Blues Barbershop of Salt Lake City Revives American Barbershop Tradition

NEW YORK, June 28, 2019 – OnDeck (NYSE: ONDK), the leader in online lending to small business, today announced that Blues Barbershop of Salt Lake City, Utah is the company’s Small Business of the Month for June, 2019. Owned by Jerone Wedig, the music-themed barbershop is the first small business in Utah to receive the OnDeck award.

Back in 1997, while still in his early twenties, Jerone Wedig opened the original Blues Barbershop in Seattle, Washington with a vision of restoring the tradition of the barbershop serving as a neighborhood gathering place. After marrying wife Christi and relocating the business several times, the duo settled in Salt Lake City in 2013 with a unique shop full of skilled barbers and blues music.

“We love Salt Lake City and for over 20 years, Christi and I have been dedicated to reviving the craft of barbering in the American Barbershop tradition,” says Jerone Wedig. “You can count on a great haircut from expert barbers every time. And we throw in a little blues music as well.”

The barbershop has a recording studio in the basement where Jerone, a talented musician and renowned guitarist, often plays with his band and records local musicians. Over the years, the combination of old fashioned barbershop and a lively music vibe captured a loyal following. The Wedig’s concept has proved so popular that in 2017, they opened a second Blues Barbershop across the country in Nashville, Tennessee.

“It’s definitely not easy managing shops so far apart,” says Christi. “Luckily, we have a trained management team in place at both shops. Right now, Nashville is just getting started, while our Salt Lake City shop currently has 15 employees.”

The Wedigs first sought out financing from OnDeck in 2014 to hire additional staff in Salt Lake City. After that successful expansion, the couple recently obtained additional financing with OnDeck as they begin the process of expanding their Nashville location.

“We feel lucky to have OnDeck as a financing partner,” says Christi. “From the beginning, their online loan application process and customer service have been terrific. For a small business seeking speedy and transparent financing, you couldn’t ask for a better online lender than OnDeck. ”

“The Blues Barbershop is an example of a small business dream realized,” says Andrea Gellert, Chief Revenue Officer, OnDeck. “Jerone and Christi have not only built a thriving business in Salt Lake City, but they have contributed to the local economy and instilled a new feeling of community among their customers. OnDeck is glad to have been there with the financing they needed in Salt Lake and we look forward to the expansion in Nashville. Congratulations to the Wedig’s on being named our Small Business of the Month for June 2019!”

To date, OnDeck has provided more than $100 million in online financing to the small businesses of Utah.

To learn more about Christi and Jerone Wedig and the Blues Barbershop, visit: https://bluesbarbershop.com/

The Small Business Spotlight series from OnDeck is designed to highlight and reinforce the vital importance of small businesses. Every month, OnDeck spotlights the achievements of its small business customers and how they are thriving as a result of receiving capital from OnDeck. To learn more about Jerone and Christi Weding’s small business journey, visit: www.ondeck.com/smallbusinessspotlight

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About OnDeck
OnDeck (NYSE: ONDK) is the proven leader in transparent and responsible online lending to small business. Founded in 2006, the company pioneered the use of data analytics and digital technology to make real-time lending decisions and deliver capital rapidly to small businesses online.  Today, OnDeck offers a wide range of term loans and lines of credit customized for the needs of small business owners.  The company also offers bank clients a comprehensive technology and services platform that facilitates online lending to small business customers through ODX, a wholly-owned subsidiary. OnDeck has provided over $11 billion in loans to customers in 700 different industries across the United States, Canada and Australia. The company has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is rated 5 stars by Trustpilot. For more information, visit www.ondeck.com.

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Media Contact:
Jim Larkin
OnDeck
jlarkin@ondeck.com
(203) 526-7457

Investor Contact:
Stephen Klimas
OnDeck
sklimas@ondeck.com
(646) 668-3582