Can you help? I’ve applied for a small business grant from Chase to expand my Career Coaching business. I need 250 votes to be considered. Please support me and vote!! THANK YOU! Below, I’ve shared with you what I wrote on my grant questionnaire!
Tell us about your business and what makes it unique. Please provide a general description of your product, customers, competitive landscape, and overall performance.
Once called “a Career Coach with street smarts,” my goal is to encourage job seekers in identifying their dream and pursuing it with ingenuity, passion, and determination. I believe it is my calling to aid clients in finding fulfilling work that utilizes their unique talents. I absolutely LOVE what I do.
In addition to several years in the recruiting industry, my background also includes a bit of a gypsy lifestyle following my spouse’s career around the world, with even a stint working as the Community Liaison Office Coordinator at the US Embassy in Rome, Italy. This background has given me a unique perspective into the recruitment process and the job search strategy that gets a candidate back to work (in a job they love) quickly.
One of my greatest rewards is receiving calls from excited clients when they are holding their offer letter. I also love it when a person, once worn out by traditional job search methods, feels the exhilaration of making contact with the “insiders” in a company who can help them land their dream job.
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? Describe both your greatest achievements and biggest challenges.
I decided to become an entrepreneur to have control over my destiny, but also to have a portable career that I could take with me and work no matter where we lived (moving every few years due to spouse’s government position). I found this “job” is the best way that I personally have in truly making a difference in the lives of others.
My greatest achievement is always when a client, any client, calls me and tells me they’ve landed their dream job because of the work we’ve done together. Nothing else could compare.
My biggest challenge? Not enough hours in the day! There are so many things I could do, but just can’t because there is no way I could fit it all in. I need a clone! (Or two or three!)
How is your business involved with the community you serve? Examples include: giving back to the community, sourcing locally, and/or contributing to economic development via hiring.
I often volunteer as a guest speaker at local non-profit jobseeker support groups and at job fairs, sharing my expertise in training the unemployed in the job search process. I am often called upon for my knowledge in interviewing, resume and job search strategy, and in utilizing LinkedIn for your job search. I also volunteer by coaching young girls leadership skills through a national organization. Raising up new women leaders has become a new passion of mine!
What would a $100,000 grant mean to your business and how will you utilize the funds? Please be as specific as possible.
With this grant, I would hire additional support staff (opening up my time to work directly with more clients). I would also create a new website that would focus directly on marketing my expert speaker portion of my business. This grant would also give me the ability to expand my online services and webinar offerings – allowing me to assist job seekers across the country. I would also be able to focus on completing and marketing the two jobseeker-focused books I have in process. I would love to create an in-depth job search full-day seminar program, that could be repeated and replicated in various regional areas.
What are your short-term (1-2 years) and long-term growth plans for the business? How will this grant contribute to your plan?
My short-term plans include expanding my professional speaker services exponentially – opening up more opportunities to help even more jobseekers on a large scale. I would also like to create more online services (webinar-based, for example).
Long-term I plan to publish two books specifically geared to jobseekers (currently in process). I would also love to create in-depth job search full-day seminar programs, that could be repeated and replicated in various regional areas.
The voting deadline is June 19, 2015 and grant recipients will be selected by expert panelists. Through Mission Main Street Grants, Chase will award $2 million to 20 small business across America. All businesses that apply for a grant and meet the eligibility requirements will receive access to a small business webcast by Premier Sponsor, LinkedIn. In addition, the 20 grant recipients will receive a trip to LinkedIn headquarters. The 20 grant recipients will be announced in September 2015. For additional details about Mission Main Street Grants visit www.MissionMainStreetGrants.com.