Funding

We intentionally focus on pre-seed funding methods and recently came across mention of Business Showers!

A business that does not have a funds to start often does not survive long enough to be formed, far less reach and receive funding status. This extremely important stage of funding a new company comes so early in the process that it is not generally included in business planning strategy. Known as "pre-seed" funding, this stage typically refers to the period in which a company's founders are first getting their operations off the ground. The most common "pre-seed" funders are the founders themselves, as well as close friends, supporters and family

FUNDING THE DREAM as such has had to be an important issue during our previous projects
Sweat Equity
Organic Self funding

ad hoc, make, sell, fund, make-sell-fund, unorganized cycle that lead to multiple ad-hoc business going  no where.

Lean Startup/Self-Funding Bootstrapping!-  

Early on we adding  some core lean Startup ideas to organic bootstrapping techniques and were able to help lay a foundation  on which those who executed were able to build and scale. these ar still time consuming and as folks grew so too did their needs.

Friends and Family -

previously meant Cultural/Traditional since within  the target group a wealthy Parent or Uncle underwriting the journey or a grant from a classmates dad's contact was not a real possibility. even so many were not within or had lost  their "tribal" connections.

The Meme about Business Showers really opened up a doorway. This group  understood baby showers, housewarmings and bachelorette parties!  So we are currently exploring
How to set up a business shower.

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We run a project that aims to develop  a system for incubating the local creative INDUSTRY and as such one of the topics is sustaining building efforts through self-funding. Our program usually introduces our participants to the concept of funding and specifically equity based funding rather than debt-based funding. Pre-Seed- Seed and Series A, B, C, are new concepts to many

Previously we've looked at traditional cultural funding methods with a view of using technology to update and create modern funding solutions!  As such we explore innovating around  resource development, financing, traditional and Non-traditional funding  such as

Here are a few methods to take note of

The Flip- The “Fish Fry” or bake sale / lemonade stand... use your skill and talent to flip everyday food, fabric and skills to earn cash. 

Auctions/Garage sales   - sell what you do not want or need 

Guyap / Gayap or (Raising a Barn US)- 

member of a community pool labor and use supplies provided by the host to build a structure... The women cook and folks have a work party. the group then moves to another host  with the last host now being part of that team. 

Su-Su Investment clubs  

The  sou sou model “ a set number of folks pool the same amount of money for the same set number of weeks/months... with someone new getting the pool each week/month

The Party Model – The Bazaar or “Harvest Fai

With or without vending or  The Bazaar or “Harvest Fair - collaborative marketing that gets buyers to one venue with the promise of entertainment value. 

Social Collective- Coworking & co-creation models  

“Traditional Trinidadian Carnival band ”-   The ultimate Affiliation/Franchise model!  All products are marketed under one "label". All marketing and fundraising, sponsorship falls under one label... However "Sections can be licensed or sold to individuals  with various levels of responsibility! From simply filling numbers to full on design and production!  individuals in turn benefit from shared operational logistic (sourcing & Production) packaging  and marketing cost! 

Collaborative- batch production eg The Mas Camp

Production Model!  In the old days most Mas Camps produced their own costume. in cottage type factories, design studios. pooling resources, even labor and sharing teh profits after deliver... Today many outsource, thus losing jobs through outsourcing, that would have benefitted the local community.  The mas camp production in itself is a social collaborative model! Camp leader provide the material trim and design.... skill and unskilled labor come to the camp usually after work but as the season  draws closer, full time. Everyone contributes to the labor. Music, meals and drinks are provided. Often time payment is at the end of season! 

Games– Games of Chance- Often co-opted by local civil organization eg Lottery Boards

Lottery
Sports betting

Whe-whe (wey-wey) ji’z/ [wewe] n (Trin).. Numbers in the US

Raffles 

Dice....
Gambling or betting on games seems to be a means of earning in many cultures... sadly often the cause of fights! 

There are many other options In conclusion we encourage you to get a group of like-minded folks in your area together and INNOVATE - Be the change you wish to see around funding within our community

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RESOURCES

Series A, B, C Funding: How It Works - 
Barter Circles -  Barter exchanges– can be run by Community Exchange Systems - https://www.community-exchange.org/home/