Twin Cities native Nick Plummer moved to Costa Rica at the age of 19 and was inspired by the communal approach to child-rearing so prevalent in Latin American cultures.
“Raising children is really a community activity and shared responsibility there, which really stood out to me as a stark contrast to what I saw in the U.S.,” Nick said. “Kids are treated with so much warmth and love and an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ mentality.”
He didn’t know it at the time, but this experience would serve as the inspiration for his entrepreneurial journey later in life.
Nick went on to serve in the Air Force and California Air National Guard for 14 years. Over the course of his service—which included deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa—Nick got married, had children and ultimately settled back in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area.
When their oldest daughter was ready for daycare, Nick and his wife enrolled her in Casa de Corazón, a unique Spanish immersion childcare center that puts an emphasis on environmental consciousness, compassionate teaching methods and intercultural learning. Nick was drawn to the center’s commitment to providing organic, in-house meals and utilizing cloth diapers. He also deeply appreciated their holistic approach to early childhood development, which blended Spanish language and cultural immersion with social, environmental and health education.
After a move to Wisconsin, the couple wasn’t able to find daycare options with similar language immersion and holistic offerings that they had grown accustomed to at Casa de Corazón. Fresh out of the Air Force and ready for a new career challenge, Nick began contemplating the idea of opening a Casa de Corazón franchise location in the area.
Nick started to formalize his business plan, but soon learned that financing was a challenge. After receiving rejections from bank after bank, he was eventually referred to Byline Bank’s team specializing in U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loans.
“Byline was a lifeline for me,” said Nick. “They took the time to learn everything they could about the project and our vision for the business. It was this personalized approach and commitment to understanding the business model—and me as the owner—that enabled them to make the numbers work.”
Byline Bank offers a range of business financing solutions to help companies like Casa de Corazón meet their needs and ambitions. Connect With Our Team.
Byline’s belief in Nick and the mission of Casa de Corazón enabled him to open a franchise location in Shorewood, WI, which now serves 138 children and employs 32 people. With Byline’s ongoing help and support, Nick is currently in the process of opening a second Casa de Corazón location in Milwaukee, which will serve another 100 children and create nearly 45 more jobs, contributing to the economic vibrancy of the local community.
“Without Byline Bank, I wouldn’t be a business owner, my staff wouldn’t be employed, and hundreds of families would be left without access to the kind of world-class care and education we provide at Casa de Corazón,” said Nick.
“To Byline, I know I’m so much more than just a number,” he continues. “My lender has become like a part of the family. The trajectory of my life, my family’s life, and the lives of so many people in my community have been forever changed, all because Byline believed in me.”
As a top five SBA lender nationwide, Byline Bank has deep expertise in how to tailor SBA financing to support ventures like Casa de Corazón. Learn more about how we can help bring your business aspirations to fruition.
