Building Credit, Building Wealth

Brittnay Williams has always been a go-getter. Williams earned her certified nursing assistant license immediately after graduating from high school. By the time she was 21, she had her eye on purchasing a home. Williams came to HOPE for help repairing her credit score, which was low due to credit card spending when she was still in high school.

HOPE helped Williams with a loan specifically structured to repair her credit, and also partnered with her to refinance her auto loan, cutting the payments in half. Two years later, HOPE wrote the mortgage loan that allowed Williams to purchase her first home. When Williams decided to make a major career change, HOPE was also there with sound advice.

“I was working in personal care for another firm and I didn’t like the way they treated us as employees,” Williams says. “We didn’t have any direct contact with management, raises were rare, and it felt like the employees were always on the back burner.”

But rather than complain, Williams decided to do something about it. At 28 years old and with five children to support, Williams quit her job and launched her own company. Once again, she turned to HOPE, but this time, she was surprised by what she did not receive.

“I went to HOPE for a business loan, but instead they helped me with all kinds of advice, including lists of businesses with affordable space to rent and setting me up with a business account. After talking with HOPE, I realized I could start my business without taking out a loan. When you come to a credit union asking to borrow money and they find a way instead to help keep you from going into debt, you know they’re genuinely looking out for you and they want you to succeed.”

Today, Williams is the proud owner of Developmental Milestones, a personal care agency that employs 30 people – all of whom have Williams’ personal phone number.

“I have employees ranging from 20 years old to 60 years old, and I treat them all the way I would want to be treated,” says Williams, who now holds a degree in healthcare management. “I feel blessed and grateful. I don’t feel lucky, more as though I was meant to take this path.”

Between raising a family, growing a business, and nurturing her employees’ careers, Williams’ days are packed. She’s quick to credit her parents with helping, although her father was initially concerned when she left the security of her job to launch Developmental Milestones.

“My father was skeptical at first because I was giving up that steady income to go out on my own. But once he saw the progress I was making, he started to come around,” Williams says, then adds with a smile, “And last Father’s Day, I bought him a new truck. So now I think he’s convinced.”