How a Small-Town Smoothie Shop Grew with Community and CDFI Support
While working as a waitress in Greenville—a small Mississippi Delta town with fewer than 30,000 residents - Kenesha Lewis found joy in building relationships with her loyal customers. She also nurtured a long-standing dream of owning her own business.
Her journey led her from waiting tables to eventually becoming a restaurant manager and later a district training manager. Afterward, she shifted into the world of finance and banking. Still, the entrepreneurial spark never faded. In 2018, Lewis began crafting fruit arrangements and later started experimenting with smoothie recipes in the evenings to help herself overcome a persistent sugar craving. This blend of her passion for connecting with people and interest in healthy living sparked a business idea.
As word spread, customers started showing up as early as 6 a.m. to try her fruit blends. Seeing the potential, Kenesha and her husband Jason decided to invest their savings into launching their own smoothie business.
However, they quickly learned that running a company involved much more than great hospitality skills. To bridge the gap, they sought guidance from local organizations like Higher Purpose Hub and Delta Compass—both dedicated to supporting business development in rural Mississippi. These organizations provided training, mentorship, and vital resources that helped bring their vision to life.
Located about an hour north of Greenville, Higher Purpose is one of several business development organizations (BDOs) supported by Rural LISC—the rural division of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, one of the country’s largest community development financial institutions (CDFIs). These CDFIs play a key role in delivering financial services to underserved communities, particularly those neglected by traditional banking systems.
For entrepreneurs like Lewis, Rural LISC and similar CDFIs offer essential tools to build the financial and digital capabilities needed to launch and grow small businesses—often the economic backbone of rural America, where one in five people live.
Founded three decades ago, Rural LISC aims to help business owners tackle common rural challenges like limited markets, restricted funding options, and in more recent times, digital and connectivity gaps, explains Nadia Villagran, Director at Rural LISC and a Vice President at LISC.
Villagran, whose parents were Mexican immigrants who worked tirelessly to support their family, understands firsthand how important it is for CDFIs to complement the hard work entrepreneurs put into their businesses with the right support systems.
“In rural areas, people have incredible ideas, but developing the skills to run a business can be tough,” she notes.
Sandy Fernandez, who heads Mastercard Strive in the U.S., highlights how organizations like Rural LISC are uniquely equipped to serve local businesses—not just financially, but also by offering tools and training in digital transformation.
“Because of their close ties with local communities, these groups can tailor solutions effectively—whether it’s rolling out digital payment platforms or introducing cybersecurity measures,” Fernandez says. “Their trust-based approach is crucial for supporting businesses that often operate with narrow margins.”
Higher Purpose Hub played a pivotal role in helping the Lewises build strong leadership skills, connect with local banks, secure financing, and even provided marketing support by sponsoring billboards for their business, Kay’s Kute Fruit.
Today, the couple employs five team members who serve a variety of nutritious offerings like acai bowls, veggie wraps, and smoothies featuring fresh ingredients like kale, mango, and pineapple.
Their community once again proved its strength in 2023 when their shop was vandalized. Thanks to widespread support—both emotional and financial—they were able to recover quickly and reopen.
“I honestly don’t think we’d be where we are today without Higher Purpose,” says Lewis, who manages the business while raising two sons—one in high school and the other just a baby.
She believes deeply in building a business from passion, not just profit: “If you’re only in it for the money, it won’t last. You’ve got to love what you do and stick with it. You have to nurture your foundation to see it grow.”
Rural LISC continues to guide entrepreneurs by helping them develop business strategies, improve their social media presence, and prepare for bank loan applications. “We want to be the first to support them,” Villagran says, “but the ultimate goal is for these businesses to become self-sustaining and thrive within traditional markets.”
Mastercard is also expanding its partnership with Rural LISC and other CDFIs to broaden support for small businesses in rural communities. While securing access to both short-term funds and long-term growth capital remains critical, Mastercard is also helping rural businesses thrive in the digital economy—providing technical support, promoting peer learning, and using data-driven insights to guide lending practices and identify where help is most needed.
Back in Greenville, Lewis gives back by mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs and teaching local schoolchildren about healthy eating habits.
Her advice to others starting their journey is simple yet powerful: “Don’t chase the money—find your passion, stick with it, and nurture it to grow.”
Her journey led her from waiting tables to eventually becoming a restaurant manager and later a district training manager. Afterward, she shifted into the world of finance and banking. Still, the entrepreneurial spark never faded. In 2018, Lewis began crafting fruit arrangements and later started experimenting with smoothie recipes in the evenings to help herself overcome a persistent sugar craving. This blend of her passion for connecting with people and interest in healthy living sparked a business idea.
As word spread, customers started showing up as early as 6 a.m. to try her fruit blends. Seeing the potential, Kenesha and her husband Jason decided to invest their savings into launching their own smoothie business.
However, they quickly learned that running a company involved much more than great hospitality skills. To bridge the gap, they sought guidance from local organizations like Higher Purpose Hub and Delta Compass—both dedicated to supporting business development in rural Mississippi. These organizations provided training, mentorship, and vital resources that helped bring their vision to life.
Located about an hour north of Greenville, Higher Purpose is one of several business development organizations (BDOs) supported by Rural LISC—the rural division of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, one of the country’s largest community development financial institutions (CDFIs). These CDFIs play a key role in delivering financial services to underserved communities, particularly those neglected by traditional banking systems.
For entrepreneurs like Lewis, Rural LISC and similar CDFIs offer essential tools to build the financial and digital capabilities needed to launch and grow small businesses—often the economic backbone of rural America, where one in five people live.
Founded three decades ago, Rural LISC aims to help business owners tackle common rural challenges like limited markets, restricted funding options, and in more recent times, digital and connectivity gaps, explains Nadia Villagran, Director at Rural LISC and a Vice President at LISC.
Villagran, whose parents were Mexican immigrants who worked tirelessly to support their family, understands firsthand how important it is for CDFIs to complement the hard work entrepreneurs put into their businesses with the right support systems.
“In rural areas, people have incredible ideas, but developing the skills to run a business can be tough,” she notes.
Sandy Fernandez, who heads Mastercard Strive in the U.S., highlights how organizations like Rural LISC are uniquely equipped to serve local businesses—not just financially, but also by offering tools and training in digital transformation.
“Because of their close ties with local communities, these groups can tailor solutions effectively—whether it’s rolling out digital payment platforms or introducing cybersecurity measures,” Fernandez says. “Their trust-based approach is crucial for supporting businesses that often operate with narrow margins.”
Higher Purpose Hub played a pivotal role in helping the Lewises build strong leadership skills, connect with local banks, secure financing, and even provided marketing support by sponsoring billboards for their business, Kay’s Kute Fruit.
Today, the couple employs five team members who serve a variety of nutritious offerings like acai bowls, veggie wraps, and smoothies featuring fresh ingredients like kale, mango, and pineapple.
Their community once again proved its strength in 2023 when their shop was vandalized. Thanks to widespread support—both emotional and financial—they were able to recover quickly and reopen.
“I honestly don’t think we’d be where we are today without Higher Purpose,” says Lewis, who manages the business while raising two sons—one in high school and the other just a baby.
She believes deeply in building a business from passion, not just profit: “If you’re only in it for the money, it won’t last. You’ve got to love what you do and stick with it. You have to nurture your foundation to see it grow.”
Rural LISC continues to guide entrepreneurs by helping them develop business strategies, improve their social media presence, and prepare for bank loan applications. “We want to be the first to support them,” Villagran says, “but the ultimate goal is for these businesses to become self-sustaining and thrive within traditional markets.”
Mastercard is also expanding its partnership with Rural LISC and other CDFIs to broaden support for small businesses in rural communities. While securing access to both short-term funds and long-term growth capital remains critical, Mastercard is also helping rural businesses thrive in the digital economy—providing technical support, promoting peer learning, and using data-driven insights to guide lending practices and identify where help is most needed.
Back in Greenville, Lewis gives back by mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs and teaching local schoolchildren about healthy eating habits.
Her advice to others starting their journey is simple yet powerful: “Don’t chase the money—find your passion, stick with it, and nurture it to grow.”
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