Women business owners can be remarkably creative, as these five female fundraisers prove. This edition of our ongoing crowdfunding column features enterprising ladies who are making everything from internationally inspired clothing lines to large-scale art installations.
Check out these 5 women-led crowdfunding campaigns:
1. Firing Up the Community (via Kickstarter)
The Business: Sarah Fischer is on a mission to bring a wood-fired oven to her Eugene, Ore., home. An experienced baker hailing from the East Coast, she first learned about these outdoor ovens during her time at The Farm School in Athol, Mass. “I have always loved cooking, but this allowed me to combine my culinary passion with my love of being outside,” she says on her campaign page. Now, she wants to add her dedication to community outreach — she presently teaches cooking classes to affordable housing residents through Cornerstone Community Housing, among other services — to the recipe by building an oven and hosting local food-focused events.
The Money: Fischer has until July 23 to raise the $2,600 she seeks. If she’s successful, the money will go toward purchasing supplies and constructing the oven.
2. Dolling Up Who You Are (via Kickstarter)
The Business: German home décor designer Naama Ben Moshe is developing a new project that’s full of personality — specifically, the types of personalities outlined by psychiatrist Carl Jung. Archetype Doll is a collaborative effort with Israeli company Loren Lee Designs that features cloth miniature representations of “the dreamer,” “the caregiver” and other personality types that appear in Jung’s famous theories. “My vision is to make publicly accessible home décor products which combine aesthetics with intellectual stimulation,” she says.
The Money: By or before August 4, Moshe needs to raise at least $16,709 (converted from Israeli currency). Those funds will be used to begin production of six of the 12 dolls.
3. Preserving a Beloved Boutique (via Indiegogo)
The Business: In Grand Coteau, La., lies Pistache, a women’s clothing boutique that has catered to loyal customers for decades. Years ago, entrepreneurial hopeful Alyce Ray worked there as a shopgirl. Now, she has the opportunity to acquire the business for herself from its current owner, Nancy Brewer. She says her previous experience there has given her “an understanding of the ins and outs of owning a small business and instilled in me the confidence of my own abilities in moving forward as the owner of Pistache.”
The Money: A month remains on Ray’s campaign, in which she hopes to generate at least $15,500 to put toward a down payment for the shop, a new computer, operating permits and more.
4. Channeling West Africa in Her Designs (via Kickstarter)
The Business: African-inspired clothing is Breanna Moore’s specialty. Her business, LaBré, sells dresses, shirts and more in a selection of bright colors and bold patterns evocative of fashions from central and southern Africa. Her venture also comes with a social component: providing opportunity to artisans in Ghana involved in the creation of her line. “We all have a higher purpose for our lives to make a positive impact during our limited time here on Earth,” she says of this part of her business model.
The Money: Moore is hoping to raise at least $10,000. Half of the money will be dedicated to creating more jobs abroad, while the rest will cover costs related to production and marketing. The campaign ends August 5.
5. Bringing Light to the Desert (via Kickstarter)
The Business: Yelena Filipchuk and Serge Beaulieu are a duo who want to create a “geometric wonderland” at this year’s Burning Man Festival held in Black Rock Desert, Nev. They’re design and tech-industry veterans who have formed a joint venture called HYBYCOZO. Together, they will build three large art installations that will immerse festival goers in lights and geometric shapes. “Entitled The Heart of Gold, this year’s project is inspired by Leonardo DaVinci’s revolutionary polyhedron drawings,” they say.
The Money: Filipchuk and Beaulieu are looking for funds to pay for steel supplies, laser cutting, lighting and other costs related to constructing their installation. By August 8, they hope to raise at least $20,000.
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Want to be featured in The Story Exchange’s Crowdfunding column? Drop us a line and tell us about your campaign at [email protected].
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