B’s Granite and Marble – ARIZONA

Family-owned and operated businesses often spur feelings of joy, closeness, and respect. B’s Granite and Marble, a local granite installer and supplier is the epitome of a successful family-owned business. While the road to success was not always linear and oftentimes presented to be rather bumpy, for Ramiro, Arturo, Amado, y Jose Becerra; having each other to depend on throughout the journey has been what has kept them motivated and dedicated to building a prosperous business.

Owning a business was not necessarily in the cards for the Becerra’s. In fact, the four brothers started off working in the construction and countertop installation industry working for separate firms. All of them were doing well and making a path for themselves. However, they all felt stifled as they were not able to implement a lot of their ideas for improving operations and working conditions. This is when Ramiro had the idea of possibly having their own business.

Ramiro and the Becerra’s decided to take a leap of faith and rent their own commercial property to start B’s Granite and Marble in 2006. They all went through the contractor certification process to ensure that their work and service they provided to clients was nothing short of great. While things started off great, the brothers quickly realized that they knew very little about the operational and financial aspects of running their own business.

In 2011, as their business was expanding, so did the need for a larger space to work out of. This pushed the brothers to look for a new space but they quickly realized they didn’t have the capital to buy. Being a new business, their situation left them with limited options and forced them to acquire a hard money loan. This decision didn’t come easy but they decided that it was the best decision for them and their goals. The incredibly high interest rate was cutting into their profits and was hindering them from being able to purchase new equipment and turn a profit.

In searching for ways to improve their current financial situation, Ramiro was connected to Teresa from Prestamos CDFI. Through the help of Prestamos CDFI, the Becerra’s were able to refinance their loan at a much more manageable interest rate. With the money they saved they were finally able to purchase the equipment and machines they needed to help them and their staff be more efficient and precise. Aside from the financial help, they were able to take advantage of technical assistance from the Business Advisors at Prestamos CDFI.

This component of their relationship with Prestamos CDFI allowed for them to have a professional and dynamic website built. Additionally, they were also able to more effectively manage their finances which allowed them to not only turn a profit, but also save additional money which helped them invest their funds into their business to further solidify their operational and functional systems. The Becerra’s worked collaboratively with their Prestamos CDFI technical assistance partners to build a both strategic and feasible plan that they could immediately begin implementing in their business. This was an absolute game changer for B’s Granite and Marble as it elevated their operational structure.

The relationship with Prestamos CDFI did not conclude there. In 2020, during the pandemic, they applied and received the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which helped them keep their staff on during a difficult time for all business owners. Additionally, to further their goal of being a debt-free business, Ramiro and his brothers are part of the Maricopa County Resilience Program. With this loan program, they were able to increase their working capital as it offers a 1% fixed interest rate, five-year loan with no loan origination fees.

B’s Granite and Marble is a local business that is the perfect example of how working collaboratively with Prestamos CDFI can produce impactful and meaningful results for businesses. From loans, to technical assistance and planning – the Becerra’s have fully created a working relationship with Prestamos CDFI and have taken full advantage of our wraparound services. “I am proud to work with individuals that take our work seriously and have the desire to grow their business.”, says Teresa Miranda, Vice President, Prestamos CDFI, “Working for an organization that helps minority businesses is incredibly fulfilling work.” B’s Granite and Marble’s willingness to work collaboratively with our team has created exceptional results and produced winning strategies for their business. This partnership has been developed over the last six years and has been built on trust and respect.

As the business grows and evolves, Ramiro sees great growth potential for B’s Granite and Marble. With their state of the art equipment and organized operations, they have been more confident and open in submitting proposals for bigger jobs – which they have secured several. The Becerra’s understand that running a top notch, quality business takes more than just money and capital, which is why they have been receptive to receiving the technical assistance from the skilled Business Advisors at Prestamos CDFI. Their hope is to further develop their sales skills to elevate the business even more.

Prestamos CDFI is a part of Chicanos por la Causa, a non-profit organization that provides communities with resources ranging from health, education, financial services, housing, and advocacy. At PrestamosCDFI, our commitment is to continue to advance our work to provide high-quality financial products and services for small businesses that lead to impactful economic development projects. We invite you to visit our website, prestamosloans.org to find out how you can be part of this impact.