Loose Thread Stitchers

$30,000 in 30 days - Day 3 How to raise business capital

I hope you had a wonderful day today.  Today was Labor Day.  A day to take off and enjoy a day away from the office.  Well that is unless you are under a strict deadline and trying to raise $30,000 in 30 days, then you get into that office and you WORK. 

Today was full of Internet searching, trolling and Googling ideas of what I could do to get this money.  I mean when you think about it, $30,000 is not chump change.  You really have to pull out all the stops.  So here were some ideas from todays research:

• Start going thru the house and e-baying everything that is not nailed down. (Seriously I am starting this one this week and hope to have some auctions going by this weekend.)
• Send letters to local businesses and request sponsorships for my blog
• Consign the kids clothing - not stuff they are wearing now, just their old clothes (:
• Offer membership discounts to potential members who pledge a gift during our fund raiser
• Sell my needlework (I know but seriously, I want the website so much more)
• Sell my wedding dress (yes I would actually do that!) I am not selling my husband, that is were I draw the line
• Go to NY and try to get on the morning show with a sign about Loose Thread Stitchers
• Get on a local show (Philadelphia Area)- even in the audience and wear an LTS shirt with info about my mission
• Got to Wall Street with a sandwich board about LTS and talk to anyone who will listen
• Find people to blog about my cause
• Write an article in an industry magazine highlighting my efforts and what LTS can bring to the table

OK so that was everything I came up with today.  Tomorrow I will begin to try to implement at least one of the above ideas and see how much revenue I can generate.  As for wonderful things that have already come my way.... 

I was also given the fabulous opportunity to be a guest blogger on Rebekah's blog http://www.the-day-of-a-mom.com/2008/09/guest-blogger-loose-thread-stitches.html.  THANK YOU Rebekah!  I was also given a secret invite to a great new site, but I cannot reveal anymore info till they launch.  I hope you stay tuned to find out what will happen next on my mission to $30,000 in 30 days.

Things just got interesting!

In Stitches,
Colleen

How to raise start up capital - Day 2 ChipIn.com

Well, it has been quite an interesting 24 hours.  I'd like to start today's blog with my favorite quote: 

“We ask ourselves who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?  You are a child of God. Your playing small does NOT serve the world. There is no-thing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the Glory of God that is within us, ALL of us. And as we let our Light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our Presence automatically liberates others.”
- Nelson Mandela 1994

I have always LOVED this.  His words are enlightening and empowering while at the same time a bit frightening.  I mean this is so outside of my comfort zone and then I thought to myself, isn't that the point.  Starting a business is not easy.  You have to decide if it is worth it and go for it.  Loose Thread Stitchers is absolutely worth it.  So I took the leap and know that by letting others know my needs, I will receive what I need.  Less than 24 hours later, I did.....

I received a wonderful idea from Rebekah of Smartmoms-SmartBusiness.  She suggested I set up a paypal button so others can contribute to my cause even if they didn't have $1,000.00.  She thought some would like to donate and feel as though they were helping another woman reach her dream.  I mean is this woman fabulous or what?

I found a site called ChipIn.  Their main goal is to help its users successfully collect money.  I mean how cool is that?  If you decide to contribute, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  We will post your name and a big THANK YOU on the LTS website once we launch.

If you are so inclined, please feel free to linkback to this blog or cut and paste this URL to create a link on your site http://www.chipin.com/mywidgets/id/04eb14b31aa06819

Until tomorrow, another day another adventure.

It Just got Interesting!
In Stitches,
Colleen

How to raise money / business capital : $30,000 in 30 days

Below please find our original letter regarding LTS funding.......

Are you sitting down? You should. I am writing to inform 
you of my latest mission. Seriously, sit down!  I need 
to raise $30,000 in 30 days. I told you to sit down. 
Now before you decide I am off my rocker, let me explain.

Last year I decided to start an online needlework 
community. I hired a web development company to create
our site and began working towards our October 2008 
launch. To date, I have funded all expenses that go 
along with a start-up.  The launch date co-insides 
with the Stitching Jubilee tradeshow where LTS has 
secured a premiere spot to exhibit.
 
Unfortunately, after months of detailed meetings and 
excessive conference calls it was apparent that this 
company was unable to deliver. In an effort to meet 
the tradeshow deadline, I fired the company and 
started to look for a more qualified replacement.
I am now working with a wonderful company 
(E-softsys) who, to date, has exceeded my 
expectations. They are confident that they will be 
able to meet our tight deadline. So exciting! 

So what’s the problem?  We need more money.  Even 
with their discount we are $30,000 shy.  Our site
has an extensive database that is completely 
end-user (customer) driven. The type of programming
required is very complex and labor intensive. The 
end result will create a very profitable and unique 
opportunity (once we launch) that concentrates on 
selling/marketing our products. All of the "work" 
is completed by the end-users.  (How fabulous is 
that?)

So do you have $30,000 to invest in LTS?  If so, 
thanks you can just send your check to….oh wait, 
you don’t have that kind of money? That’s OK neither 
do I (that’s why I am contacting you). Would you 
still like to help launch LTS? Great! There are so 
many ways you can help me raise $30,000 in 30 days. 
Here are a few examples:
•	Have $1,000? This is our minimum investor 
financing option. If 30 people invested $1,000 
I could meet my goal. Feel free to contact me 
regarding our repayment terms, interest and 
contract information. 
•	Forward this message to your friends and family. 
Let them know you know me and that this is NOT spam. 
Maybe they would be interested in helping or they 
know someone who could.
•	Write about my mission. Do you blog? Blog about it. 
Facebook – wall it.  Whatever you do - let others know 
my mission, you never know WHO is reading or who is going
to send this to my next investor. Please feel free to 
give them my e-mail address 
Leader@LooseThreadStitchers.com 
and refer them to my blog, 
http://loosethreadstitchers.typepad.com/my_weblog/ to 
read about my adventures in raising the capital I need 
to move forward (please send me the link)
•	Contact Local/National TV shows and let them know 
about my plight. The more people who contact them, the 
Bigger a story it becomes – tell my story, why you think 
I should get the $, how the business rocks, need me to 
write something for you? Let me know, I will send you 
something. The shows I have contacted are:
o	The 10! Show
o	The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch
o	Ellen
o	Oprah
o	I am open to other suggestions, just let me know!
•	Contact local/national newspapers. The more people 
who contact them, the bigger the story becomes.
•	Do you own a business that can help during our tradeshow?
We are in need of the following services:
o	T-shirt Printing (already taken by the FABULOUS 
Morris Plain T-shirt Factory 
- http://www.morrisplainstshirtfactory.com/) THANK YOU!!!!
o	Printing of business cards, stickers, notepads, 
puzzle pieces and golf pencils
o	Tradeshow booth design (our theme is construction)
o	Construction attire (pink hard hats, tool belts, 
the works!!!)
•	 Do you have an idea? Let me know!
 
With your help, Loose Thread Stitchers will ensure its 
mark as the premiere one of a kind online needlework 
community. Loose Thread Stitchers – Building the 
needlework community one LOOSE THREAD at a time.

Thank you in advance for making my dream a reality and
I look forward to hearing from you soon!

I will be posting updates to my blog daily - STAY TUNED (: 

It just got interesting!

Colleen




--
Colleen Leader
Loose Thread Stitchers
P.O. Box 30006
Elkins Park, Pa 19027
215.498.1127
www.LooseThreadStitchers.net (.com)
http://loosethreadstitchers.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Stitcher Yahoo Group - LooseThreadStitchersCrossStitch
Industry Yahoo Group - LTSNeedleworkIndustry