Entrepreneurship/Self-Employed Era |OT| Independent support and stories

[Spinluck]

Oh cool! Yeah I think a thread dedicated to entrepreneurship is a great idea. Here's the summary of my non-profit business that I started in March of 2015 and has consumed my life ever since (in a good way):

You Are the Hero is a charitable organization that creates custom-illustrated portraits of kids living with chronic or severe-illnesses, but depicts them as their very own superhero. They tell me what their costume looks like, what superpowers they want to have, and what their superhero name is - and I illustrate it. The artwork is provided to the families free of charge.

Here are some examples:



^^ That last one (Bat-Girl)is the most recent one, from last week :) To date I've illustrated over 80 kids, with conditions ranging from asthma to various types of cancer. Right now You Are the Hero is 95% self-funded, and is about as big as it can be with that tiny level of income. So my goal is to now find sponsors and funding, so YATH can grow become a self-sustaining business.

Last year I began selling a coloring book featuring 45 of the heroes I've illustrated, and next month I'll be releasing a new, updated version of the coloring book that will have even more superheroes and will be even cheaper thanks to the new printer I found.



Going into this I had zero business experience whatsoever. Art schools don't really train their students in entrepreneurship, though they absolutely should. Starting a business by yourself can be intimidating, but starting a non-profit is even more difficult. Thankfully I've managed to make it this far, and I've learned a ton over the last 2.5 years about own and running a business. I still have a lot to learn, but overall I'm very optimistic about YATH's future. There's nothing else I'd rather be doing with my life.

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This post is incredibly inspirational to me. Got emotional looking at those pictures. You're doing great work, keep it up.

 

[phisheep]

I started my own thread when I thought there was nothing like that here. Maybe we should merge the 2 threads? Any thoughts?

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It's pretty confusing having two, so yeah - bring everyone over - looks like you managed to unearth a few more people!

 

[Cow Mengde]

Relix I spoke to one of the mods. He says it there's no need to merge my thread and your thread. Might be due to both being in different parts of ERA. Let's link to each other's thread so we can get visibility on both sides.

 

[Relix]

Relix I spoke to one of the mods. He says it there's no need to merge my thread and your thread. Might be due to both being in different parts of ERA. Let's link to each other's thread so we can get visibility on both sides.

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Zero problem with me! The more the merrier.
https://www.resetera.com/threads/an...l-business-owners-startups-here-on-era.74836/

 

[Cow Mengde]

Let me share my knowledge of product development and the invention process. This is my experience from plastic products, but the idea's mostly the same.

1. You need an idea. Write it down, and draw it out on a piece of paper.

2. You'll need to hire 3D modeler to build a 3D version of it to test out. This 3D test model can then be 3D printed into an actual object to test out. The 3D model is also what they use to make an STP/STEP file. This file is what the machines use to build your product when you manufacture. It's also how the mold is created.

3. Once this rough draft is created and is giving you the results that you want, look for a manufacturer. Obviously you need to look at the price, quality, trustworthiness, etc.

4. Once you got all that down, give them the 3D files so they can build a stainless steel mold. This mold will take close to 3 months. The mold is very important because if it's a low quality mold, the product that comes out from it will also suck. Redoing or repairing the mold could delay production even further.

5. If the mold is successful, then you'll have to test your samples. Might also start thinking about the quality control process. You want to make sure the factory understands what you're looking for and what you consider as acceptable.

6. You'll also need to finalize packaging, shipping and all that stuff. Do this while you wait for the mold. I'll be honest, I don't know when you should start working on your packaging, but there's no such thing as too soon. I only put this so late because it didn't fit into the whole product development phase.

7. Once you have your first batch, it's time to sell that sucker. Hopefully you've been working behind the scenes to promote and build interest while your product is being worked on.

 

[Neece]

Would love to hear any stories or advice about starting a non-profit. My girlfriend has been stewing on that idea recently and I'd love to be able to help point her to any resources or inspiration.

 

[phisheep]

Would love to hear any stories or advice about starting a non-profit. My girlfriend has been stewing on that idea recently and I'd love to be able to help point her to any resources or inspiration.

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You might want to have a chat with Loxley (see post #2 in this thread)

 

[Loxley]

This post is incredibly inspirational to me. Got emotional looking at those pictures. You're doing great work, keep it up.

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Thanks man! It's definitely where my passion lies.

Would love to hear any stories or advice about starting a non-profit. My girlfriend has been stewing on that idea recently and I'd love to be able to help point her to any resources or inspiration.

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In my brief experience (about 3.5 years) in running a small non-profit, here's what I've learned:

- Starting a non-profit can cost quite a bit of upfront-money. The old saying "You have to spend money to make money" is doubly true for non-profits, even though the goal is obviously not to make money. Registering/filing as a non-profit in US with the IRS alone will cost you between $1500 - $2000 in fees and paperwork.
- If registering as a non-profit is too expensive at first, you can feel free to look for a Fiscal Sponsor, who will allow you to basically act as a non-profit and receive tax-deductible donations in exchange for a small percentage of your profits.
- As with many for-profit businesses, you're very likely to lose money in the first 2-3 years as you build the business up and get the word out, so just be ready for that.
- No matter how noble your cause is, don't expect people to just throw money at you. A non-profit business is still that, a business. And like every other type of business out there, you will have competition for people's attention and cash. Folks are often more inclined to donate to a bigger, well-established non-profit like Make-A-Wish, Habitat for Humanity, etc because they're proven brands.
- A key thing to remember is that as a non-profit, you're not selling a product, you're selling stories, and that's vital to getting donations/funding. You can't just tell folks how you're helping who or whatever it is that your business is meant to help, you have to show them. When I'm at an event showing my business, I don't just show my illustrations, I show the pictures of the kids themselves next to the illustrations - so people can put a face to the cause itself. If people can see for themselves who or what they'll be directly helping by contributing to your cause, they'll be far more inclined to make a donation or sponsor you.
- There's a great little book I would recommend called The Nonprofit Narrative, which details how you can tell the stories of the people you're helping, and use that as a way of bringing attention to your cause.
- Relying solely on donations to stay afloat is a recipe for disaster, because it's completely inconsistent and unreliable. It's perfectly okay to sell merchandise to bring in some revenue, every nonprofit does it. I sell coloring books and t-shirts, but there's a ton of other things like mugs, wrist-bands, keychains, stickers, etc. Don't be afraid to find a more reliable revenue stream, even non-profits have to make some money in order to pay the bills and keep the lights on.
- Learn to love social media, it's a huge boon for small businesses. Be as active as humanly possible, constantly getting the word out about the people your business is helping.
- As with any entrepreneur, NETWORK. Attend meetups for small business owners in your community (meetup.com is great for finding groups like that). Every successful business owner on the planet will tell you it's all about who you know.
- Be on the lookout for any entrepreneurial workshops in your area or nearby-city. Most big cities have businesses that will host workshops for fledgling entrepreneurs. Most often these workshops are hosted by local business owners who are passing in their knowledge and expertise. They'll often help you formulate a proper business plan as well. I did this when I lived in Philadelphia and it was a huge help, because I went into this with zero business experience.

Those are the immediate things that sprang to mind, if you have any more questions feel free to ask :)

Here are some other books I would recommend:

Fundraising/Awareness/Marketing:

• The Generosity Network: New Transformational Tools for Successful Fund-Raising
• The Storytelling Non-Profit: A practical guide to telling stories that raise money and awareness
• The Fundraiser's Guide to Irresistible Communications
• Content Marketing for Nonprofits: A Communications Map for Engaging Your Community, Becoming a Favorite Cause, and Raising More Money
  

General Inspiration:

• The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change
• Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman
• Start Something That Matters

 

[Neece]

Thanks man! It's definitely where my passion lies.



In my brief experience (about 3.5 years) in running a small non-profit, here's what I've learned:

- Starting a non-profit can cost quite a bit of upfront-money. The old saying "You have to spend money to make money" is doubly true for non-profits, even though the goal is obviously not to make money. Registering/filing as a non-profit in US with the IRS alone will cost you between $1500 - $2000 in fees and paperwork.
- If registering as a non-profit is too expensive at first, you can feel free to look for a Fiscal Sponsor, who will allow you to basically act as a non-profit and receive tax-deductible donations in exchange for a small percentage of your profits.
- As with many for-profit businesses, you're very likely to lose money in the first 2-3 years as you build the business up and get the word out, so just be ready for that.
- No matter how noble your cause is, don't expect people to just throw money at you. A non-profit business is still that, a business. And like every other type of business out there, you will have competition for people's attention and cash. Folks are often more inclined to donate to a bigger, well-established non-profit like Make-A-Wish, Habitat for Humanity, etc because they're proven brands.
- A key thing to remember is that as a non-profit, you're not selling a product, you're selling stories, and that's vital to getting donations/funding. You can't just tell folks how you're helping who or whatever it is that your business is meant to help, you have to show them. When I'm at an event showing my business, I don't just show my illustrations, I show the pictures of the kids themselves next to the illustrations - so people can put a face to the cause itself. If people can see for themselves who or what they'll be directly helping by contributing to your cause, they'll be far more inclined to make a donation or sponsor you.
- There's a great little book I would recommend called The Nonprofit Narrative, which details how you can tell the stories of the people you're helping, and use that as a way of bringing attention to your cause.
- Relying solely on donations to stay afloat is a recipe for disaster, because it's completely inconsistent and unreliable. It's perfectly okay to sell merchandise to bring in some revenue, every nonprofit does it. I sell coloring books and t-shirts, but there's a ton of other things like mugs, wrist-bands, keychains, stickers, etc. Don't be afraid to find a more reliable revenue stream, even non-profits have to make some money in order to pay the bills and keep the lights on.
- Learn to love social media, it's a huge boon for small businesses. Be as active as humanly possible, constantly getting the word out about the people your business is helping.
- As with any entrepreneur, NETWORK. Attend meetups for small business owners in your community (meetup.com is great for finding groups like that). Every successful business owner on the planet will tell you it's all about who you know.
- Be on the lookout for any entrepreneurial workshops in your area or nearby-city. Most big cities have businesses that will host workshops for fledgling entrepreneurs. Most often these workshops are hosted by local business owners who are passing in their knowledge and expertise. They'll often help you formulate a proper business plan as well. I did this when I lived in Philadelphia and it was a huge help, because I went into this with zero business experience.

Those are the immediate things that sprang to mind, if you have any more questions feel free to ask :)

Here are some other books I would recommend:

Fundraising/Awareness/Marketing:

• The Generosity Network: New Transformational Tools for Successful Fund-Raising
• The Storytelling Non-Profit: A practical guide to telling stories that raise money and awareness
• The Fundraiser's Guide to Irresistible Communications
• Content Marketing for Nonprofits: A Communications Map for Engaging Your Community, Becoming a Favorite Cause, and Raising More Money

General Inspiration:

• The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change
• Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman
• Start Something That Matters

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Thanks for this post! I love the work you're doing (went through your site the other day when I first saw this thread) and can't wait to show her.

 

[LelouchViBritannia]

Great thread. I'll definitely be active in this thread. Thanks op and good luck to all starting a online venture.

 

[Cow Mengde]

I can't even begin to imagine how a non-profit company would even work. To be able sustain yourself, and yet not make any money. It's a very noble goal of course.

Great thread. I'll definitely be active in this thread. Thanks op and good luck to all starting a online venture.

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Yeah, we need more active people in these types of threads.

 

[Relix]

Quick update on my tech startup project (a different beast!).

Been working 100% alone on a new SaaS concept for the past 6-7 months. I was meant to launch Beta in November but life got in the way. I've been resuming work and began bug testing on the whole thing but a wonderful idea popped in my head. I had already spoken to some potential clients for a March beta and I wanted them to try this out, but this new feature will give me a nice boost and a competitive advantage. This product is tailored for SBAs or Medium Sized Companies, and having this feature would be a nice boon and a great added value. I wanted to validate my business model by March but I think I'll delay the Beta launch for April to give me some extra time to work on this new feature. It's pretty advanced and will be a doozy to code, but the more I think about it the more I now I need to have this feature in by launch. So, I am working on this new feature that will take me about 200+ hours to program and test. I have cancelled all social events for the next four weekends so I can sneak in enough time to code this up. Having a full-time job, plus clients from my consulting company AND trying to create a start up is devastating but hopefully it'll be worth it.

 

[Spinluck]

Quick update on my tech startup project (a different beast!).

Been working 100% alone on a new SaaS concept for the past 6-7 months. I was meant to launch Beta in November but life got in the way. I've been resuming work and began bug testing on the whole thing but a wonderful idea popped in my head. I had already spoken to some potential clients for a March beta and I wanted them to try this out, but this new feature will give me a nice boost and a competitive advantage. This product is tailored for SBAs or Medium Sized Companies, and having this feature would be a nice boon and a great added value. I wanted to validate my business model by March but I think I'll delay the Beta launch for April to give me some extra time to work on this new feature. It's pretty advanced and will be a doozy to code, but the more I think about it the more I now I need to have this feature in by launch. So, I am working on this new feature that will take me about 200+ hours to program and test. I have cancelled all social events for the next four weekends so I can sneak in enough time to code this up. Having a full-time job, plus clients from my consulting company AND trying to create a start up is devastating but hopefully it'll be worth it.

Click to shrink...

Sounds like a ton of work, best of luck.

Long term it will be worth it, you'll have more social events come your way lol.

 

[Cow Mengde]

Quick update on my tech startup project (a different beast!).

Been working 100% alone on a new SaaS concept for the past 6-7 months. I was meant to launch Beta in November but life got in the way. I've been resuming work and began bug testing on the whole thing but a wonderful idea popped in my head. I had already spoken to some potential clients for a March beta and I wanted them to try this out, but this new feature will give me a nice boost and a competitive advantage. This product is tailored for SBAs or Medium Sized Companies, and having this feature would be a nice boon and a great added value. I wanted to validate my business model by March but I think I'll delay the Beta launch for April to give me some extra time to work on this new feature. It's pretty advanced and will be a doozy to code, but the more I think about it the more I now I need to have this feature in by launch. So, I am working on this new feature that will take me about 200+ hours to program and test. I have cancelled all social events for the next four weekends so I can sneak in enough time to code this up. Having a full-time job, plus clients from my consulting company AND trying to create a start up is devastating but hopefully it'll be worth it.

Click to shrink...

Once your company/product launches, you'll need a top notch customer support staff. That's when the headaches begin.

 

[Relix]

Once your company/product launches, you'll need a top notch customer support staff. That's when the headaches begin.

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I was considering some outsourcing for this, at least the level 1 type of support. Any big issues or billing issues can be sent my way but how to user the service or simple questions they can manage it. I know there are services out there you can hire that can handle this for a decent price.

 

[Relix]

Quick update! Wrapped development of the new feature and have begun extensive testing. May begin a closed beta with some close customers next week or late end of March depending on bugs. Aiming to go live by May and open to users. Turnover was about 1 year from inception of idea to development, 100% on my own. So, excited to see where I go with this. I have some solid ideas but I need to validate my business model. Not sure yet if to go the start up way or self finance everything in my own. I have the money from my consulting side of things but I am working on a lean startup to keep costs down.

 

[Relix]

Opened my closed beta today. In the process of mailing my potential beta customers. Wrapping up on house keeping such as hosting, purchasing professional services and all that stuff. I realized a few errors and I am struggling to wrap them all but the server is finally up and the service is out there. Just not doing any advertising for a month or so.

 

[Relix]

Well this is a ghost town but I'll jeep up the good fight! MVP has been up for nearly two weeks now and I've gotten amazing feedback from about 10 close clients. The feedback has been way better than i expected and I am in the process of retooling several aspects of the user experience as the main idea for the SaaS seems to be solid and marketable. It's just a matter of making things simpler and faster for users. Spending a bunch of time but I expect to be done by end of the week which should hopefully mean I can open to the world by then.

 

[phisheep]

It is a bit empty in here. My excuse is I've been doing all the unexciting things that go with year-end in retail - stocktaking a shop full of beads is not all that easy. Just coming to the close of the year-end accounts now, and being as it has been such a breeze I'm very tempted to sack my accountant and do it all myself. More fun than stocktaking that's for sure!

 

[Cow Mengde]

Well this is a ghost town but I'll jeep up the good fight! MVP has been up for nearly two weeks now and I've gotten amazing feedback from about 10 close clients. The feedback has been way better than i expected and I am in the process of retooling several aspects of the user experience as the main idea for the SaaS seems to be solid and marketable. It's just a matter of making things simpler and faster for users. Spending a bunch of time but I expect to be done by end of the week which should hopefully mean I can open to the world by then.

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Good luck man. The hangouts in ERA move much fast than GAF from my experience. Threads get lost easily.