Independent Banker - February 2022 - 62

CUSTOMER STORY
LARRY TURNLEY
SELF-EMPLOYED BUSINESSMAN
NASHVILLE, TENN.
In 2016, Larry Turnley was released from prison
after serving 20 years for a drug off ense. The
Nashville native returned home determined to
rebuild his life-one part of which was resuming
tax payments on a home he had bought in
his cousin's and grandmother's name almost
30 years ago. He worked several jobs, saving
$100,000 in five years, but when he approached
a bank about a mortgage, they told him he didn't
have enough credit history.
In the meantime, Turnley had also become
a community activist. He hosted an annual
Thanksgiving Day Dinner and a Christmas Coat
Drive for local families. He worked with Gideon's
Army, a local group whose mission is to eliminate
the root causes of the " prison pipeline " and put
children on the path to success. And following
the March 2020 tornado that badly aff ected
north Nashville, he met Jeff McGruder from
Citizens Bank when they were both helping with
disaster relief.
Turnley asked McGruder about the home he
was trying to get a mortgage for. " He knew the
work that I have been doing here in the Nashville
community, " Turnley says, " and he was like, 'Man,
I'll be honored to help you because of the great
work you are already doing.' I was like, 'I should
have spoken with you earlier.' "
Together, they secured a commercial loan by
turning the property into rental units and setting
Turnley up with an LLC. Today, he is converting
the house and has his own junk removal and
hauling business. McGruder even introduced him
to his first customer.
" It's been life changing, " Turnley says. " He's like
a mentor for me because of how he's basically
grabbed my hand and linked me up with the
small-business people at [Tennessee Small
Business Development Center]. "
Through a class at the business center, Turnley
learned how to set up a business plan and how
to bookkeep. " It's hard in this day and time
for people to embrace you and open up, and
just guide you, " he says. " I'm appreciative of
[McGruder] and the bank for believing in me. "
Core strength
InnerG Juice & Yoga opened in July
2021 in an old supermarket in north
Nashville, bringing healthy juices
and yoga practice to an underserved
community and food desert. But
getting it started wasn't easy. Jeff
McGruder at Citizens Bank remembers
a young professional, Nielah Burnett,
approaching them for a loan. " She just
needed someone to take a chance on
her, to give her $50,000 on a line of
credit, and maybe a term loan to help
build out the store, " he says. " Through
a discussion with her and a partnership
we have with Tennessee Small Business
Development Center, we got that
money to her. "
Numerous regional banks turned
down Burnett before she met with
Citizens Bank. " I understood that
she would not let this business fail, "
McGruder says. " I knew personally
where she was going was a great
location, because I financed the project
where she was a tenant, and I knew the
landlord. I knew what other companies
were coming in around it. That's how
understanding your customer and
knowing your neighborhood makes a
big diff erence. " 
Roshan McArthur is a writer in California.
Independent Banker - February 2022

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