Spokane Entrepreneur Turns Dream into Reality with SBA Funding

For Cassie Cleary, the dream of entrepreneurship was sparked while working for a boutique bridal shop during her years in graduate school. She imagined owning and operating her own business and envisioned the experiences she would create for her clientele. Nevertheless, Cassie completed her education to become a speech therapist and saved the small business dream as something she might pursue “one day.”

It was only a few years later, following the tragic loss of a patient she had been working with, that Cassie decided not to postpone anything in life, and began working to transform her business ideas into reality.

In 2018, seeking guidance with her business and financial planning, Cassie reached out to the local Women’s Business Center (WBC), first in Seattle where she was then located, and later with the WBC in Spokane, Washington when she moved back to her hometown to launch the business.

As a beginning business owner, Cassie was repeatedly turned down by the lenders she initially spoke with. Eventually, working with SNAP Financial Access, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and SBA Microlender, Cassie secured the startup funding she needed to sign a lease, purchase initial inventory, and have the working capital on hand to fund the first few months of business operations.

In 2018 Cassie opened the doors to Honest in Ivory with 1 full time employee and 200 client appointments scheduled.  And those financial goals she outlined in her three-year business plan? The company surpassed their three-year financial goals in the first three months of operation.  

In 2022, Cassie began seeking funding to purchase the commercial space the business had been leasing. With an SBA 504 loan from Northwest Business Development Association, Honest in Ivory was able to become the landlord, resulting in a decrease in monthly expenses and the opportunity to make the building improvements and long-term investments necessary to foster growth.

Today, Honest in Ivory supports a team of six full-time employees serving customers with a personal, client-focused approach to finding their perfect wedding dress, and annual revenues are increasing year over year. In addition to customized options from exclusive designers, the company has expanded to include a consignment division to meet a range of budgets and timelines. Cassie continues her work as a part-time speech therapist while leading the business that was only a dream a few years ago.