“As we planned our home renovation, I searched for a way to better understand how our architect’s designs would play out in real life,” says Robert (Rob) Perretta. “That’s when I found Walk Your Plans online. I visited their headquarters in Cleveland, where they brought our plans to life. The experience was game-changing and I wanted to be a part of it.”
After securing the licensing rights for Westchester, Putnam, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State, as well as Fairfield County in Connecticut, Rob’s next challenges included finding the ideal property for his Walk Your Plans: New York location and to secure the financing needed for the build-out, hardware, and software.
Here’s how Pursuit helped with an SBA 7(a) loan.
Great businesses solve everyday problems
A foundation of small business success is to create a solution to a problem – and that’s exactly what the Walk Your Plans team accomplished. The proprietary technology enables architects, builders, designers, and end-users – homeowners, commercial property developers, and clients in retail, medical services, and restaurants, for example – to walk through their plans at full scale. This immersive experience means that issues and new ideas can be addressed earlier in the design phase, before construction begins, potentially saving thousands of dollars and weeks or months of delays.
Prior to launching his Walk Your Plans: New York venture, Rob’s professional experience included high-level roles with major banks, as well as development of a real estate portfolio for personal investment purposes. This combination helped him see the business potential in Walk Your Plans, but it was his firsthand experience with this experiential technology that sold him on the idea of owning a Walk Your Plans: New York site.
“When I went to Ohio and met the founder and president of Walk Your Plans, Joe Matejka, we hit it off. I loved everything they were doing and I was impressed by his vision for the company,” Rob says. “Then, he asked to review our plans and, wow, there I was, standing in them full-scale. They came to life before my eyes and the value of this was so clear to me.”
Financing for renovations, hardware, and software
“I secured the licensing rights for Walk Your Plans: New York in September 2024,” Rob explains. “The next challenge was to find the right space. To provide the optimum experience for our clients, it has to be wide open with high ceilings and no columns – and available at a reasonable rate, which is challenging in a region like mine where commercial real estate costs are high.”
He found his ideal location in Port Chester, NY, and to secure the space and complete the build-out, including the purchase and installation of hardware and software, Rob needed financing.
He says, “As someone with a background in finance, I knew it made sense to research all of my options. I explored a lot of lenders and got a lot of offers, but none of them were just right. Then, Putnam County Savings Bank recommended Pursuit.”
“Pursuit was different – very focused on providing a high level of communication and guidance that I didn’t get from the others,” he explains. “I felt confident and comfortable with Pursuit from the start.”
Pursuit helps Walk Your Plans: New York secure an SBA 7(a) loan
Rob worked with Pursuit VP and Internal Lending Group Manager Luke Mancini to get the financing process underway.
Together, Rob and Luke reviewed financing options and landed on the SBA 7(a) loan. The SBA 7(a) loan provides variable-rate funding from $50,000 to $5 million for startups and growing businesses, with terms up to 10 years for most deals. It’s the SBA’s most popular loan program, thanks to its generous financing, tremendous range of eligible uses, and advantageous terms.
“The SBA loan process includes a lot of due-diligence, which is a good thing but it can be complex for a small business owner, like me, when you’re working through it,” Rob admits. “That’s why having the right team on your side is essential. Pursuit’s expertise was critical when we ran into challenges, which are normal with any commercial venture. They kept the process moving forward to ensure timelines and deadlines were met.”
He says that other keys to making the process smoother are to prepare well in advance for the application process, have accurate financial projections, and when Pursuit gets in touch, respond promptly.
With financing in hand and the build-out completed, Rob’s Walk Your Plans: New York location launched in late August of 2025.
Luke adds, “While working with Rob during the application process, he was responsive and timely when providing documents and answering our questions. He also had a well-thought-out plan and worked with all parties to get the information and details needed to get comfortable with his project. It was a pleasure working with him on Walk Your Plans: New York.”
A growing clientele and endless possibilities
With business underway, Rob’s focus is on growing his clientele through strategic outreach and partnerships – and through an unwavering commitment to a white-glove level of service for every client. Rob’s also looking ahead to adding more Walk Your Plans sites in the future, with research into additional territories underway.
“We’ve already helped major global clients use our technology while designing their branded operations, such as boutique shops and flagship stores,” Rob says. “We’re also creating ongoing partnerships with top-tier architects and designers for ground-up and renovation projects. There’s really no limit to what we can achieve.”
He also reiterates his commitment to the clients who, like him, just need reassurance that their home plans meet their needs and dreams before taking on costly construction projects.
“It’s a relatively small upfront investment that offers huge returns,” he says, “from the ability to revise your plans pre-construction to simply gaining piece of mind that your home will be what you envision.”
Pursuit has financing to bring your venture to life
Whether you’re launching a new business, expanding a current venture, or anything in between, Pursuit can help. As a leading small business lender serving businesses across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Illinois, and Delaware, we offer loans and a line of credit for working capital, commercial real estate, equipment, and much more.
We’ve helped thousands of small business owners get the funding they need to achieve their goals and we can help you, too.