How I found an Unconventional Way to Fund My Start-up
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Back in 2018 when I came up with an idea and a name for my start-up AirCook For You, I had a clear idea what I would do to promote, who it will appeal to and so on. Yet over a year later, I was facing a failure due to lack of funds, energy and also sudden changes in market trends. I pivoted, found resources and fought back. Here is my short story.
You know, I read the books, I found an idea, I had some money to build the platform, I knew people who would build it. I had the time, as a year earlier I quit my corporate and set up a marketing business that was going well. I had the time, even though I was a mum to 9 months old at the time.
I handed over the spec to developers, signed up to accelerator and focused on buying our first house as a family. Everything seems right. New city, new projects and as I soon found out a new baby too. By the time I left accelerator, renovated the house and fully penetrated into the foodie scene in York, I was about to give birth to our second baby. I was exhausted. I realised marketing a start-up on a shoe-string budget was a no go. I was not confident enough to seek funding, but I did go after a few grants. All of those turned out a huge waste of time. I was frustrated that others did not want to help, did not see what I saw and all the rest of it. I was very close to feeling like a failure. What was worst I felt that I let my son down by working so much, disappearing for days into workshops and meetings and leaving him in care of strangers. I felt guilty for going after my dream and I felt I need to do it all before I had kids, if I only an idea came to me a few years earlier…
However, there was no point of dwelling on anything. When pandemic hit in March 2019, we put everything on hold. I stepped back. I got back to doing marketing and spending much needed time with my 2 kids. I stopped pouring money into AirCook For You too. I started paying myself a salary that helped us with a few more house projects. It felt like a good decision, but I was not done with AirCook For You. So I kept the social media up and kept talking to chefs, home cooks and bakers. I could not let go, even though I knew it would need a team and a new strategy to make AirCook For You work in the new normal.
One of my marketing clients had a wholesale jewellery business. When I got exposed to his figures, I knew this was something I could do to bring extra cash into the business. I had an exact idea of how to sell this jewellery. I was not afraid of sales in any way. By nature, I am a go-getter. The business was an overnight success. I had the money now not only to continue paying myself a salary, but I also had funds to invest into marketing for AirCook For You and I hired an assistant. While social media, newsletter and blog were taken care of. I created a new look for the website and decided to launch virtual cookalongs.
The idea was welcomed well by our chefs and home cooks and the whole community. Our first virtual event is now on 4 February with an Irish chef.
I can't wait to sign up more chefs and then turn AirCook For You into money making machine with few more strategies and then the money I now have to support it.
If you have an idea that has a global appeal, understand that you also need almost global funds to make it happen. Find something that will provide a steady income, hire someone to help and then you are sure to be on a way to success and minimal frustration.
