The Kiva Rochester program is a partnership with Kiva, an international nonprofit organization, and the City of Rochester. Launched in August 2016 by Mayor Lovely Warren and the Office of Innovation, the program provides access to 0% interest crowdfunded loans of up to $10,000 for local small business owners who might have difficulty qualifying for capital from traditional financial institutions. The loans are crowdfunded $25 at a time by Kiva’s community of 2 million lenders from all over the world who support entrepreneurs as they launch and grow their businesses. To date, the program has connected 60 city of Rochester business owners with over $300,000 in 0% interest business capital. For more information, visit our website or Facebook, or send an email our way!

Kiva Rochester is partnering with I Heart ROC to bring you a series of interviews focusing on local entrepreneurs who are thriving in the Rochester community.

Liza Savage-Katz was already an experienced entrepreneur when she approached Kiva Rochester. Passionate about the impact she had with her business, she sought a loan to expand her reach. Liza was endorsed by the Kiva Rochester team and therefore, half her loan was funded through the Rochester Economic Development Corporation​'s matching loan fund. The $10,000 Kiva loan helped cover office and studio space, as well as fund the Embrace Every Angle project, a line of merchandise created through the collaboration of the fitness and arts communities. Visit Liza's original fundraising profile.

Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published February 14, 2019.

Where are you originally from? What brought you to Rochester at this time in your life?

I’m from Rochester; I grew up in Brighton, in the Penfield school district, and graduated from Mercy. I went to undergrad at RIT, where I studied graphic design and illustration. I’m now a full-time grad student and an adjunct professor.

After graduating from college, I worked as an art director at a local agency, then moved to London to work as a senior art director. There, I worked on Disney UK, Loreal UK, and Coca Cola Brazil. I could feel advertising starting to try my soul. It was a trip to Ecuador that was a turning point for me. I saw how the people that Coca Cola Brazil was advertising to lived; it turned my stomach that we were working so hard to get people to spend 35 cents more to buy Coca Cola when the generic brand was cheaper and these people were living in huts. Advertising felt like selling out. I quit my job and traveled for a year, became a yoga instructor, and moved to LA. I lived there for 10 years, working on documentaries and teaching mindfulness and fitness. I moved back to Rochester five years ago to be closer to my family.

What are some of your favorite hidden gems around Rochester?

When I moved back, I started working on a project called “Embrace Every Angle.” My friend Amy Vena, who works at the Geisell Gallery in the Bausch & Lomb Building, suggested I work with local photographers to shoot photos of me doing yoga poses around the city. This introduced me to lots of new spots and was the start of me falling in love with Rochester and the art therapy going on here. I love the work Shawn Dunwoody and Erich Lehman are doing.

Other places I love include the MAG, Chimney Bluffs, Letchworth, Turning Point Park, and Highland Park. Coming back has sparked this re-appreciation of where I came from. Coming home has allowed me to see the magic of what’s here.

What are some local nonprofits you like to support?

• Rochester Community Inclusive Rowing is a great organization that offers adaptive rowing and helps veterans.
• ARC of Monroe helps the socially and physically disabled; I’ve enjoyed teaching yoga there.
• The JCC is my rock in the community. They’ve been incredibly supportive. I’ve been teaching there for five years now.
• Moonshadow’s Spirit is a wonderful organization that helps individuals with eating disorders.
• Lost Boys of South Sudan is a nonprofit that I love to support, and any others that help the refugee community.
• Living Water is a wonderful organization that provides a water source to people in third world countries.

What's your personal coping mechanism for cold/gray weather? 

I like the cold and snow, they make me happy. I like to go on hikes and teach yoga.

What makes Rochester unique? 

It’s a really good place to raise children. I’m glad I grew up here. My 12-year-old son was born in LA and would rather live here. Plus, it’s easy to get around; there’s no LA traffic and everything is very accessible. We have everything that a bigger city offers, but a lower cost of living.

It’s exciting to have the possibility of a vibrant downtown reemerging. There’s beautiful architecture, and an opportunity to repurpose and grow. There’s so much potential here.

I also love that it’s a learning community—we have so many higher education institutions, plus more specialized ones like the Eastman School of Music and the School of American Craftsmen. There’s lots of cool stuff happening here.

What do you think could be improved? 

The fact that there’s the crescent, and one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country. The sprawl of the suburbs, taking over farmland and building McMansions when we should be going back downtown and revitalizing buildings. We need to embrace our roots and uphold our heritage. The divide is so big here. We should also be focusing on taking care of our Main Street. We need to shift the paradigm and move away from seeing the city as not safe. We need to approach all our fellow humans with kindness, acceptance, and respect. We also need to support children in inner city schools.

Tell me a little bit about your business and how you got started. 

I’ve been an entrepreneur for a long time now. I teach at Nu Movement, which is a co-op studio. About two years ago, I launched a morning practice on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays that runs from 6-7am and is donation-based. I have a new and exciting project in the works, too.

I hear you got a Kiva loan to help your business grow. What was that process like? 

I had an advisor and trustee named Mike Ingham who was very helpful. The City of Rochester also matched our loan, so we only had to raise half of it. The process was simple and straightforward, and we were funded relatively quickly.

How did your Kiva loan impact you and your business? 

We were able to get the morning practice up and running! My coach was amazing and a huge support. He helped me focus on my objectives and find my game plan, and it was so useful. Getting support with donations from all over the world was really encouraging, too. It felt so good to hear my coach say, “You are worthy of this.” It was really special.

What projects are up next for you?

Right now I’m focused on a new endeavor called Kaleidoscope ME. It’s a platform for kids to learn how to engage in screentime more mindfully, and it teaches them fitness, emotional intelligence, and much more. We’re currently beta testing it and are planning to create and roll out lots of new content this spring. You can learn more about us on YouTube or via our social media channels.

What advice would you give to up-and-coming entrepreneurs in Rochester?

Never give up. Make your mission bigger than any obstacle. If one door closes, it’s just leading you to the path you’re supposed to be on. Also, you have to understand and continually seek to understand your audience, and make the product right for them. My first coach from the Simone Center, Steve Brookstein, told me that he couldn’t work with me if I wasn’t teachable, and that was a huge lesson. You need to constantly stay teachable and be open to feedback. Every moment is a teachable moment. And to stay current is really important—you have to understand and keep up with the ever-changing environment around you.