Cheyenne Mortgage Capital is a US-based financial company that seeks to serve clientele who want to take out small loans. This firm is the brainchild of Akinyi Williams.

The 47-year-old CEO’s company caters to immigrants, of whom 80% – 90% are people of colour, a blissful market gap that Akinyi identified and embraced.

She is also the founder of ‘Hope for the Child’, an NGO based in Kisumu that strives to ensure quality education is available to less fortunate children.

Born and raised in an impoverished family of 9 in Kenya, Akinyi grew up seeking to make a difference in the lives of individuals who have a similar background as hers.

Akinyi Williams aimed to emulate her mother’s footsteps. She worked at Barclays Bank in Kenya, paving the way for Akinyi into the world of numbers and finance.

While studying for her Bachelor’s in Business from Metro State University, she took on a part-time job as a flight attendant. She understood that she had to support her family back in Kenya as well as pay her bills in the US.

Akinyi also holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Education from Harvard University.

Despite having all these honorary academic titles, Akinyi is considering adding the title J.D (Juris Doctor) by earning a law degree.

“I always have to prove myself. I have to do extra,” she said.

Western Capital

Akinyi Williams founded Western Capital alongside her husband Travis Williams. The latter who has 25 years of experience in the private lending industry, however, assumes the role of CEO while Akinyi is the COO.

Western Capital’s model relies on filling the alternative financing services market gap in the US. Having joined in 2019, Travis Williams credited his wife for the four-fold increase in business since she took over operations.

Nonetheless, the business model failed to meet some clients at their points of need satisfactorily.

Cheyenne Mortgage Capital

To serve individuals whom Western Capital couldn’t underwrite yet wanted to borrow smaller amounts, she established Cheyenne Mortgage. She used her savings to issue Cheyenne’s first few loans.

The loans are collateralized and backed by a mortgage, hence secure. But Akinyi feels she’s let down the company, mainly because she has been unable to attract investors. This is her driving force to bag that law degree.

“Black women as loan officers are unicorns (rare). The fact that I cannot get funded for a service that’s profitable for everybody like Cheyenne is egregious.”

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“I have to grind to prove myself good enough. There’s a lot of grind,” she said, asserting that no one is stopping her upward movement.

Hope For The Child

Akinyi Williams also established Hope for the Child in 2007 while studying for her MBA at U’s Carlson School of Management. Here, she also served as a senior lecturer.

Most of her teachings to her students involved conducting business with the less privileged, as she holds a deep compassion for them.

“When you’re creating solutions for businesses, think about the 4 billion people at the bottom of the pyramid,” she told her students on a trip to the Dominican Republic.

Her non-profit organization in Kisumu built and operates two schools. Akinyi takes pride in knowing she has built a foundation that has graduated over 5,000 preschool children. The schools have access to water, health and nutritional services.

Currently, Hope for the Child is in the process of testing the commercial production of sunflower oil and corn. Their primary objectives are to generate employment opportunities and ensure long-term sustainability.

“You conquer one thing and you’re ready to set sail and conquer the next. Isn’t that human nature? You set a goal, achieve it, and set your eyes to the next goal,” she iterated.

“It’s my energy, my personality…I need to figure out the best possible use for my time here on Earth. I get the most fulfilment when I empower others, especially to reach greater heights.”