Just three years after opening a storefront in Grand Blanc, KD Johnsons has its sights set on continued growth. The web design and cybersecurity business, located at 5525 S. Saginaw St., recently secured a $40,000 loan through the Small Business Revolving Loan Fund, which is governed by the Genesee County Economic Development Corp., or EDC.
EDC loans aim to create jobs in the community by helping to capitalize businesses and can be used for most business purposes, including building improvements, equipment, inventory and working capital. In KD Johnsons’ case, owner Kenya Johnson-McHenry intends to use the funding to support working capital and new hires.
“I plan on making this return several times,” said Johnson-McHenry, who has certifications in digital forensics and a corporate IT background. “I have big plans and want to outgrow this location. I’d like to be in more of a position to run the business—not be the business.”
According to the Flint Central and Michigan State University graduate, KD Johnsons is a “great resource for the underserved and underprivileged … Making a website isn’t a simple as you think it might be. There’s domain name registration. You might need to connect a PayPal account.”
One way around that is selling laptops pre-loaded with specialized software. Users can open the software, select from over 100 pre-made designs. What’s more, Johnson-McHenry can remote into the machine to help clients troubleshoot various issues.
Johnson-McHenry first learned about the EDC loan after attending a bootcamp provided through the University of Michigan-Flint Office of Economic Development. From there, she began working with Tracy Joseph, business financing manager at Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance, which administers the fund.
“(Johnson-McHenry) is a great example of someone who can benefit from this resource,” Joseph said. “It’s ideal for new businesses or entrepreneurs considered risky, credit shy or doesn’t have collateral.”
The fund is governed by the Genesee County EDC whose nine-member board of trustees are appointed by the Genesee County Board of Commissioners to serve six-year terms.
Johnson-McHenry is the fourth individual to get a loan through the Small Business Revolving Loan Fund since 2018. Tracy Joseph hopes to see that number grow as the program gains momentum moving forward.
For more information, contact Tracy Joseph at (810) 600-1406 or email .
To learn more about KD Johnsons, visit builder.kdjohnsons.com or follow the business on Facebook.