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Hi Again!

I'm still moving along, just at a snail's pace. Instead of being overwhelmed by how much money I need, I am just going to break it down into smaller portions.  So what I need by the end of the month to get by is $3200.  This is a much more managable figure and can be achieved I just got to keep looking at every resource ans know that this being an entreprenuer isn't easy, but when I get past this stage I will be successful.

Ok, Hi! I had no idea there was a website out there like this.  I don't have a problem, but I definitely have a need.  I am in the process of starting up a business in Farmington, MI.  I am opening a Book store/cafe, Off the Beaten Path Books & Cafe.  Wait! I can already hear you losing interest, but this is not what you think.  This is no book store you have ever seen before, it is a literal and literary experience.  The theme of the store is 19th century Victorian Steampunk.  We specialize in new and used speculative fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, Childrens, Mystery, horror, and thrillers). The store is interactive: There are squeaky gates you have to go through to get to the horror section, there is a fairy scavenger hunt in the children's section and steampunk gears that open secret panels that reveal hidden goodies, etc.

This is going to be a community hotspot. We are going to have classes and workshops, musical groups, poetry slams, author readings and signings.  We also will have puppet shows for the kids.  We are also going to be the go to place in Michigan for writers of speculative fiction in Michigan. 

Everyone I have told about this idea has been a total fan.  From Farmington council members  to current business owners around me.  I have put so much effort into researching this project and making sure that I had a great business plan with realistic and conservative financial projections.  My start-up expenses are $99,000.  I have managed to put in $30,000 of my own money which means I only need $69,000. I know i say only, but in the grand scheme of things it is a drop in the bucket for business start-ups. 

I have applied for a microloan and several other programs.  Here is the kicker - when you have an existing business it seems like there are all kinds of programs for you, but when you have everything except the funding and you are just starting up it's like a desert.  I have applied to so many programs that say I have to have at least six months of operating the business. If I had six months of operating I wouldn't need any help.  My idea fills a niche that the big-box bookstores don't.  I have a huge underserviced customer base. And my love of the genres and passion for providing excellent customer service will earn me loyalty among my customers. 

My idea will succeed - We are projected to turn a profit in a year's time which is well ahead of schedule.  This idea is also a perfect vechicle for franchising or satellite stores.  Starsbucks started out as a small coffee shop in Seattle and look at them now!  This may be cliched but I really don't need a handout, I need a hand up.  I am a young, black woman with a large student loan from college that I am paying on and the banks have a bit of a problem seeing around all that.  I have been dreaming of being a business owner for ten years and failure is not an option.  I have a lease and I have already knocked out walls in my store.  There is no way but forward.  I will send a business plan and financial projections to anyone seriously interested in helping me.  My projected opening date is October 1, 2010, so you can see that I have a certain since of urgency :-) 

This isn't just a dream, it is a well researched and planned out business endeavor. It will also provide 4  immediate jobs in the Detroit Metro area, plus several holiday jobs and the jobs the frachises or satellite stores will provide.  

I am Minority female seeking financial assistance to go back to school to obtain a degree in Early Childhood development as well a grant to open up a daycare facility in my urban neighborhood. Having 2 children of my own I know what it means to be able to find affordable and trustworthy childcare. After being employed for 6 years at the same company I have come to the realization that there has to be something more for me that is more rewarding than that place. I  have always loved working with children. There's so much that they can teach us as adults. My kids teach me something new almost daily. I have worked at a couple of daycare facilities including a child abuse treatment facility, and have learned how easily impressionable their minds are.......if I could just be that one person that a parent could rely on and have peace of mind that their child is safe and being well taken care of  then I think that would be spiritually rewarding for me.