Helping minority-owned businesses

AUSTIN (KXAN) - In these tough economic times, it can be difficult to keep a business afloat, let alone start up a new venture.

For 19 years, however, one non-profit has helped new businesses with minority or female owners located in impoverished or rural areas.

Business Community Lenders is Austin-based and helps companies statewide. They secure loans and provide good business models. BCL secured $246 million in loans for businesses that created more than 4,000 jobs in their existence.

"Even in tough times, a good idea with a great entrepreneur can make it," said Akanksha Bhaskar with BCL. "Our goal is to make sure the risk they take is a successful one."

In Southwest Austin, BCL recently helped one business. For four years, Brianna Dieter has been the instructor at the Premiere Dance Center. In Summer 2009, she had a chance to buy the studio and she decided to go for it.

"BCL was an amazing help," said Dieter. "At first, I was completely lost, but they were terrific [in] helping me get started. I know there's a risk these days, but with a good program, it's a risk worth taking."