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Crowdfunding Site Gives Startups and Small Businesses a Boost A spin on crowdfunding, Smallknot, asks customers to support local businesses.

By Jason Daley

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Molly Simons of Cake Notice used Smallknot to bring in some dough.
Molly Simons of Cake Notice used Smallknot to bring in some dough.
Photo© Raymond McCrea Jones

Allon and Sarah Azulai designed Kos Kaffe in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood to be the type of place that invites lingering. The coffee is roasted in-house, menu items are freshly prepared, and the vintage interior invites patrons to get comfortable--at least until the afternoon. That's when the sun bakes the storefront's plate-glass windows and sends customers scurrying out the door to escape the heat.

The Azulais knew they needed to install a retractable awning. The problem? The $5,000 expense. Allon Azulai says banks weren't interested in loaning money to the 6-month-old business, adding, "We could have gone into debt with a credit card, but we didn't want to."