GeeGoals

Amazing connection with the team at BMO at the Small Business Expo last week. It was exciting to know more about the zero barrier program that BMO is offering to small businesses. Affordable and responsible lending is available through great local bankers such as Doug Jenkins and Daniel Rodriguez . Make the jump from transactional banking to a personalized experience and you’ll see the difference right away when it comes to interacting with the banking industry.

Building strong communities and learning from successful founders is key to our growth and impact. At GeeGoals, we are committed to helping small business owners from humble beginnings become bankable, empowering them to build wealth through the power of meaningful banking relationships. We recently had the pleasure of attending the Money Fest Event hosted by #SumaApp, where we connected with their inspiring founder Beatriz Acevedo and her team. It was a valuable experience that demonstrated the importance of building a strong community around your product , something we aim to replicate with GeeGoals as we develop our platform for small business owners, business bankers alike. Additionally, we had the chance to re-connect with Diana Mendez from Upa Plan, a virtual advisor helping migrants on their path to success, and even met Pavel Pardo, a former professional soccer player from the Mexican National Team. Moving forward, we are focused on building a community that supports small businesses by connecting them with ethical and industry-specific bankers. By creating an ecosystem of trust and opportunity, we ensure that businesses have the financial partners they need to achieve long-term success. Our upcoming initiatives will not only benefit small businesses but also create new opportunities for business and commercial bankers to engage in meaningful, growth-driven relationships. We also took the time to meet with JP Morgan and Wells Fargo team to explore the possibilities to have GeeGoals become a supplier. Exciting times ahead for GeeGoals and the small business community! Stay tuned for more updates.

Big thanks to #NetSuite accelerator program, La Familia Foundation and Techqueria for organizing such an amazing event at “Dale”! It was inspiring to see so many talented Latin entrepreneurs bringing forward innovative ideas that address real problems in our communities. A huge thank you to the speakers and entrepreneurs who shared their experiences, struggles, and—most importantly—how they overcame those challenges. Your insights were practical, motivating, and exactly what we needed to hear as we work toward our next milestones. It was a pleasure meeting incredible people like Diana Mendez, José Alvarez , Jose Aparicio, Eric Perez , Sergio Suarez Jr. ., Andrew Sacchetti, Ritu Thakur, Carlos Antequera, and many more. You all have the character, passion, and expertise to change the world—keep pushing forward so you can continue opening doors for others! A special thanks to my accelerator program, Oracle NetSuite—specifically @Diego Fit, Sergio, Emily T. Davila and George Ploss for always going above and beyond to support #GeeGoals and ensure our success. You are a true blessing and an invaluable asset to any startup looking for long-term partnerships. What we learned from this experience: the value of building communities around our product. This not only helps reduce customer acquisition costs and increases long-term value for members, but it also makes it easier to boost sales and, most importantly, build trust. In the financial services industry, trust matters more than money, especially for entrepreneurs. For the next three months, we will be focusing on expanding our Meet The Bankers group, which connects small businesses with ethical, industry-specific bankers. Our mission is to help businesses form the right financial partnerships with professionals they can trust, ensuring their long-term financial goals are in safe hands. Thank you again to everyone who made this event possible. We are excited about the future!

The recent news of TD Bank’s involvement in a money laundering scheme highlights a critical issue within the banking industry: the lack of accountability at the executive level. When major illegal activities occur, we often hear the names of those responsible—whether it's in drug trafficking or other crimes. But when financial institutions are laundering millions, the blame often falls solely on the corporation, not the people at the top. So, our question is: Who is TD Bank? Is it the CEO? The Chief Anti-Money Laundering Officer who knew about the weaknesses in their systems and allowed someone like “David” (whoever that is) to move over $470M in illicit funds? Where is the accountability for those responsible? Do they truly understand the societal impacts of their actions? Money laundering fuels corruption, drug trafficking, human trafficking, terrorism, and erodes public trust in the financial system. It widens wealth inequality and destabilizes economies. Since these activities have been occurring since 2014, it's hard to believe they weren’t aware of the damage. At GeeGoals, we believe in banking with integrity. Character is the first “C” of capital for us, but it seems for TD Bank, it’s missing. We remain committed to connecting businesses with bankers who uphold the highest ethical standards because small businesses deserve partners they can trust. If TD Bank had branches in Southern California, we’d make it our mission to move every client away because Character and Integrity matter!

Thank you so much to William Griffin from #hamnibank and the team at RedGoni for helping us host our Meet the Bankers event . We look forward to have our next meeting next month. Geegoals provide a platform so amazing bankers like Will can provide a truly personalized experience.

Calling all coffee roasters, restaurant owners and wholesalers. This is the networking event that you don’t want to miss! On October 4th , this Friday . We are hosting our second Meet the Bankers event , featuring William Griffin from Hamni Bank, an expert in providing tailored solutions for businesses like yours. This is an opportunity to meet a business banker who truly understands your industry. And can help you secure the right capital to grow your business. Why attend ? -Tailored Financial Solutions: Learn from William how to access the funding your business needs : without paperwork, credit pulls or sensitive data submission. A good conversation will lead to better results than an application. -Network with Peers: Build connections with coffee professionals and potential partners that care about your success. -Hosted by RedGoni: southern California’s top coffee bean wholesaler. Sample fine coffee while learning how to secure loans and scale your business. Whether you’re in the coffee business or work with those who are, this is the perfect chance to grow your network and gain valuable insights. RSVP here : Join me at How to get a Bank Loan. Coffee, Capital and Growth! https://lnkd.in/gZRP_inu

We are always grateful for the invitation from #BancofCalifornia , Eli Rodriguez and #ThomasHouseShelter to be part of such a vibrant and inspiring event. Thomas House Shelter has helped hundreds of families break the cycle of poverty, offering essential support like shelter and food to help them rebuild their lives. Poverty has a ripple effect, and by assisting families in overcoming it, we create opportunities for more people to thrive and contribute positively to their communities. At Geegoals we are proud to be a strong supporter of initiatives that make such an impact.

What an incredible night at #RealFeast 2024! It was an amazing experience to meet Daniel Fernandez, CEO of TMC Community Capital. Their unwavering commitment to helping the underbanked and underserved communities is truly remarkable, and Daniel’s personal story, along with his dedication to making a difference, is deeply inspiring. One key takeaway from last night, which I wholeheartedly agree with, is this: Entrepreneurs and business owners from diverse backgrounds no longer need to wait for a seat at the table—we can build our own tables, our own seats, and share them with those who believe in us! A special shout-out to Ryan Doria, whose passion and dedication to the team at TMC was evident. Ryan, I know you’ve made your grandma proud with the incredible work you’re doing! Last but certainly not least, a heartfelt thank you to Mayra Contreras , a phenomenal professional and steadfast partner since I began my entrepreneurial journey in 2019. From day one, she’s believed in GeeGoals, and for that, I’m truly grateful. We’re excited about the future and look forward to becoming the number one for-profit referral partner for TMC Community Capital. More community. More capital. Thank you for the invitation!

We believe that truly helping small businesses grow goes beyond just offering loans and great financials. It's about understanding their business on a deeper level—their passion, why they started, and what their long-term goals are. It's about recognizing what makes them special and unique to their customers. Supporting small businesses means promoting them and celebrating their successes. When they thrive, we can help them even more. It's all about fostering sustainable growth, and that requires a genuine connection and commitment to their journey. Thanks to Hendra Taruli for inviting us to their business and showing us his unique approach to the wholesale coffee industry. Thanks to William Griffin from Hamni Bank for joining us and trying to see how they can support our client’s business.

Attending the Small Business Expo was a fantastic opportunity to conduct market research and connect with business owners and bankers about our product. While responses from small businesses were mixed, the feedback was invaluable. The top reason for interest in our platform was access to capital, which aligns perfectly with our core mission. However, many entrepreneurs also highlighted the uniqueness of our networking opportunities, like "Meet the Bankers," as a refreshing way to connect with peers and raise awareness for their businesses. During my conversations, three Real estate Developers suggested adding CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions) to our platform, emphasizing their value and how challenging they can be to find. Their insights were echoed by a small business lender from a Credit Union, who expressed interest in joining to generate leads. One of the highlights was engaging with the marketing team from Western Alliance Bank. Their enthusiasm and willingness to participate in our initial launch reaffirmed that we’re on the right track. Overall, it was a productive day at the expo, and I’m excited about the direction we’re heading—building a solid product with our clients' feedback at the forefront.