Stephanie Hart is not just a baker extraordinaire whose infamous caramel cake is fit for the gods. She’s a creative go-getter who has worked numerous strategic angles to stay in business, diversify the distribution of her products and keep her employees on payroll through the pandemic. Oh—and she’s a big fan of Bears QB Nick Foles, who happened to surprise her with a $10K LISC small business grant for her Brown Sugar Bakery on GMA last week.
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Chicago’s Brown Sugar Bakery receives surprise $10,000 small-business grant during Good Morning America appearance
By Adam Lukach, Chicago Tribune
Top Photo Credit: Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune
When Brown Sugar Bakery founder and owner Stephanie Hart appeared on Good Morning America Friday morning, she didn’t think she’d be getting $10,000. She was wrong.
Much to her surprise, Hart received a $10,000 grant on the morning show. The award comes from Verizon and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, part of a larger $10 million commitment from the company to support small businesses.
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a nonprofit organization, works to develop and support businesses, utilities and other public spaces in historically underserved communities. Even before receiving the $10,000 grant from LISC, Hart had been working with the organization for two years to formulate a business plan that would allow her to buy the 75th Street building in which her business resides. The bakery makes its home in Chatham, a neighborhood that has been neglected historically.
“My goal was to own the building, but I wasn’t in a position to do that when I went to ask first,” Hart said. “It was not like going to a bank and just getting turned down. … They really met with me. They came to the business and looked at it, then they sat down with me and said ‘Look, here are the things that you’re going to need to do.’ I really appreciated it.”
Hart said LISC advisors helped her streamline operations, including her accounting and her website. In fact, she thought that experience is what she would be discussing during her GMA appearance.
As for the grant money, Hart said she already has it earmarked to help facilitate her shipping operations, which will also allow her to bring back some employees furloughed during the pandemic.