Woman starts bakery thanks to Apex Fund

CLEVELAND — Starting a small business is not easy, especially if you just moved to the United States from another country.

Life hasn’t always been easy for Fereshte Naghvi and her family. She’s been in Ohio for eight months and said she’s been trying to make a living and name for herself.

“When you go to a new country, obviously it’s hard to adjust since you are starting from zero, but we waited six years to get here. It made it worth it,” she said. 

Naghvi’s family is from Afghanistan, but she was raised in Iran. She escaped the political unrest and left everything she knew behind.

“Iran is not welcoming to refugees, that was one reason. The other reason was because I wanted my kids to have a good future here,” she said.

Naghvi said she knows she has to work to keep a roof over her family’s heads. That’s why she recently started her own at-home bakery, thanks to support from the Apex Fund.

“My husband back at home was always bringing sweets from outside, so I said why not make sweets myself for him. So I went to classes and learned,” she said.

Naghvi said she makes everything from scratch and credits the Apex Fund, which helped to get her business registered. 

Apex Fund small business adviser Lida Ahmadi said the fund helps low-income entrepreneurs overcome the barriers that sometimes prevent them from accessing conventional loans to start a business.

“She’s dreaming of having a coffee shop, I’m trying my best to get her to that dream. I’m planning on making that possible to her through the programs we have,” she said.

Ahmadi is from Afghanistan. She fled the Taliban two years ago and left the country on the last plane out with the Marines.

The Apex Fund helps connect people with everything from a photo ID and business plan, to supplies, furniture and equipment to start their small business, as well as working capital.

Ahmadi has helped Naghvi get the exposure she needs to grow her bakery.

“Now finally I am at the point where people are starting to know me and I’m able to start my business,” Naghvi said.

Naghvi said she’s doing this to set an example for her son, giving him a future full of the opportunities she never had growing up.