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I got my MBA right after I graduated with my undergraduate degree because I loved business so much.
I still remember one of my professors telling our class that it was almost impossible to get an SBA loan. This was back in the early 2000s.
Not long after, I was laid off from my programming job while still in the MBA program. I spent the next two months writing a business plan to purchase my first business.
When I brought it to the bank, the banker told me it was the best plan he’d ever seen.
And yes — I got the SBA loan.
My professor was shocked. So shocked, in fact, that after I graduated, he asked me to sit on the panel to grade the MBA students’ business plans.
Every semester, I’d receive a stack of plans in the mail. A few weeks later, I’d sit on the panel while students presented their plans to me (and a few other panelists) for their final MBA grade.
It was truly an honor — especially coming from the professor who once told me it was impossible.
Since then, I’ve written business plans for multiple businesses across different industries and obtained several more SBA loans.
I love the process of mapping out a business and seeing the potential.
👉 If you’re stuck, unclear, or unsure how to move forward… try writing out a plan.
It will either get you excited — or show you it won’t work. Either way, you’ll learn something incredibly valuable.
That’s exactly why I created the Boutique Business Plan Template Pack.
It follows the SBA structure — but it’s plug-and-play. You just fill in the blanks, attach your Budget Builder, and you’ve got something you can hand to a bank, grant program, or even a skeptical spouse.
👉 Grab it here before the weekend’s over:
https://buy.stripe.com/8x28wQ8M63bobHnerFgbm2P
If I could get my first SBA loan as a broke, laid-off MBA student… you can absolutely create a clear plan for your boutique.
From Our Sponsor: The Marketing Millennials
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The Marketing Millennials is a look inside what’s working right now for other marketers. No theory. No fluff. Just real insights and ideas you can actually use—from marketers who’ve been there, done that, and are sharing the playbook.
Every newsletter is written by Daniel Murray, a marketer obsessed with what goes into great marketing. Expect fresh takes, hot topics, and the kind of stuff you’ll want to steal for your next campaign.
Because marketing shouldn’t feel like guesswork. And you shouldn’t have to dig for the good stuff.
XOXO,
Carina 💕
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