“It was… humiliating to be on welfare and I needed more than $8 an hour,” she said. Looking for a way out of her circumstances and unable to find a good job, she decided to start a cleaning business — with just $5 in the bank. Then, one day at the unemployment office, she saw a flyer for a program called Washington CASH, and decided to give it a try.

CASH (Community for Self Help) is an organization that provides a nine-week training course for aspiring or beginning entrepreneurs who are economically disadvantaged. After the course, graduates have the option of joining a peer-lending and support group that includes further training, one-on-one mentorship and counseling, and micro-loans.

Only about 15 percent of participants come to CASH with an existing business.

“They come with an idea that is part of their dream. We help them put all the pieces together to help them achieve that dream,” said Stuart Walton, business development specialist and trainer for CASH in Kitsap.

For some, that dream is to own a house or have a flexible schedule. For Paull, it was about providing for her family. Once in the CASH program, she learned the importance of specializing, and changed her cleaning business concept to organic. Her business, Island Green Clean, does not use any harsh chemicals or cleaners like bleach. Paull makes her own cleaners by using tea tree, vinegar, baking soda and other ingredients, and scents them with essential oils.

As the eco-friendly trend continues to grow, Paull found a great niche and plans to continue expanding her business. And white she met her original goals, she continues to participate in CASH and is currently the leader of her peer-lending group. “It’s a really good feeling to help other people,” she said. “I think I’ve grown a lot personally.”

In Kitsap County, more than 400 individuals have completed the nine-week business development class. In the last six years, Washington CASH loaned nearly $75,000 to startup entrepreneurs in Kitsap in loans ranging from $500 to $2,500. Members of the peer-lending group can apply for a $500 initially, and the lending decision is made by the group.

“The biggest thing I love about Washington CASH is being in the group, getting encouragement and feedback and hearing what others are doing,” said Bremerton’s Kisha Baggs, whose business, Buddy-Girl Greetings, Cards, Prints and More, became more successful as a result of her learning business skills through CASH. She also was selected to receive a $1,000 grant from DHL through the program, which allowed her to fulfill her dream of having a booth at the Blackberry Festival as well as purchase software and supplies.

Baggs’s goal is to work her business full-time eventually but for now she is careful to make sure the growth doesn’t come too fast, so she can manage it. She feels that everyone enrolling in CASH can be successful as long as they attend the group meetings and stay on track. “We help each other and (group members) keep you on track,” she said. “You don’t want to go in next time and say you haven’t done anything (to move forward).”

For Dana Davis, a former stay-at-home mom, the dream was to have the freedom to be with her children while also bringing in an income. She enjoyed working on her computer — so she made it work for her by starting DJ’s Desktop. She refined the concept after the CASH training, and while she offers a variety of products from brochures to newsletters, she came up with a business start-up kit that includes a business card, letterhead, addressed envelops and thank-you cards.

Davis, who lives in Olalla, serves many of the CASH members, and continues to hone her skills. One of those clients, Gene Miller, asked for two-part carbon invoices that she had to learn how to create. “Now I can offer a new product,” she said. “He (Miller) brings me to the next level.”

Miller himself came to CASH to get to the next level. A former programming teacher who “been there, done that” working for others, he gradually received less work teaching at a community college and decided to start a Web design business, but it wasn’t successful. He switched to window cleaning instead — a business that had low startup investment. Miller Services NW, based in Bremerton, now serves both residential and commercial customers, and Miller said it was CASH that taught him business basics and how to operate a company.

“The class was the building blocks I needed to get the business going,” he said. “The micro-lending groups are not about the money. It’s camaraderie… There is a lot of support and love that comes out of that group… They help me immensely so I try to give back what I can.”

The groups also have mentors who provide support, and Miller has high praises for the mentors and for Walton, who teaches the course and provides support to the participants. “Washington CASH wouldn’t be what it is without the mentors who volunteer their time to teach us and share their insights,” Miller said.

One of those mentors is Bill Hoke of Hoke Consulting, whose company is focused on small business consulting. “Anybody who wants to start a business is a friend of mine,” said Hoke, who was named Kitsap Business Mentor of the Year by Washington CASH in 2004.

Hoke said the idea behind the training course is to allow individuals to go through self-discovery. Not everyone graduates, and not everyone turns the idea into a successful enterprise — but the goal is to give the students the tools they need to succeed.

“The people in the CASH program have come out of some extraordinary circumstances,” he said. “(The program) is a real tribute to people overcoming adversity.”

The role of the mentors is to help those people discover their talents, but Hoke feels the group support is the most valuable component. “The magic of this is the group support,” he said. “It’s a wonderful environment because it’s so supportive.”

Hoke said micro-lending is “alive and well in Kitsap County,” and encourages anyone who has a business idea and qualifies for CASH to attend an orientation to see what it’s about. It only costs $20 to enroll, and ongoing participation after the course is free of charge.

Walton said those who go through the CASH training have a higher chance of succeeding than the average startup. He points out that while about 47 percent of startups survive after five years, for micro-enterprises that number is at 57 percent.

“Not everybody is cut out to own their business full time,” he said. “All we do is provide the tools to help.”.