For the past four years Briana has been doing just that: expanding her skill set, pursuing new opportunities, and building her fashion career making handmade, crochet items. After being laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic, she started making crocheted items for medical professionals to relieve the discomfort caused by personal protective equipment. In the years since, she’s worked hard to build her brand, eventually deciding to focus full time on building her business.

In the same spirit of growth, when she learned about the Compass FSS+ program with her housing provider, Cambridge Housing Authority, Briana jumped at the opportunity to build savings and learn how to manage her finances long-term. She shares, “The program just made sense. If I could have the money I pay toward rent become savings, that’s a great thing for someone like me.”

Briana started working with her Compass Financial Coach, Lashaunda, on budget management and credit building to achieve her long-term goal of becoming a homeowner. In her own words,

“I want to own something that’s just mine. Here in Massachusetts it is so expensive that homeownership can feel out of reach. But I love living here and I want to achieve this goal where I was born and raised. It would mean a lot to me to accomplish this for myself.”

In addition to learning about budget management, she credits her financial coach with helping broaden her perspective on how to fund her business. Her coach shared small-business owner grant opportunities as well as area events to showcase her designs. Briana’s hard work is paying off: in just the past few months, she was invited to show her designs at both New York and Paris fashion week. Plus, her creations are now on sale at a retailer in Paris that features independent designers like Briana.  

On what stands out to her most about her experience so far, Briana says, “This is a great program that rewards you for doing the right thing, which is paying your rent. And the more you make, the better it is for your savings, so it all works in your favor. Plus, I’m much more knowledgeable now about how to find business opportunities and grants, things that can really help me grow.”

Briana’s handbag featured in ELLE Slovenia

We look forward to being on team Briana in the coming years as she continues to grow personally and professionally, and we congratulate her on her recent business accomplishments!