^{Chapter 2}
Resilience
is a business essential

Introduction | Chapter 1: Growth | Chapter 2: Resilience | Chapter 3: Expansion

Resilience is a business essential

How smart businesses use capital to power through the unexpected

Every small business owner knows setbacks will happen — the only question is when. Storms can knock out power. Global events like a pandemic can upend sales overnight. In those moments, resilience comes down to whether you have the resources to keep going.

Traditional financing rarely helps when urgency is highest. Long approval processes or outright denials leave owners without the capital they need to bridge a crisis. That’s why fast, flexible funding often becomes the lifeline that keeps a business open.

This proved true for Cochinita & Co., which weathered catastrophic storms in Houston, and for Mirror Tea and Sake House, which navigated both loan rejections and pandemic-era shutdowns. Their stories show how timely access to capital can make all the difference when the unexpected happens.

Introduction | Chapter 1: Growth | Chapter 2: Resilience | Chapter 3: Expansion

Cochinita & Co.: Weathering the storm

How quick access to capital helped a restaurant recover after disaster

For Victoria Elizondo, chef and founder of Houston-based Cochinita & Co., resilience has been the recurring theme in her business story. From the start, her goal was to change the narrative around Mexican cuisine. "My goal was always to showcase Mexican food as something vibrant and colorful as opposed to what we typically see with Tex-Mex," Elizondo explained. She started with pop-ups and packaged goods to showcase authentic Mexican cuisine, eventually growing into a brick-and-mortar restaurant. But Houston’s unpredictable weather had other plans.

When a storm left her business without power for a week, she lost all her inventory. Her staff still needed to be paid, and without outside investors, traditional loans had already been out of reach.

Introduction | Chapter 1: Growth | Chapter 2: Resilience | Chapter 3: Expansion

Square Loans gave her a way forward. With funds available almost immediately, she covered payroll and restocked ingredients to get the business back on its feet.

"When I lost power for a week, having the option to easily access money was really helpful because I was able to still pay my employees and have access to cash flow to buy new ingredients, since we had to throw everything away."

That moment of recovery also gave Elizondo confidence to keep building toward the future. Cochinita & Co. has since expanded into packaged goods for regional convenience stores, creating new revenue streams and stability for the business.

"One of the main reasons I stick with Square is because Square Loans helped me stay afloat, helping me pay my employees and keep the doors open."

Introduction | Chapter 1: Growth | Chapter 2: Resilience | Chapter 3: Expansion

Mirror Tea and Sake House: Coming back from a crisis

How a Brooklyn café stayed afloat and came back stronger after the pandemic

In Brooklyn, Fumio Tashiro opened Mirror Tea and Sake House as a family-run café dedicated to health, culture, and community. With a background rooted in food — his family owned a restaurant and his wife’s mother worked as a school caterer — Tashiro knew how to create a welcoming space. The café grew quickly and soon became a favorite among locals.

But like many new entrepreneurs, he quickly discovered that banks weren’t built for businesses like his. His first loan application took over a month, required stacks of paperwork, and ended in rejection.

His experience with Square Loans was different. The loan offer was tailored to his business, and the process was fast, resulting in actual business results.

“Square Loans enabled me to increase my sales by over 60%. The installment loan funded our liquor license, allowing us to expand our offerings and attract more revenue. This facilitated early growth.”

Introduction | Chapter 1: Growth | Chapter 2: Resilience | Chapter 3: Expansion

Then the pandemic hit — and the need for fast access to capital became urgent. The business even started a GoFundMe to stay afloat. Square Loans played a crucial role here too, and helped the business secure operating funds to pay staff, restock inventory, and eventually renovate the café for indoor dining.

"Without access to that financing, we may not still be in business today. Square financing allowed me to reopen indoor dining, which led to a significant increase in sales and helped us retain staff."

What began as skepticism turned into a new perspective. For Tashiro, Square Loans proved that financing could be practical, supportive, and designed for businesses like his.

“After my experience with Square's fast and simple loan process, my perspective changed completely. I realized that responsible financing can be a strategic tool to help my business grow when used properly. Square opened my eyes to the possibilities available through financing.”

The takeaway

For Cochinita & Co. and Mirror Tea and Sake House, resilience wasn’t about simply waiting out challenges. It meant acting quickly, having options, and keeping their teams and customers supported when things got tough.

And they’re far from alone. Sellers across industries often rely on Square Loans for urgent working capital, with funds arriving in under 7 minutes. That speed can be the difference between shutting down and bouncing back stronger.

Sellers often rely on Square Loans to cover urgent working capital needs — with funds arriving in under 7 minutes, they can act the same day.

Source: Square internal data, 2024, n>50K loans