ROSMAN, N.C. (WLOS) — Kelly Loeffler, the 28th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, went to Rosman, N.C. Thursday, June 19, to celebrate the reopening of Headwaters Outfitters.

The company does outdoor kayaking and fishing guide trips on the French Broad River. Headwaters Outfitters said a business loan from the SBA is helping them make it after Helene and keep their 32 staff members.

Debi Whitmire who owns the company with her adult daughter Jessica Whitmire said the funds were critical with bills constantly coming in even when the business was down because of Helene.

“You have general liability insurance due,” said Whitmire. “One of the biggest things is we use that money to help maintain our staff.”

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“We were able to get the funds before Christmas time,” said Jessica Whitmire. “I was on the phone daily with a couple of members of staff from the SBA and they were very helpful.”

The family said the loan has zero interest the first year but the year after starts to have about 3.5% interest.

“Under my leadership we are making sure any citizen that qualifies for a loan is able to get access to that,” said Loeffler.

Loeffler’s aware some owners have had frustrations with anecdotal reports of 8% interest rates equivalent to what’s in the open market. She said it depends on credit scores and the size of a requested loan. She said interest rates on SBA loans range from 3.5% to around 8%.

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“We’ve reorganized our disaster response program and streamlined the technology and the application process,” said Loeffler.

There are applicants who had frustrations with the SBA loan process.

“They make it very complicated,” said artist in the River Arts District, Julieta Fumberg.

Fumberg said she’s seen sales of her work drop 70% since the storm.

“No matter what you filled in they (SBA) would come back and ask you for more stuff no matter what was going to be the loan amount or anything,” Fumberg said.

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Were it not for other avenues to get grants and loans, Fumberg said she would have faced some serious choices about her art studio and career.

“We know there’s always a way to do better,” said Loeffler. “We try to make these very competitive, certainly, more so than what you would get in commercial lending markets.”

Loeffler was appointed by President Donald Trump to head the federal government’s Small Business Administration.

For Debi and Jessica Whitmire, the SBA loan has been a major lifeline to keep their business going as it continues to build back after Helene.