Go Big | Go Home: Episode #1
If you’ve been an entrepreneur long enough, you'll experience this at least once:
Total and complete burn out, discouragement and a overall sense of being well, lost.
Recently, after working with 9 teams to get them ready to present their business models on the big stage at the National African American Museum of History and Culture, in Washington D.C., the top two winners and the fan favorite would win grants that totaled $75,000. The competition was stiff and everyone performed so well that the hosting organization announced that EVERYONE would receive a small grant of $1500.
Jacquelyn Carter (Jackie) from Not Reaching, was one of the teams that won just the small $1500, grant. During the entire accelerator, Jackie not only brought her “A” game to the experience but she completely transformed her business to address a massive need (and opportunity) in the market. Jackie, like many entrepreneurs, came into the experience on fumes and then had to face the next days after the event, having to answer, ‘Now what…’
On a Friday morning, I received a text from Jackie: ‘Can we talk?”
While she was grateful to have won a $1500 grant, those dollars wouldn’t show up, at best, until January 2020. She needed the funds yesterday and it was hard for me to let her know that there was no way I could speed up that payment. I heard the pain, disappointment, and the desperation. I felt awful and we hung up.
I sat in my office and recalled, in vivid detail, what that sense of being backed into a corner felt like. Yes, I’ve dived into couch cushions to find spare change to put into the gas tank, accepted food from a pantry, and just felt as if as all options were shut down. When you’re in those types of desperate situations, you just can’t think. Seeing the forest for the trees. Please. If anything, you want to go and hide BEHIND a tree. During the accelerator experience, we studied Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
After experiencing abject failure and disappointment, Maslow determined what human beings need to be happy and fulfilled. At the base of the pyramid are: Physiological Needs and Safety. When any of the factors in either category are not fulfilled, then that individual will not be happy or fulfilled. For example, years ago, when we were faced with the real possibility of losing our home, all sense of creativity and resourcefulness was reduced to dust because my housing wasn’t secure.
I could totally relate to what Jackie was going through. Her drive was pretty much gone.
In the past, wallowing in the pain and suffering alone was typical. Asking for help is hard but I found out, as did Jackie, that when you ring the bell for help, folks generally want to do what they can. So, I contacted folks who I not only admire and respect but I know that they’ve ‘been through it’ and could help her shift her perspective.
I called Jackie back to ask if she would be willing to share her story with some folks who might be able to help. Of course, she accepted and together, we all gathered to not only hear her story but figure out how we can change the ending from one that was headed toward tragedy to hopefully one that was triumphant.
Who was at the table:
Charlotte Bowen, Ann Arbor, MI
She is an investment strategy and business operations genius who is very comfortable helping organizations grow from bootstrap to series A/B+ funding.
Quiana Broden, Detroit, MI
Quiana is a social media engagement diva who knows grind online is undeniable. Her ability to not just build community but a family of like minded strangers online is just…amazing. She’s fearless.
Robert Johnson, Chicago, IL
Robert is an über connected, former executive at McDonald’s corporate. His secret sauce is a nationwide database of opportunity and access to the funds to pay for it.
Watch the conversation above and as each person shares, from their perspective, ways in which Jackie can solve her most immediate issue: access to funding.
There was laughter, tears, a little bit of lecture, a little bit of church and whole lot of problem solving.
We’ll follow Jackie as she pushes to turn around her business from one that is barely making it to one that is thriving.
Tools that were used to help Jackie:
The Brand Storybook Guide & Planner
The Brand Storybook Online Course
UPDATE: GOOD NEWS YA’LL!
3 days later after some additional one-on-one, small group coaching and preparation, Jackie did her thing and was funded by an investor.
