Dynasty Café obtained $89,000 in investment loans from the Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) through
the Access Accelerator, Small Business Development Centre (SBDC).

Owned by Kimberly Marshall, Dynasty Café is a soul food restaurant that will serve breakfast, lunch, and
dinner. The establishment will be the first café to have buffet style eating on Sundays for breakfast and
brunch. This is the first restaurant to be funded through the SBDC.

Marshall, who found out about the SBDC while watching the local news joined the organisation to take
advantage of the opportunities offered. Now funded, the entrepreneur wants to set the bar high while
encouraging other business owners.

“Being funded feels almost unbelievable and too good to be true. I was beyond excited about this
tremendous opportunity to start my business. This was always a passion for me. I am now able to set my
bar above and beyond,” Marshall said. “I am also able to spread the good news to all of my classmates
who started with me at the SBDC but fell by the wayside because of discouragement. I want to let them
know the SBDC is the gateway to the other side for aspiring entrepreneurs like me.”

Winston Mitchell, the SBDC advisor for Dynasty Café, described Marshall as determined and believes that the café will succeed.

Mitchell said, “Kimberley is one of the most determined persons I’ve ever met. Despite challenges and
setbacks, she continued to be strong and push to see her vision funded. I believe that Dynasty Café will
succeed because the restaurant’s owner is determined to be successful. The SBDC only gave Kimberly
the tools and guidance to remain successful.”

Before joining the SBDC Marshall tried for five years to get funding and now believes that the SBDC is
the solution to small businesses successfully accessing capital. 

Marshall said, “I feel without the SBDC it is near impossible to get funding to start your business. The
SBDC is the solution. They are your guarantors. They convince the financial institution to see the vision
because they believe in you and your dream.” 

She continued, “Before the SBDC, I tried to access funding from other financial institutions, and I was
unsuccessful. Financial institutions told me I needed capital or collateral to start my business, this was
five years trying. 

“The SBDC was the foundation for the Dynasty Café. It was a long journey to get to where I am at today. I believe hard work and dedication will always pay off as long as you have determination. The SBDC is
indeed the solution for persons wanting to get a fresh start.”

The SBDC is the product of a tripartite arrangement between the Government, through the Ministry of
Finance, University of The Bahamas (UB) and the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers
Confederation (BCCEC). The Centre will work to guide the development, funding, growth, and evolution
of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (“MSMEs”) in The Bahamas.