"Discover potential, it discovers strategies"

Sanford Livingston, MBA, is the CEO of Nor-Cal Financial Development Corporation (Nor-Cal FDC). He sets the strategy to execute the provision of "guaranteed collateral" and enhanced access to synthetic capital to empower economically disadvantaged businesses in California. Sanford has led financing initiatives for small businesses to carry out Nor-Cal FDC’s mission. Nor-Cal FDC has set the framework for commercial banks, credit unions, and non-bank Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI’s) to reduce the lending risk for small businesses. These collaborations, along with the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program (SBLGP) managed by the Infrastructure Bank of California (IBANK), help to empower the goals of cutting-edge enterprises and organizations.

As a visionary leader, Sanford simplifies complex circumstances and establishes goals as a futurist and visionary. He believes leaders are impactful and valuable. He's adaptable, innovative, and a wonderful colleague. His abilities to build a collaborative culture, inspire others to lead and exhibit compassion, make him a results driven leader. His success depends on making each Nor-Cal FDC member feel significant. He believes in unlocking people's potential and creating synergy through bringing out the best in those around him. Leaders must trust others and presume they have the capabilities to be resilient, capable, competent, bold, and great. For Sanford, tolerant leaders don't build high-performing teams; they must be optimistic, constructive, and encouraging.

Criticism is no stranger to Sanford. He believes it is imperative for a leader to forge his organization forward. The people who work with Sanford are proud of how optimistic he is, even when he is being criticized. Sanford accepts rational, honest criticism, and he believes that leaders get stronger through their mistakes and failures. As specified by Sanford, criticism measures leadership and at Nor-Cal FDC, he values leadership, development, and honest feedback.

"The final proof of greatness is to endure criticism without resentment."—Elbert Hubbard

One of Sanford's colleagues, who calls him "Zen," says he has a strong sense of self-control and can deal with stress and high-pressure environments. Sanford was able to lead his organization through the unpredictable effects of COVID without showing any signs of worry. His training at USC’s Marshall School of Business taught him to be flexible in pivoting your organization in tough times. He also received his BA in Economics from Wesleyan University.

Nor-Cal FDC pioneers portfolio risk management and employs Dun & Bradstreet's, Delinquency Predictor, a proprietary methodology for measuring the risk that a business will be late paying at least 10% of its debts, stop operations without satisfying its debts in the next 12 months, or seek legal relief from creditors. In the future, Nor-Cal FDC will work with more Low to Moderate Income (LMI), micro, mini-micro, and Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) firms. This will help the economy grow in underserved areas. The US Treasury will send $400 million to California, which will be leveraged 10 times to make a $4 billion fund of small company guarantees.

Nor-Cal FDC’s mission is to provide funding to California's underrepresented markets and entrepreneurs. Professional and personal problems can be addressed through Nor-Cal FDC. Businesses and entrepreneurs benefit as a result of the funding that it provides.

As stated by Sanford, procedures, and protocols are Nor-Cal FDC's foundation. "Keep the main thing the main thing" is their motto. Nor-Cal FDC stays true to its message to impact its primary customers. Nobody wants to do business with a corporation; they want caring people. When you bring people together who know poverty, hard times, and being forgotten, disregarded, or left out, you create an unmatched chemistry of compassion and success.

“Our firm chooses clients and stories that fit our vision”, says Sanford. The Inclusivity Project and Nor-Cal’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offer holistic business solutions. FDC helps Bay Area small businesses solve difficulties, expand, and generate jobs. Nor-Cal FDC represents the ethnic, cultural, and lifestyle diversity of the Bay Area, Silicon Valley, and California communities confronting several issues.  It also supports minority, women, disabled, and veteran-owned businesses, communities, and industries.

A great example of Nor-Cal’s holistic approach is Charlotta Carter, a black female business owner, who helps people manage diabetes without daily insulin. Charlotta's grandmother and aunt had diabetes, so she had to act fast. In 2020, she started LLENA (AI Technology) in response to technology advances needed in the field. Aware that she couldn't grow her firm without legal and financial consulting, coaching, networking, and business terminology, she connected with a consortium of partners including Nor-Cal SBDC. Through this know-how, Carter raised money that allowed her business to survive the pandemic. Of the numerous customers garnered as a result of Charlotta’s efforts, Amazon's spring rollout of Alexa and Echo, followed by Walmart's press releases to customize nutrition, were the best parts. Nor-Cal, working with key partners like the Inclusivity Project, is how we help businesses like this one succeed.

COVID-19 devastated small businesses across the globe. Nor-Cal FDC's Small Business Disaster Relief Loan Guarantee Program helped over 500 California small companies during COVID-19. It oversaw $50 million in Small Business Disaster Relief Loans for pandemic-affected businesses. Its initiatives rescued small business entrepreneurs and sustained over 1,700 jobs.

 

Nor-Cal FDC grew from helping 50 fledgling companies in 2017 to helping over 300 companies in 2021. During the same period, Nor-Cal was able to increase its uses of guarantees from $14 million to now currently over $70 million dollars. With plans to grow by more than 80% in the coming fiscal year with the state’s expected increase of the loan guarantee cap from $2.5 million to $5 million. The level of sustained growth demonstrated by Nor-Cal FDC over the last 5 years speaks directly to the winning combination of dynamic leadership and team presence within the organization.