This story was originally published on sdivsbdc.org.
Chef Soichi Kadoya was a highly respected fixture in San Diego’s sushi scene. After 25 years of training in Japanese cuisine, he and his wife Raechel were ready to branch out and start their own restaurant.
But to make their dream come true, the couple needed to put together nearly half a million dollars in financing. They reached out to the San Diego & Imperial Regional SBDC for help. The organization successfully helped them work through a business plan, financial projections, and loan applications. Finally, Chef Soichi and Raechel emerged with $475,000 in capital, and Soichi Sushi was born.
The couple used the financing for the build-out, new equipment, and working capital. They have also added four new jobs since then.