Why donate to this campaign?

Starting a business is hard work. It takes diligence, it takes the support of the community, and it also takes capital. I knew all of this. What I didn't know was how much harder it is for women who start a business. My crowdfunding campaign is set up in a way where I am asking less than what I actually need in capital, and with the ultimate goal of raising some funding to go directly into a pay-it-forward fund for other women in business.

"A report from the Institute of Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) shows that women are steadily increasing their presence in the world of small-business ownership... Women business owners still face a significant wage gap and continually have smaller amounts of start-up capital than their male peers... For one, women-owned businesses make only about 25 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earn." -The Atlantic

I really hope to be able to go over my goal and help other small businesses by paying-it-forward. Particularly, to aid other women-owned companies. Help me not only reach my own goal for a portion of my start-up capital, but exceed it and use that capital to help catapult other women in small business to be successful. 

What will A Jones Design Co. do with goal funding?

With the capital I receive, A Jones Design Co. will help businesses fill in the gaps of their outreach, by offering a wider suite of branding, marketing, and design services than the current local market. These services should be affordable and accessible to all start-ups, and in one location. I believe in small companies and their positive impact within their communities. I will help small businesses, with a focus on local food businesses and women-owned businesses.

With combined experience in design, marketing, communications, community organizing and advocacy, product development, community and environmental planning, local food systems, and public relations; I am uniquely deft in helping other small businesses with their branding needs.

Helping me, A Jones Design Co., reach my capital and exceed it elevates the community as a whole. The domino effect.

What I Need & What You Get

The bulk of the funding will go directly to operating equipment, software, and business startup fees; such as a licensure, desk computer and programs, and office and photography equipment. My funding needs are actually higher than my stated goal.

I decided to crowdfund not only to buffer these costs, but mainly to get out there, be visible, and start offering services right away. Being creative and using that creativity to help others is the whole point! Of course, I chose creative funding. I believe in the power of community!

If I do not reach our full funding goal, all rewards and services will still be honored and any funding raised will go towards the original goals as promised. If I can exceed my funding goals, I will pay-it-forward to other women with discounted services to help with that wage gap and lack of capital we have as women in business. I believe in access; all companies should be able to obtain services for their business despite financial difficulties or company size.

The Impact

Again, branding, marketing, and design should be accessible to all businesses. I believe that I can make that happen. With a wide range of services, A Jones Design Co. will be able to fill in gaps in knowledge or just take the weight of marketing off the to-do (someday) list. The returns will have a lasting impact for the clients.

Small business owners can be intimidated by marketing and branding. That impacts their bottom line. It also has a direct consequence on the economy when small businesses do not thrive. "The 23 million small businesses in America account for 54% of all U.S. sales." (Forbes, 2014) 

"Many small business owners are still not adopting modern technology and marketing approaches. Additionally, more than half of SMB owners do not have a website (52%) or even measure the results of their marketing programs (56%)." Forbes

"Only about 1 in 10 small businesses have figured out how to use social media or online advertising to market their product." Forbes, How Small Business Owners Are Wrecking Their Own Chances Of Success

"A new study from Microsoft finds that almost 60 percent of small businesses with websites don’t use any form of paid search marketing, with 9 out of 10 saying they never even tried it. The survey reveals that most small businesses are intimidated by what they believe to be expensive and complex search marketing techniques. Almost 90 percent of respondents feared that keywords were too expensive, with another 25 percent believing it was too complex. Microsoft’s survey found that 72 percent of companies using paid search marketing saw an increase in sales inquiries and 68 percent deemed the technique successful." (Brafton)

With A Jones Design Co., I will be offering tips and tools in a newsletter for small businesses, and also make sure that costs and fees are low. I will help ease the intimidation factor of using marketing and branding techniques and will strive to educate local businesses on small changes they can make that will have large and lasting positive impacts. 

Risks & Challenges

There is no risk in contributing to my campaign for A Jones Design Co. and as I wrote above, all rewards are to be honored regardless of my fundraising outcome.

The risks and challenges for A Jones Design Co. are also minimal. The company will be able to move forward at a slower pace without meeting the crowdfunding goals, though it will admittedly be more challenging to pay-it-forward to the community with discounts and free services right away. I really hope to help other women in business right away.

Other Ways You Can Help

• Encourage small donations! "Skip the coffee and donate $5" It adds up quick!
• Get the word out to businesses, friends, family, or colleagues that may be interested.
• Make some noise about my A Jones Design Co. campaign!
• Use the Indiegogo share tools to help me reach more people.
• Recommend A Jones Design Co. to businesses that could use services, especially at a discount!