SBA 7(a) Community Advantage Loan Helps Lafrance Studio Build a Technical Fashion Hub in Jacksonville

Laura Lafrance always knew she wanted to work in fashion. But growing up with Caribbean parents, she said, “practicality came before dreaming.”

At 19, she became a nurse and began working full time on a hospital floor. After four years, she decided it was time to pursue the career she had always wanted. While continuing to work night shifts at the hospital, Laura attended fashion school full time during the day. Four years later, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design and eventually transitioned into fashion full time.

Her career would span garment construction, technical design, corporate apparel programs, international projects and fashion education. But it was while teaching that Laura began to see the problem that would eventually become Lafrance Studio.

“My students kept returning to me after graduation, asking for help launching their first collections and navigating the technical side of development,” Laura said. “I realized there was a real gap in the industry. Emerging designers had vision, but no roadmap.”

Helping Emerging Fashion Brands Move From Design to Production

Lafrance Studio is a technical development house that helps emerging and startup fashion brands turn their ideas into garments that can actually be manufactured.

Laura works with designers on patternmaking, fit engineering, prototypes, and the technical guidance needed to prepare a garment for production.

For many first-time fashion entrepreneurs, that process can be difficult to navigate. A designer may have a clear creative vision but little experience with patterns, fit standards, production requirements, minimum order quantities or the costs involved in manufacturing.

“There’s no roadmap, no standardized process, and very few accessible resources,” Laura said. “My role is to bridge that gap by giving them the technical clarity, prototypes and structured development they need to approach production confidently and sustainably.”

Laura originally launched Lafrance Studio in Las Vegas. After leaving her corporate job, she moved to Jacksonville to be closer to family and began rebuilding the business there.

She connected with the Florida Small Business Development Center, or SBDC, which helped her establish the business framework for Lafrance Studio. Small Business Development Centers can also play an important role in helping entrepreneurs prepare for financing.

Once in Jacksonville, Laura discovered another need. Many aspiring designers wanted to learn the craft but lacked access to technical fashion training.

That led her to create the Sew-Jax Academy, a hands-on program teaching sewing, patternmaking and foundational fashion-development skills.

“Education has always been part of my career,” Laura said. “Teaching is how I help build a more informed and empowered fashion community in Jacksonville and beyond.”

Using an SBA 7(a) Community Advantage Loan for Startup Costs & Working Capital

Turning that vision into a professional operation required significant upfront investment. Laura needed a dedicated workspace, industrial sewing machines, specialized patternmaking tools, professional software, prototyping materials and enough working capital to cover operating costs while the young business developed consistent revenue.

At first, she assumed traditional financing would not be available.

“My plan was to crowdfund because I didn’t think traditional financing was accessible for a small technical studio like mine,” Laura said. “Crowdfunding felt like the only realistic path.”

Then the SBDC introduced her to CDC Small Business Finance, part of the Momentus Capital family of organizations.

CDC Small Business Finance provided Lafrance Studio with a $45,000 SBA 7(a) Community Advantage loan for working capital and startup costs.

SBA 7(a) Community Advantage loans from CDC Small Business Finance can be used for needs including starting or expanding a business, purchasing equipment and supplies, hiring employees, covering payroll, and supporting working capital. For Laura, the financing offered a 10-year term, helping keep the monthly payment manageable as Laura established the business.

For Darryl Appiah, the CDC Small Business Finance loan officer who worked with Laura, her preparation and industry experience helped distinguish the opportunity despite Lafrance Studio being a startup.

“Laura was very diligent and determined,” Darryl said. “She did her homework, responded quickly, and worked through every hurdle. Her industry experience gave me confidence in the business.”

Laura had spent more than a decade building relevant experience before starting the company, including managing corporate apparel programs and working on international apparel projects.

That mattered when CDC Small Business Finance evaluated an entrepreneur launching a business without a long operating history.

“The Community Advantage loan was a strong fit because it gave her manageable financing over a 10-year term,” Darryl said. “For a startup without a long operating history or a lot of savings, that flexibility mattered.”

How Startup Financing Helped Lafrance Studio Launch Faster

For Laura, access to capital changed the speed at which she could build.

Rather than gradually purchasing equipment and assembling the studio piece by piece, Laura could invest in industrial machinery, materials, software and a professional workspace upfront.

Working capital also helped cover expenses such as rent and materials while the business built momentum.

“The $45,000 loan allowed me to build Lafrance Studio at a professional standard much earlier than I could have on my own,” she said.

— Laura Lafrance, owner of Lafrance Studio in Jacksonville, Florida

“Technical development isn’t a quick-turn industry,” Laura said. “Having working capital meant I could focus on creating quality prototypes, setting up the Academy and establishing the studio properly instead of rushing or cutting corners just to generate revenue.”

She summed up the effect simply:

“The loan accelerated everything.”

Growing a Fashion Business & Training Future Designers in Jacksonville

As Lafrance Studio developed, the Sew-Jax Academy became increasingly important.

Laura had previously taught at institutions including Miami Fashion Institute, the Fashion Institute of South Florida, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Academy allowed her to bring that experience into Lafrance Studio and address the technical skills gap she saw in Jacksonville.

Today, Laura says the Academy has become the strongest source of consistent income for the business.

Over the next 12 to 24 months, she plans to expand enrollment, refine the curriculum, introduce additional course levels and specialty workshops, and continue growing Lafrance Studio’s technical services and small-batch production capacity.

“I want emerging designers to gain not just a product, but the knowledge and confidence to grow their brand sustainably,” Laura said.

For Darryl, Laura’s progress reflects what can happen when an experienced entrepreneur gains access to capital at the right stage.

“Laura had the experience and the drive,” he said. “She needed someone willing to believe in the opportunity and give her the chance to move the business forward.”

CDC Small Business Finance has helped more than 12,000 small business owners access financing over more than four decades, with SBA 7(a) Community Advantage financing designed to support entrepreneurs starting and growing businesses. 

Laura now hopes Lafrance Studio can create that same kind of opportunity for the designers and students it serves.

“I want to build an ecosystem that strengthens local talent, supports emerging businesses, and shows that high-quality fashion development can thrive right here in Jacksonville.”