles of opening and running a business. One of those remarkable people at Prospera is Jennifer Pearson, the Business Lending Manager. She helps business owners take their ideas and connect them with opportunities for access to capital. We recently had a chance to sit down with Jennifer and learned more about the extraordinary work she is involved in. The following are excerpts from our conversation. Tell us a little bit about you. I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology and psychology from Montana State University and a master’s degree in human services with a focus on public administration. I also earned a project management professional (PMP) certification. I started working with Prospera in October 2024 and am so happy to be here. I come from a background of nonprofit work and have done some consulting work. When it comes to work, my personal commitment is to have a positive impact, and Prospera aligns well with that. We serve businesses and it has been a joy to dive in and help ideas become a reality. Tell us about what you do at Prospera. My role as Business Lending Manager is to collaborate with community banks, business owners, and our internal team to review loan requests and to underwrite loans. We work with businesses who are not yet bankable. We also work in partnership with banks to provide gap financing and play a key role in getting deals over the finish line. Prospera has the flexibility to take subordinate positions on critical financing pieces. We play a big role in making businesses bankable over time. That’s a win-win for the client, for Prospera, and for the banks. We have wonderful partnerships with banks. In addition to underwriting new deals, I regularly check in with our current loan clients and provide support where I can to ensure their success today, tomorrow and well beyond. Our ongoing support of clients really helps them to navigate challenges successfully and gives them reassurance that resources are available when they need them. Ideally, we are finding ways to support businesses before things get tough. Our clients’ success is in everyone’s best interest. What makes Prospera unique? Prospera is home to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the Montana Women’s Business Center (MTWBC) and the Food and Ag Development Center (FADC). Our business advisors offer free one-on-one MEET JENNIFER PEARSON OF PROSPERA 16 Community Banker
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