hi I’m Evan Carmichael welcome to another edition of ask Evan in today’s
another edition of ask Evan in today’s
another edition of ask Evan in today’s episode I’m going to answer question
episode I’m going to answer question
episode I’m going to answer question from one of my newsletter readers of
from one of my newsletter readers of
from one of my newsletter readers of sand ax who wrote in about asking about
sand ax who wrote in about asking about
sand ax who wrote in about asking about getting funding for a Youth Center so
getting funding for a Youth Center so
getting funding for a Youth Center so the question was thank you every for the
the question was thank you every for the
the question was thank you every for the past few months have been thinking of
past few months have been thinking of
past few months have been thinking of opening a new center in our area I plan
opening a new center in our area I plan
opening a new center in our area I plan to speak where the word counselor I
to speak where the word counselor I
to speak where the word counselor I don’t have any finances right now we’re
don’t have any finances right now we’re
don’t have any finances right now we’re thinking of asking for sponsorships and
thinking of asking for sponsorships and
thinking of asking for sponsorships and donations what are the things that
donations what are the things that
donations what are the things that should be aware before I take any
should be aware before I take any
should be aware before I take any further steps so thank you for the
further steps so thank you for the
further steps so thank you for the question great noble vision that you
question great noble vision that you
question great noble vision that you have here to create this Youth Center a
have here to create this Youth Center a
have here to create this Youth Center a couple of ideas for you the first thing
couple of ideas for you the first thing
couple of ideas for you the first thing I would do is have a big vision let’s
I would do is have a big vision let’s
I would do is have a big vision let’s start small so instead of going after a
start small so instead of going after a
start small so instead of going after a youth center which might be really
youth center which might be really
youth center which might be really timely you know costly you know a whole
timely you know costly you know a whole
timely you know costly you know a whole set of problems that you’ll come into
set of problems that you’ll come into
set of problems that you’ll come into trying to create this youth center and
trying to create this youth center and
trying to create this youth center and it may frustrate you the point of
it may frustrate you the point of
it may frustrate you the point of wanting to quit start with something
wanting to quit start with something
wanting to quit start with something smaller start with a few simple events
smaller start with a few simple events
smaller start with a few simple events community events that target youth and
community events that target youth and
community events that target youth and you know build up some momentum from
you know build up some momentum from
you know build up some momentum from those events and so you know it’s easy
those events and so you know it’s easy
those events and so you know it’s easy to show that what you’re doing works
to show that what you’re doing works
to show that what you’re doing works there’s a reason behind it you have an
there’s a reason behind it you have an
there’s a reason behind it you have an impact and then when you go to you know
impact and then when you go to you know
impact and then when you go to you know build your the community center you have
build your the community center you have
build your the community center you have some momentum behind you so that’d be my
some momentum behind you so that’d be my
some momentum behind you so that’d be my first step is try to start on a small
first step is try to start on a small
first step is try to start on a small scale have that big vision but start
scale have that big vision but start
scale have that big vision but start small and start with something that’s
small and start with something that’s
small and start with something that’s low cost easy to set up and you can
low cost easy to set up and you can
low cost easy to set up and you can start making an impact in the community
start making an impact in the community
start making an impact in the community right away it also be rewarding for you
right away it also be rewarding for you
right away it also be rewarding for you that you can see hey you’re actually
that you can see hey you’re actually
that you can see hey you’re actually making a difference and it doesn’t
making a difference and it doesn’t
making a difference and it doesn’t necessarily need to have a huge
necessarily need to have a huge
necessarily need to have a huge community center you can do things on a
community center you can do things on a
community center you can do things on a really small scale and still impact
really small scale and still impact
really small scale and still impact people’s lives and that will give you
people’s lives and that will give you
people’s lives and that will give you the juice and the momentum and the
the juice and the momentum and the
the juice and the momentum and the encouragement to want to go out and do
encouragement to want to go out and do
encouragement to want to go out and do it more and more and more and more and
it more and more and more and more and
it more and more and more and more and more you know when I started helping
more you know when I started helping
more you know when I started helping entrepreneurs I did it just ad hoc small
entrepreneurs I did it just ad hoc small
entrepreneurs I did it just ad hoc small scale helping individual entrepreneurs
scale helping individual entrepreneurs
scale helping individual entrepreneurs and I’ve had a couple of events and it
and I’ve had a couple of events and it
and I’ve had a couple of events and it got me hooked and I’ve got to do more of
got me hooked and I’ve got to do more of
got me hooked and I’ve got to do more of this I love it gonna really expand it
this I love it gonna really expand it
this I love it gonna really expand it and give me the fuel to want to keep
and give me the fuel to want to keep
and give me the fuel to want to keep going so if you start small do a couple
going so if you start small do a couple
going so if you start small do a couple things small events you can see is
things small events you can see is
things small events you can see is having an impact it’ll give you the
having an impact it’ll give you the
having an impact it’ll give you the motivation to to want to keep going and
motivation to to want to keep going and
motivation to to want to keep going and doing it more
doing it more
doing it more the next thing if you’re trying to
the next thing if you’re trying to
the next thing if you’re trying to target sponsorship I would definitely
target sponsorship I would definitely
target sponsorship I would definitely have a laser targeted focus so what is
have a laser targeted focus so what is
have a laser targeted focus so what is it that you are trying to do or try to
it that you are trying to do or try to
it that you are trying to do or try to get kids off the street are you trying
get kids off the street are you trying
get kids off the street are you trying to encourage them to learn a certain
to encourage them to learn a certain
to encourage them to learn a certain skill set what is the goal or the vision
skill set what is the goal or the vision
skill set what is the goal or the vision of your enterprise so that would really
of your enterprise so that would really
of your enterprise so that would really help a lot of people have you know mixed
help a lot of people have you know mixed
help a lot of people have you know mixed bag of goals and vision that’s hard to
bag of goals and vision that’s hard to
bag of goals and vision that’s hard to communicate the harder it is to explain
communicate the harder it is to explain
communicate the harder it is to explain what it is that you do and the benefits
what it is that you do and the benefits
what it is that you do and the benefits you’re going to be able to provide the
you’re going to be able to provide the
you’re going to be able to provide the harder it is for somebody to jump on
harder it is for somebody to jump on
harder it is for somebody to jump on board and want to sponsor you and or be
board and want to sponsor you and or be
board and want to sponsor you and or be a customer be a partner right so you
a customer be a partner right so you
a customer be a partner right so you have to really have a clear message and
have to really have a clear message and
have to really have a clear message and the laser targeted focus on what it is
the laser targeted focus on what it is
the laser targeted focus on what it is that you’re doing and the reason for
that you’re doing and the reason for
that you’re doing and the reason for your existence so you may already know
your existence so you may already know
your existence so you may already know that you didn’t explain it you know in
that you didn’t explain it you know in
that you didn’t explain it you know in the email you sent but in all your
the email you sent but in all your
the email you sent but in all your communications now you also want to say
communications now you also want to say
communications now you also want to say here’s why I’m doing this and here’s
here’s why I’m doing this and here’s
here’s why I’m doing this and here’s what we’re gonna do to make it really
what we’re gonna do to make it really
what we’re gonna do to make it really clear and then it helps you know anybody
clear and then it helps you know anybody
clear and then it helps you know anybody who you’re talking to you think about
who you’re talking to you think about
who you’re talking to you think about ways to potentially help you so if you
ways to potentially help you so if you
ways to potentially help you so if you just say I’m open in a Youth Center you
just say I’m open in a Youth Center you
just say I’m open in a Youth Center you know there’s a lot of different ways to
know there’s a lot of different ways to
know there’s a lot of different ways to potentially help but if you had a
potentially help but if you had a
potentially help but if you had a specific focus then it’s gonna be easier
specific focus then it’s gonna be easier
specific focus then it’s gonna be easier for people to jump on board and you may
for people to jump on board and you may
for people to jump on board and you may not know that yet that’s fine but before
not know that yet that’s fine but before
not know that yet that’s fine but before you go start talking to companies I
you go start talking to companies I
you go start talking to companies I definitely have that laser focus and in
definitely have that laser focus and in
definitely have that laser focus and in the last thing I touched on that already
the last thing I touched on that already
the last thing I touched on that already but it’s build momentum so as much as
but it’s build momentum so as much as
but it’s build momentum so as much as you can you want to show that you’re not
you can you want to show that you’re not
you can you want to show that you’re not just starting up it’s really hard for
just starting up it’s really hard for
just starting up it’s really hard for companies and for anybody really to want
companies and for anybody really to want
companies and for anybody really to want to back somebody who’s just getting
to back somebody who’s just getting
to back somebody who’s just getting started
started
started because there’s so many people who start
because there’s so many people who start
because there’s so many people who start up who aren’t really serious who don’t
up who aren’t really serious who don’t
up who aren’t really serious who don’t commit to it and their enterprise falls
commit to it and their enterprise falls
commit to it and their enterprise falls apart and so you need to show that
apart and so you need to show that
apart and so you need to show that you’re the one who’s actually going to
you’re the one who’s actually going to
you’re the one who’s actually going to succeed and you’re really committed to
succeed and you’re really committed to
succeed and you’re really committed to this and you’re really going to make
this and you’re really going to make
this and you’re really going to make sure that it happens so you can start as
sure that it happens so you can start as
sure that it happens so you can start as I said small with the events you know
I said small with the events you know
I said small with the events you know show that it’s working help people out
show that it’s working help people out
show that it’s working help people out you know sure that you can have a
you know sure that you can have a
you know sure that you can have a meaningful impact but it’ll expand on
meaningful impact but it’ll expand on
meaningful impact but it’ll expand on that and try to get you know some
that and try to get you know some
that and try to get you know some activity going on Facebook and YouTube
activity going on Facebook and YouTube
activity going on Facebook and YouTube and build up a newsletter list as much
and build up a newsletter list as much
and build up a newsletter list as much as you can to build momentum and show
as you can to build momentum and show
as you can to build momentum and show that people are behind this try to get
that people are behind this try to get
that people are behind this try to get some advisors who are maybe a little
some advisors who are maybe a little
some advisors who are maybe a little well known in your community who can
well known in your community who can
well known in your community who can lend their name to the project as well
lend their name to the project as well
lend their name to the project as well so that way when you go to your sponsors
so that way when you go to your sponsors
so that way when you go to your sponsors potential customers here you’re able to
potential customers here you’re able to
potential customers here you’re able to show them hey let me put on a couple of
show them hey let me put on a couple of
show them hey let me put on a couple of bands we’ve had a great impact we’re
bands we’ve had a great impact we’re
bands we’ve had a great impact we’re building up a following on Facebook and
building up a following on Facebook and
building up a following on Facebook and YouTube we have our new
YouTube we have our new
YouTube we have our new we’ve got these local people who are
we’ve got these local people who are
we’ve got these local people who are advisors to the business to the the
advisors to the business to the the
advisors to the business to the the corporation that’s something that then
corporation that’s something that then
corporation that’s something that then somebody can look at a business can look
somebody can look at a business can look
somebody can look at a business can look and say hey we want to get behind we
and say hey we want to get behind we
and say hey we want to get behind we should be involved in this or if you
should be involved in this or if you
should be involved in this or if you just go with an idea with zero track
just go with an idea with zero track
just go with an idea with zero track record and zero momentum you’re probably
record and zero momentum you’re probably
record and zero momentum you’re probably gonna get a no and that just comes from
gonna get a no and that just comes from
gonna get a no and that just comes from my experience in a venture capital
my experience in a venture capital
my experience in a venture capital business you know I looked at I don’t
business you know I looked at I don’t
business you know I looked at I don’t know how many business plans too many
know how many business plans too many
know how many business plans too many business plans and we rejected 99% of
business plans and we rejected 99% of
business plans and we rejected 99% of them a lot of the times was because they
them a lot of the times was because they
them a lot of the times was because they had zero momentum behind them just an
had zero momentum behind them just an
had zero momentum behind them just an idea on paper is not enough to get
idea on paper is not enough to get
idea on paper is not enough to get somebody to want to put money into your
somebody to want to put money into your
somebody to want to put money into your company so you have to show them that
company so you have to show them that
company so you have to show them that you’ve got something happening here that
you’ve got something happening here that
you’ve got something happening here that they’re gonna be missing out on the
they’re gonna be missing out on the
they’re gonna be missing out on the opportunity and that there’s this is
opportunity and that there’s this is
opportunity and that there’s this is real you’re not just the average
real you’re not just the average
real you’re not just the average everyday startup who’s gonna launch an
everyday startup who’s gonna launch an
everyday startup who’s gonna launch an idea because they had a you know a dream
idea because they had a you know a dream
idea because they had a you know a dream one night and then they shot it down the
one night and then they shot it down the
one night and then they shot it down the next week
next week
next week that’s the biggest fear that people will
that’s the biggest fear that people will
that’s the biggest fear that people will have but you’ll just go and spend their
have but you’ll just go and spend their
have but you’ll just go and spend their money and you won’t be able to show them
money and you won’t be able to show them
money and you won’t be able to show them a return so if you’re already having an
a return so if you’re already having an
a return so if you’re already having an impact then you’re using that money to
impact then you’re using that money to
impact then you’re using that money to fuel it even more and have a greater
fuel it even more and have a greater
fuel it even more and have a greater impact so hopefully that helps if you
impact so hopefully that helps if you
impact so hopefully that helps if you guys liked the video for those of you
guys liked the video for those of you
guys liked the video for those of you watching I’d love it if you can give it
watching I’d love it if you can give it
watching I’d love it if you can give it a thumbs up it always makes my day and
a thumbs up it always makes my day and
a thumbs up it always makes my day and makes me want to do more of these videos
makes me want to do more of these videos
makes me want to do more of these videos for you guys and if you have a comment
for you guys and if you have a comment
for you guys and if you have a comment I’d love to hear from you or if you have
I’d love to hear from you or if you have
I’d love to hear from you or if you have a question for me as well just leave it
a question for me as well just leave it
a question for me as well just leave it in the comments below I’ll be sure to
in the comments below I’ll be sure to
in the comments below I’ll be sure to read and get back to you so thank you
read and get back to you so thank you
read and get back to you so thank you and we’ll see you on the next episode
”
Be First to Comment