Julyano’s home-state Espirito Santo, in Brazil, is one of the world’s largest producers of granite.  From a young age he has felt a deep admiration for the igneous stone. “Granite is a natural material that enhances everything around it, it adds value and creates ambiance.” At his company Granite Countertop Pro, Julyano seeks to do exactly the same for his customers.  With a team of nine people, he acquires, treats and installs granite fixtures for private homes and commercial spaces

Few people know the industry as well as Julyano.  Twenty years ago, his expertise brought him to the United States working in sales for a granite wholesale distributor.  Over time, he became interested in production and taught himself how to transform the raw slabs of stone into beautifully finished pieces.  Today, his goal is to make Granite Counter Pro a one-stop shop where people can research and purchase the materials of their liking, and have them finished and installed within five days.  

Julyano admits that his biggest challenge has been coping with the pace of growth of his business. “I need more cash float in order to keep up with the demands” he says “most of my profits  are reinvested in the business but sometimes it takes too long to save up money to acquire the equipment I need.”  For Julyano time wasted can mean lost business.   Earlier this year he urgently needed to replace the air compressor which helps power his pneumatic tools.  Without It, he works much slower than usual.  

Upon the suggestion of his friend Ricardo – a previous Accion loan recipient – Julyano walked in to the Accion East offices in Boston and was promptly assisted by a loan consultant.  Shortly after, he was approved for a four thousand dollar loan, which he then used to make the down payment for the air compressor he needed.

Whereas Julyano would have previously waited to raise the money for the tool, the Accion loan provided him with the flexibility to act quickly and keep all of his contracts.  Looking forward, Julyano plans on applying for other advances in order to expand his showroom, where he displays the over 100 samples of granite stone he carries.