Photo credit: Noah Banks (@embracevideo)
“I wanted to create a fitness studio where everyone feels welcome, without self-consciousness or competitiveness,” explains Harlem Cycle owner and founder Tammeca Rochester. “And the engineer in me also wanted to nail the small details, because these impact our overall experiences and make a huge difference in whether or not people will engage regularly.”
Here’s how two loans from Pursuit are helping Tammeca bring her vision to fruition, with additional assistance from Pursuit’s Business Advisory Services team.
Combining professional experiences, education, and passion
Tammeca earned an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business, specializing in marketing and entrepreneurship. She also holds bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and mathematics from Georgia Tech and Spelman College. Over several years, she put her training to great use in the corporate and non-profit worlds, including a successful career with Colgate-Palmolive and launching her own non-profit.
Her education, professional experiences, and personal passion for fitness and wellness came together in Harlem Cycle, with a mission of creating “a lasting change through health and wellness while celebrating all bodies and all fitness levels.”
“While working out at other studios, I’d notice all of the small details that weren’t quite right, such as the genres of music and the volume, the lighting, and the space between and around people. Because other places didn’t pay much attention to them, that detracted from my experience,” Tammeca admits. “I knew if I could get those right while fostering a sense of belonging for all, then people would want to be here.”
She opened her first studio in 2016 with the capacity to serve up to 14 clients per class.
Growing to serve more people in her community
Harlem Cycle got through the pandemic by offering online classes – a necessary pivot then and an additional revenue stream with high-growth potential now. After reopening, the onsite classes eventually refilled to capacity, too.
“The community response to Harlem Cycle has been amazing,” she says, “and I wanted to build our relationships and reach more people by opening a second location.” To realize that goal, she needed financing.
Two loans support growth for Harlem Cycle
As someone who is active in her local small business community and a board member for Start Small Think Big, Tammeca knew that there were good financing opportunities out there – she just had to find the right lender. She learned about Pursuit through business resources and referrals from other small businesses – and with Pursuit’s help, in 2022, she secured two loans to help her reach her goal.
The New York City Small Business Opportunity Fund was a limited-time offering that provided loans to startups and early-stage small businesses in the metro New York area during the first years following the pandemic. Tammeca used these funds to build-out the second location, which was 1,600 square feet of raw space and large enough that she and her team could serve up to 24 clients per session.
Tammeca also secured an SBA Microloan through Pursuit for essential working capital.
Asked about the loan process, she says, “It was great! The application was straightforward and I was really impressed that my Pursuit team truly wanted to learn about my business. They looked at my numbers, understood my vision, and became advocates and champions for me and Harlem Cycle. It was such a different and welcoming experience.”
Financing is just the beginning
Tammeca was also eligible for Pursuit’s Business Advisory Services. These consulting services bring together eligible borrowers and experts in financial management, marketing, human resources, and more – all at no cost to the borrower. Pursuit VP Malini Krishna coordinated resources to help Tammeca, including a redesign of Harlem Cycle’s website.
“I used all of the Business Advisory Services that were recommended,” Tammeca says. “For example, we did a total refresh on the website. Now we have on-demand capabilities incorporated into the website, which is a huge service to our clients and a great revenue stream that we’ll continue to grow.”
The right lender is a partner in success
Today, with a terrific team of 26 instructors and staff members and both locations thriving, Tammeca’s exploring opportunities for additional wellness retreats and expansion of Harlem Cycle studios outside of New York City.
“The right lender helps you take your business to the next level and for me, that’s Pursuit,” Tammeca says.
With loans from $10,000 to $5.5 million, Pursuit can help you secure financing for working capital, equipment, the purchase or construction of commercial real estate, to refinance business debt and more for businesses in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Nevada, Illinois, and Washington.
Contact us to learn more.
