Thread Capital
At-A-Glance
When Thread Capital approached Unity Web Agency, the hope was to create a site that better-captured Thread Capital in the present.
Build a better information architecture where small businesses can find precisely what they need.
Use customer success stories to better educate visitors on how Thread Capital helps small business owners succeed.
Create a more inclusive website for Spanish-speaking and reading users.
Offering a Clearer Mission and Vision
About Thread Capital
Driven by the belief that anyone who has a viable business idea should have the resources to build and grow a thriving business, Thread Capital’s services have helped thousands of small businesses in North Carolina do exactly that.
From providing capital to offering coaching and connection services, small business owners have relied on Thread Capital to gain access to resources that haven’t always been available to them.
But it isn’t just any small business that Thread Capital — a subsidiary of the NC Rural Center — is focused on. Although they love supporting any small business with a viable business idea, Thread Capital’s specific focus is on businesses that are owned by people of color, women, low-income individuals, and rural-based individuals.
This intentional approach has contributed to North Carolina’s development as a robust and inclusive ecosystem for small businesses.
In 2020, Thread Capital took things a step further and assisted with the NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan Program, which was developed to help small businesses that were impacted during the early stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Challenges and objectives
When Thread Capital approached Unity Web Agency, the hope was to create a site that better captured Thread Capital in the present. The site felt dated, and it was hard for users to really understand what Thread Capital was all about.
Users also had a difficult time finding information pertinent to their needs, and this was key to address, as small businesses that wanted to work with Thread Capital first had to apply for support online.
They wanted the site to better educate visitors on their services through the stories of their current clients, which weren’t being fully utilized due to a lack of visibility.
Along with all of these concerns, Thread Capital also wanted its site to be more inclusive of Spanish-speaking and reading users. Although Google Translate “got the job done,” Thread Capital wanted a more reliable system that didn’t require as much effort for users and was more accurate.
How we helped
Our top priority was making sure their audience could find pertinent information quickly. We also wanted to deliver a strong and clever design that allowed Thread Capital to properly showcase its value.
Additionally, we wanted the “flow” of the site to make sense and encourage people to click through to different pages to learn more. Thread Capital had a lot of valuable information and content that their web analytics suggested people weren’t finding, and we wanted to make sure people had avenues to find it.
Our team first took the time to better understand their audience:
Well-Informed Design
Gained insight into the client's industry and its audience behavior.
Solid Site Structure
Customer research guided site organization and navigation.
English and Spanish toggle
A more inclusive and attentive integrated experience that met their audience needs.
We asked these questions, and a lot more, to better understand Thread Capital’s industry and the general behavior of their audience. Although we are the experts in web development and design, they are the experts of their business and industry, and we relied on them to help guide and educate us through this Ecosystem Analysis.
This research played an instrumental role in the new design of the Thread Capital website and helped us better structure their site and navigation in a manner that made finding information and content easier.
In addition to updating the main Thread Capital website, we also built out an entirely new site with the same look and feel as the original Thread Capital, but fully translated to Spanish. This allowed their Spanish-speaking users to quickly toggle between English and Spanish on the site to make their online experience more inclusive and attentive to their needs.
Thread Captial homepage: 3 key sections
Unity Web Agency is the best! The NC Rural Center has used them for rebranding, creating, and designing for multiple nonprofits and programs, including Thread Capital’s website. Unity has helped us focus on conveying our message through web design. The process is always so smooth and they truly take the time to hear what we are looking for in a website. As our business continues to grow and evolve, Unity Web Agency is always there to help with every detail, ensuring our website runs smoothly and evolves with Thread Capital’s growth.
We customize our website solutions to focus on your business needs.
We take pride in creating websites that not only amplify your mission but empower your audience.
Looking to redesign your website to better optimize your business needs?
Let Unity Web Agency help you.
Our team carries decades of experience in clever web development and inclusive design, allowing your business to stand out online while making your audience feel like they have a “seat at your table.”
