Grateful Threads Tulsa | Application Preview
Grateful Threads Tulsa is seeking government grant funding to expand its operations due to increased demand for its products. Currently run from a home in Tulsa, the business, founded and creatively directed by an advertising graduate, has achieved sales across 47 states and gained local media attention without formal advertising. The funding will enable the company to open a warehouse, hire professional photography, and increase staffing to outsource embroidery and dyeing processes.
The business plan outlines a vision for Grateful Threads to become a recognized name, enhance production efficiency, and reduce clutter at home. Over the next five years, the owner aims to establish the brand in top boutiques in Oklahoma and innovate with new products and partnerships.
Grateful Threads is not just an apparel brand; it creates meaningful, handmade pieces that resonate with customers' stories. The owner emphasizes support for female entrepreneurs and the importance of women-owned businesses in Oklahoma.
While there is some competition from similar brands like 'I stole my boyfriend's shirt' and larger retailers such as Free People and Madewell, Grateful Threads distinguishes itself with more accessible pricing and a focus on customization, which enhances its unique appeal. The application underscores the brand's commitment to quality and meaningful customer connections, positioning itself as a community-oriented business that fosters creativity and empowerment.
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General Information
Business Registration Number: 86-3037445
Location: Tulsa, OK, United States
Length of Operation: 1.5
Number of Employees:
Annual Gross Income:
Annual Gross Expense:
Open to Loans: YES
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Funding Usage
Growing awareness has created a higher demand for our products, which we have been making out of our 3-bedroom, one-story home in Tulsa. Given my background as an advertising graduate from the University of Oklahoma, I have been the creative director and the owner of Grateful Threads. All of the marketing materials, photography, web development, and social media have been run by me. With this funding, Grateful Threads would be able to open a warehouse and hire professional photography. We would also be able to hire more employees to outsource the embroidery and dying of our clothes. Without professional help or putting any money into advertising, we have sold products in 47 states, three boutiques, and even been featured in local media. As a small, women and sister-owned business, we believe there is so much more we can do with Grateful Threads.
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Business Plan
We want Grateful Threads to be a household name. By opening a warehouse, we will be able to expedite making and selling a piece. I will also stop driving my family crazy with the hundreds of scattered sweatshirts around our home. The demand is here, but we lack the space and employees to fulfill it. In five years, I want to have Grateful Threads pieces in all the best boutiques around Oklahoma and to be able to introduce new products and ideas that I have, including new apparel types, partnerships, and even a future flagship store. Not only are our pieces fashionable and in demand, but they mean something to people. The stories of our customers constantly move me. We get orders encouraging positivity in a time of darkness, pieces that commemorate the best and the worst days. Grateful Threads is more than just an apparel brand. How often do you get to wear a piece of clothing that not only has significant meaning to you but has also been handmade by someone who got to learn your story? When I graduated college, I took a leap of faith by doing the unconventional and taking on my own business rather than working for someone else. Though navigating this path that I have no experience in has been tricky and lonely at times, the wins in this business have made it all worth it. By supporting Grateful Threads, you are supporting female entrepreneurs like me. Oklahoma needs more women-owned businesses!
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Self Identified Competition
Grateful Threads is incredibly unique because we make what our customers tell us to. That being said, other businesses create products similar to ours. "I stole my boyfriend's shirt" is a company similar to ours based out of California. They are also women-owned and a small business. Free People and Madewell have started making pieces very similar to ours. "I stole my boyfriend's shirt" is based out of California, and their pieces are beautiful, but about three times the price of ours. Their prices put them in the "luxury" category. Their clientele is more high-end than ours. We are cognisant of what Oklahomans are willing to pay and have modeled our prices to reflect that. Larger retailers like Free People and Madewell can replicate similar pieces to ours, but they lack the "handmade charm" we offer. They also fail to provide customization, which is the unique selling point of Grateful Threads.
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Contact Applicant
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