As a veteran, immigrant, woman, and woman of color, Valesta has built Blast Trans—a painting, masonry, and general contracting company—while navigating barriers that extend far beyond technical skills. Her story demonstrates what can happen when skilled contractors gain access to both the financial infrastructure and the relationships they need to move their businesses forward.

When Valesta enrolled in The M2M Project's Nuts & Bolts program, her company's interim financial statements were not readily available to her. Without a financial operating system designed to produce timely information, she had not been able to use those statements as a regular tool for managing the business.

Through Nuts & Bolts, Valesta learned how timely financial statements could help her understand her company's performance and make better-informed decisions. She then asked M2M to help rebuild Blast Trans's financial system. Today, the company has a fully functioning financial operating system tailored to the business—one that gives Valesta ready access to interim financial statements and the key insights she needs to run her company.

But financial infrastructure is only part of what small contractors need. They also need relationships that can help them navigate—and move—larger institutions.

Blast Trans was owed nearly $40,000 for subcontracting work completed eight months earlier. Because Valesta had worked through a prime contractor, she had no direct relationship with the end customer and limited leverage to move the payment forward.

M2M elevated the issue directly with the customer, who followed up with the prime contractor. Blast Trans is now receiving payment, giving Valesta the cash she needs to mobilize on a current project.

For Blast Trans, the right financial infrastructure provided greater control over the business. The right relationships helped turn completed work into working capital—and working capital into the next opportunity.