Across Baltimore, many small business owners are not choosing between “good” and “bad” capital. They are often choosing between survival and closure. This session explores how predatory lending, merchant cash advances, and financial pressure impact neighborhood businesses and long-term economic stability.
Through conversation, fictionalized entrepreneur debt scenarios, and collective reflection, participants will examine how capital systems can either stabilize businesses or deepen financial vulnerability for entrepreneurs operating in historically underinvested communities.
Featured Speakers
Mac McComas
Senior Program Manager, Baltimore Social Environmental Collaborative (BSEC), Johns Hopkins University
Karida Collins
Owner, Neighborhood Fiber Company
Jennifer Smith Funn
Regional Director for Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland Small Business Development Center
What to Expect
Grounding Conversation
Participants will begin with a grounding conversation on the realities of small business debt and the difficult financial decisions entrepreneurs are often forced to make.
Interactive Debt Scenario Exercise
The session will move into an interactive exercise where participants work through fictionalized entrepreneur scenarios centered on urgent capital needs, repayment pressures, and business survival.
Group Reflection
Attendees will evaluate different lending pathways, discuss tradeoffs, and reflect on how financial systems shape outcomes for neighborhood businesses.
Closing Discussion
The session will conclude with a collective reflection exploring what a healthier and more equitable capital system could look like for Baltimore entrepreneurs and neighborhood economies.