Secrets to success from Smalltown USA

One year after graduating from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, architecture major Amy Gardner opened up Scarpa, a high-end shoe boutique.

"There wasn't a shoe store [like it] in town," said Gardner. "I had the good fortune of being really young and naive."

Twenty years later, Gardner praises her loyal customers for her business' success.

During the 2009 recession, business was down between 30% and 50% most months. And without a cash infusion, she was unable to grow her business.

So in 2012, she turned to her customers for help.

"I asked them if they would consider buying a healthy gift certificate," said Gardner.

Two customers wrote checks for $10,000 and received a 25% discount on future shoe purchases; 10 wrote checks for $5,000 and got a 20% discount. (Those customers then purchased about $60,000 worth of inventory within 12 to 14 months.)

In 2013, Gardner used the unconventional funding -- and proof of her customer base -- to secure a more traditional bank loan of $125,000. This helped with future inventory and paid back other "band-aid" loans she was given during the recession.

The financing worked: In August 2013, Scarpa's sales were up 40% from the year before.