Continuing the microlending work pioneered by Muhammad Yunus Bangladeshi microlending institution the Grameen Bank, grassroots financiers such as Indonesian Ishak Fatoni indicate that microlending can be macro-profitable.

But don't think that microlending is something that happens overseas or in developing countries. Cambridge, Massachusetts-based CircleLending is an online -- and offline -- service that helps facilitate small loans between relatives, friends, and other small parties.