In the post-pandemic world, Cecilia “Ceyl” Prinster, president and CEO of Colorado Enterprise Fund, has found that many of the organization’s previous strategies, tactics and approaches are no longer as effective as they once were. “We have seen rising inflation, changing workforce demands and market pressure to improve efficiencies and reduce costs,” Prinster said. “While we pride ourselves on being a source of patient and friendly capital, we realize that the most urgent need our customers have is to get financing for their business and get it in a fast and hassle-free process.”
That’s why Prinster, a two-time Titan 100, and her team are focused on three key strategies to increase the firm’s ability to deliver loan capital to small businesses in Colorado by setting a top-line impact goal of $15 million of loans disbursed, increasing the volume of loans to larger businesses needing more capital, and increasing the velocity able to turn a request into a loan for smaller loans.
Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF) is a small business lending company and nonprofit community development financial institution aiming to provide financial services and support to underserved and economically disadvantaged communities. The primary goal of the organization is to promote community development by fostering economic inclusion, job creation and affordable housing.
Since being named to the Titan 100 program in 2023, Prinster said her biggest accomplishment this year was deploying $60 million of New Markets Tax Credits awarded to CEF to finance impact-oriented projects that benefit low-income and disadvantaged communities. “These projects support the creation of quality jobs that are accessible to low-income people and provide critical community services such as healthy food access, healthcare and childcare to populations that are underserved,” she said.
As a leader, Prinster said her greatest lesson learned has been to let go and delegate more. “Letting go opens space for me to discover a new role for myself at a different level, and although letting go is hard and an ever-evolving process, the payoff is huge when you empower others, let them shine, and work together in new ways for the betterment of all,” she said. “I have found it rewarding to think longer term about our company’s future and also help put context around the ‘why’ of our work, which helps us better integrate mission and purpose into our day-to-day activities.”
Letting go has also allowed Prinster to cultivate an environment for the next generation of titans by instituting comprehensive training and development programs to enhance skills and drive results. “We’ve created an environment where teamwork toward a common mission fosters a sense of accomplishment and pride in our collective achievements, embodying the spirit of titans who get things done,” she said.
