Elaine Cruz-Abril graduated from chiropractic school in 2015. After graduation, she and her fiancé set out to own a practice they could grow. They located an existing practice located in Flagler Village. The capital needs were borrowing $54,000 to cover the $30,000 from the practice and the overhead for the first six months.
After visiting several banks that rejected their efforts to secure a loan, the couple felt hopeless. They were running out of personal funds and eventually, for a short time, became homeless.
“I was homeless, sleeping on people’s sofas and finding a place to sleep,” said Cruz-Abril.
One week later, she made an appointment with the Florida SBDC at Fort Lauderdale. There, she met with senior business and loan consultant, Gary Cole.
“It was a pleasure to meet Gary and my hopes came back,” said Cruz-Abril. “He connected us with a great bank that approved a loan for us! He also offered consulting on how to start a business, marketing ideas, how to organize a budget and finances, and followed up with us to make sure everything was going great. We now have a place to live and bought our chiropractic practice!”
After helping Cole’s clients create an on-going break-even analysis for their business and personal expenses, while making the process user-friendly and providing useful marketing techniques, Express Life Family Chiropractic Practice was in full swing.
Today, Elaine Cruz-Abril and her fiancé run a growing practice at the Express Life Family Chiropractic Center, sharing vital information on health and wellness and providing a gathering place that welcomes all with its café-style atmosphere.