Customer success story: Creative Little Soul

In 2012, Creative Little Soul – like many small businesses that go on to become successful ventures – began as a side hustle. But, with the help of a small business loan at the right time, managing director Chrissy Symeonakis has seen her passion project evolve into a hospitality marketing leader.

Chrissy’s natural ability to put a magical spin on the written word meant that friends and family would often ask her to add a little sparkle to their writing.

And soon, Creative Little Soul was born, which Chrissy ran alongside working 80-plus hours in the hospitality industry.

Only 18 months later, however, Chrissy was diagnosed with MS. And told, in no uncertain terms, that stress would only exacerbate her condition.

Chrissy knew she needed a change – and needed Creative Little Soul to take on a life of its own.

Managing a period of growth

And take on a life of its own it did. Very soon, Chrissy faced the common struggle every small business owner faces – finding the time to work on the business, rather than in the business.

Momentum was with the venture, and Chrissy knew that, for Creative Little Soul to grow, she needed to spend more time getting new clients.

The problem was that any time she travelled interstate to meet potential clients, she had to pay someone to pick up the operational slack, which subsequently affected cash flow.

Her solution? To secure a small business loan that would keep Creative Little Soul’s cash flow healthy, while creating the freedom to focus on what was most important: winning new clients all over the country in order to grow the business.

After considering the traditional route, Chrissy decided that an alternative lender would be her best bet for securing a small business loan.

“If you’re a small business, a lot of traditional lenders are not inclined to lend money to you, despite your earnings. I think they see small businesses as too much of a risk.”

Prospa immediately appealed to Chrissy, as we have a clear focus on helping small business owners succeed. Beyond that, she loved the easy application process and how quickly the funds arrived in her account.

“I enquired and heard back that same day. Then I went through some questions where I was asked about my business and what I was looking to achieve. Prospa asked me how much I would need and what for, and then checked my financials. Within 48 hours, I had the money in my account.”

What’s next for Creative Little Soul?

The quick injection of cash meant Chrissy could travel interstate to visit a range of potential clients, all the while knowing her cash flow would remain steady after paying additional staff to cover her regular duties.

“Since receiving funding from Prospa I’ve been able to take on 14 new clients within a month. In the past, I’ve often said no, just because I didn’t have the resources to manage the extra work. But we’ve now cemented ourselves as the go-to in the hospitality marketing space. We are flooded with people wanting to collaborate and work with us.”

But Chrissy says the growth won’t stop there. She has plans to add 12 new clients in the short-term while also growing the Creative Little Soul team.

Her advice to other small business owners thinking about getting finance to fund their growth: don’t be afraid to ask for help.

“I think a lot of the time people don’t like to talk about money, and they don’t like to ask for help even when they need a little bit of money to help them grow. But there’s no shame in asking for help.

“I often ask myself, ‘Why didn’t I do this sooner?’ I want everyone else to know that this is out there, because it can help their business grow as well.”

A Prospa Small Business Loan has helped Creative Little Soul:

• Secure 14 new clients within a month, with the cash flow to cover the resources needed to manage the extra work.
• Bring on three additional staff members to help the business grow.