Beyond the business plan: how Michigan Women Forward is helping Flint entrepreneurs turn ideas into opportunity

FLINT, Michigan — Tanesia Greer began working at a hair salon as a shampoo assistant at just 14. Unaware of the future ahead of her, she watched as the salon owner grew her business from a service she provided out of her home into a successful salon. She fell in love with the freedom of leadership and unknowingly learned to build a business from scratch.

At 16, Greer started working in a clothing store. She realized strict schedules and work breaks were too rigid compared to her salon experience. The entrepreneur in her had already awakened, and a traditional service-industry job no longer fit her skill set. After accepting an apprenticeship at another salon, she mastered the beauty industry. By 18, she was ready to invest in her dreams and opened her own salon in Berkley, Michigan.

“I was born to be my own boss,” she proclaims. “I didn’t have a college education; I just had my high school diploma, and I was young, so there were challenges, but I would tell people, ‘Don’t let my age fool you.’ In my work ethic, I was able to prove over and over that they took a chance on the right person.”

Greer went on to open a heating and cooling company with her then-husband, and a construction company that made over half a million dollars in revenue. Now, the Detroit native has over 15 years of professional entrepreneurship experience.

She offers mentorship and resources to other entrepreneurs as the business development manager for Southwest Michigan at Michigan Women Forward (MWF), a community development and financial institution that provides funding for small businesses and startups.

MWF seeks to increase financial resources for women and entrepreneurs of color, though funding and support are available for entrepreneurs in Michigan of all backgrounds.

Recently, MWF has expanded its work in Flint by joining forces with the Ruth Mott Foundation. In June 2026, the foundation announced a program-related investment of $500,000 and a supporting grant of $450,000 to Michigan Women Forward to increase access to capital, business education, and technical assistance for Flint business owners.

The Ruth Mott Foundation and MWF have partnered with 100K Ideas, a nonprofit organization in Flint that seeks to relieve burdens entrepreneurs experience.

Business owners can visit the 100K Ideas office in the Dryden Building at 601 S. Saginaw St., Flint, MI 48502, to meet with a local loan officer and access capital and coaching. In addition to small business loans, MWF offers loan readiness support and business education programs. Chad Knight is the current loan officer in Flint, and he is available from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. You can schedule an individual meeting by clicking here.

The Funding Desk is an open session held by MWF each Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon. Business owners are invited to stop in at 100K Ideas with questions about funding, growth, or advancement.

“We feel like Flint business owners need to know who MWF is, and the support that is out there,” Greer emphasizes.

Regular loans offered by MWF range from $2,500 to $50,000. Currently, businesses established for at least two years can apply for Innovation Funding Products: a $20,000, 0% loan over three years and a $25,000 Last Mile loan over three years, with the third year forgiven if the first two years are paid on time and quarterly financials are submitted. While credit is assessed, MWF is not a credit-based lender.

“Understanding credit scores helps us to look at the whole picture and have transparent conversations. For businesses that might not be ready for funding, we offer resources and mentorship.”

Funding applications involve a three-step process, with the decision being made at the end of business coaching. MWF’s approach to lending differs from a traditional bank because it offers entrepreneurs a wraparound approach. A resource Greer shares with new business owners is the Michigan Small Business Development Center (Michigan SBDC).

The center offers free business consultation, tools, and more resources. Increasing access to support is MWF’s response to financial barriers that were becoming common for Michigan business owners. Through partnerships and community, MWF has helped many entrepreneurs succeed.

Support from local organizations is not unknown to many local business owners. In 2023, Flintside spoke with entrepreneurs like Sheena Harrison, owner of Drinks of Essence & Fruits of Elegance, who shared her experience of hardship and how she leaned on her support system and community for help.

“Our community is amazing with helping you out and getting you to the right programs or connecting you with the right people to help you where you have to go,” Harrison previously shared.

Community response continues to bring revitalization. During the summer, MWF held a biweekly Business Basics Cohort, designed to help businesses establish a solid foundation. Following that, it held a weekly Capital Readiness Lab from August until September.

“We want to pour back into businesses, so that they can really take advantage of these programs,” Greer said.

For more information on the support MWF offers or to connect with a loan officer, visit miwf.org/flint.