Entrepreneurs and creative funding! August 27, 2008

Front patio Taco Bell style

Invasion of the front yard

As small business owners the issue of how to fund our growing business is one that is always front and center. Early on in the creation of Professor Pocket my business partner Nathalie and I considered accepting outside funding for the business. As we developed the first CD and all of our characters, it became clear that it wouldn’t be as easy as we thought to give up a piece of what we had spent so much time creating. So we made a pact, we’ll figure out how to fund this on our own. And three years in, two CDs later, we have done just that. Not to say that it’s been easy, there are days when I am at my full time job (which is one of my ways of funding Professor Pocket) when I don’t see direct returns from the business and it can get discouraging. But then we’ll have a breakthrough, usually a small one, that keeps us positive and motivated. It’s all the little breakthroughs that will one day lead to the BIG ONE…you hear me Oprah!

This all leads me to my creative funding method. As entrepreneurs we have to be creative in every aspect of the business, product development, marketing, sales etc. Financing the business is no different. My husband and I are lucky to live in a beautiful 1954 Cliff May Rancho mid-century style house. A friend of mine (a fellow entrepreneur!) who had connections with a location casting agency suggested we list our house for rent for movies and commercials. Joe and I thought, well why not, it can’t hurt! They recently shot a Taco Bell commercial in our house. The shoot was two days, and I’ve got to say for the minor inconvenience of having your house completely redecorated by Taco Bell, we made great money and not only did Joe and I benefit, but so did Professor Pocket!! Any extra money coming in, Joe (my super supportive hubby!) and I put towards Professor Pocket. We know one day it will pay off!!! Yo quiero Taco Bell….