Before enrolling in the IRC’ San Diego’s Small Business Program with the Spoke partner Karen Organization of San Diego’s (KOSD) program, Naw Say needed help to access adequate resources to run her business due to the language barrier. She was unaware of the need for business insurance and valuable resources like business loans and grants. As a non-English speaker, Naw Say found it challenging to communicate with English speakers, solve technical difficulties, find resources, and seek assistance for her store.

Recently, someone broke into her store and damaged the property, which added to her struggles. However, she knows IRC is always there to provide her with the support she needs. With the help of the IRC Small Business team, she continued to grow her business and recover the space.

Through the support of her business counselor in their one-on-one training services, Naw Say accessed necessary services for business growth, such as applying for emergency business loans and grants. She gained valuable business knowledge through the advice and guidance of her Navigator. Determined to improve her business, Naw Say completed ten weeks of micro-business training, received various business certificates, and applied for a loan of $15,000. Together with her business counselor, she also applied for grants and received over $10,000 in grant awards.

AYA Mini Market is much more than just a store. It has become a special place for the Burmese community in San Diego, offering a taste of nostalgic childhood memories and a sense of home.

Naw Say has expressed that she would have faced much more difficulty in her journey without the help of IRC and KOSD, and she looks forward to reaching new levels of success in her business.

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