Dressed in Time Named OnDeck Small Business of the Month

NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- OnDeck® (NYSE: ONDK), the leader in online lending to small business, today announced that Dressed In Time, a pageant, prom and wedding store in Greenfield, Wisconsin has been selected as the OnDeck Small Business of the Month for August, 2018. The store is the first small business in the State of Wisconsin to earn the OnDeck customer spotlight award.

Sue Kolupar is the owner of Dressed in Time and her small business success story began in the early 2000's. Back then, Sue had a busy job at a Milwaukee-area medical practice and one of her daughters was in a local dance group. Formal dresses were always on Sue's mind as her daughter attended recitals, formal balls and later, school dances and proms. Luckily for the Kolupar family, there was a formal wear store in the local mall that fulfilled all their dress needs. Until it was gone.  

In 2006, Sue's daughter returned home from California on college break needing a dress. Sadly, the formal wear shop owner had passed away and the store was out of business. When Sue called the mall to see if they had any dresses available, the mall owner suggested she buy the store. 

"I went looking for a dress and ended up buying a business," said Sue. "Luckily, I was at a point in my career then where I could explore a side business. I knew there was a demand for dresses and formal wear in the Milwaukee area. After discussing it over with my husband, we jumped in with both feet and bought the shop."   

The first year was a bumpy one for Sue as she learned the ins and outs of the formal wear business which is almost entirely driven by seasonal demand. With hard work and a new found appreciation for local marketing strategies and social media, Sue was able to tap into the demand for wedding dresses, pageant outfits and prom wear. As the business grew, Sue sought out financing to coincide with opportunities to stock up on the latest fashions. Her research led her to OnDeck. 

"I sell a chunk of inventory January through May, and a little bit through August," said Sue. "Then demand drops, but with each new season, I still need cash on hand to purchase inventory and replace older stock. Until I found OnDeck, we had to draw from savings to maintain our purchasing flexibility."

Sue received her first loan from OnDeck in 2016. She has qualified and obtained additional financing from the company several times over the last few years.

"The financing process with OnDeck is fast, customer service is excellent and I always feel like they value my business for what it is," says Sue. "OnDeck treats me like I'm the most important business in the world.  Every time I have a question or need something, they are there. That's very important to me and it defines my own business philosophy. You don't get that personal touch with online and department stores, and for that matter, banks, nowadays."

Dressed In Time is on track for its twelfth consecutive year of growth and among the store's many loyal customers are Sue's two daughters.  

"My daughters were the real reason I'm now a proud small business owner," says Sue. "I love creating the same happy and fulfilling atmosphere that my daughters had growing up for my customers today. It's incredibly rewarding to watch the smiles and hear the laughter that results from the perfect dress. I guess all those years of shopping for my girls has brought me to where I was meant to be."

"OnDeck is delighted to recognize the achievement of Sue Kolupar in growing her unique dress and formal wear shop," said Andrea Gellert, Chief Revenue Officer, OnDeck. "Working with small business owners like Sue is incredibly fulfilling and we are committed to delivering great customer experiences that benefit small business owners across the United States."   

For more information on Dressed In Time, visit: www.dressedintime.com

The Small Business Spotlight series from OnDeck is designed to highlight and reinforce the vital importance of small businesses. Every month, OnDeck spotlights the achievements of its small business customers and how they are thriving as a result of receiving capital from OnDeck. To learn more about Sue Kolupar's  small business journey visit:  http://www.ondeck.com/smallbusinessspotlight

About OnDeck

OnDeck (NYSE: ONDK) is the proven leader in transparent and responsible online lending to small business. Founded in 2006, the company pioneered the use of data analytics and technology to make real-time lending decisions and deliver capital rapidly to small businesses.  Today, OnDeck offers a wide range of online term loans and lines of credit customized for the needs of small business owners.  It also offers a comprehensive technology and services platform that facilitates online lending to small business customers at some of the world's largest banks. OnDeck has provided over $9 billion in loans to customers in 700 different industries across the United States, Canada and Australia. The company has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is rated 5 stars by Trustpilot. For more information, visit www.ondeck.com

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SOURCE On Deck Capital, Inc.