Anne Panek
Anne Panek - “I want entrepreneurs to know that they have us right here.”
Tell us more about you and how you got involved in LEND.
“I’ve been in Evanston since 2018. I wanted to get involved in the community because I didn’t know a lot about Evanston, I wanted to meet more people, and I wanted to understand how things work. I met Mike (the president of LEND’s board) through previous Mayor Hagerty, and I thought LEND was a great way to learn about the community. My background is in business, specifically marketing, so LEND was a way for me to use my skills and meet a lot of community and business leaders in Evanston. It’s been a great experience to be on the board.”
What is your role in LEND? Can you explain how the marketing committee section of the board works?
“I lead the marketing subcommittee of LEND, so I’m the touchpoint for the students who are working on marketing projects and some things that are more board related. We felt like it was an undiscovered area for LEND because we hadn't really dedicated anyone to that function. My role is to work closely with the students among a number of communications tools like updating the website and graphics, keeping in touch with community leaders, surveying past clients, and redesigning the logo. Those are most of the bigger projects that we’ve been working on over the past couple of years.”
Can you explain how the Board is separate from students?
“LEND really is a student-run organization. At the end of the day, this is an organization that was built by students and is run by students. Students are the ones managing the budget, tracking outstanding loans, working with clients on consulting practices (business plan, social media). The board is there to provide assistance and advise when our expertise is needed. The second thing we do is create continuity over the years as different student leaders move through the organization. We work through the transition period and make sure new student leaders are set up for success.”
How have you seen LEND help the Evanston community?
“What I love about seeing the loan applications come in is the variety of potential clients that we see - everything from bike repair shops to small cafes, chocolatiers, karate studios - all types of entrepreneurs. I’m getting this inside lens to the Evanston business community that I otherwise wouldn’t have.”
What makes LEND unique? Why should business owners work with LEND?
“We are offering that alternative source of funding that a lot of newer or smaller businesses may not be able to obtain from a traditional lending source. The other thing I'm really excited about this year is we’ve introduced zero interest loans. I’d think this would be pretty attractive to smaller businesses in Evanston. The other thing is for businesses to work with students who can give them that one-on-one consultation in areas where they might need a little help, such as social media marketing, building that business plan, and understanding accounting principles. LEND student consultants are able to, at no cost, give entrepreneurs consulting services.”
What is your vision for LEND – where do you see the organization a couple of years down the road?
“I would love to see LEND expand. I think there's an opportunity to grow and expand LEND outside the NU community. Within Evanston, there’s a lot of folks who don’t know about LEND. I’d love for us to be one of the top options for businesses who may need that extra $3000 or $5000. Entrepreneurs who aren’t eligible for typical funding sources may be wondering how they can gain access to loans.. I want them to know that they have us right here. We would like to serve as a model for other communities looking to establish an organization like ours.”