The Raine & Grace Co. | Application Preview
The Raine & Grace Co. is seeking government grants to establish a storefront in Summerville, SC. This funding will allow the owner to separate her production from her home, providing a convenient shopping location for customers while enabling her to focus on growing the business. The funding will also assist in managing debts, sorting out taxes, and covering necessary licenses and fees for business ownership.
The company currently participates in various craft markets and festivals, and plans to continue this outreach while also expanding its online presence through e-commerce and social media to reach a broader audience.
The owner shares a deeply personal story, highlighting her journey as a single mother who started the business after her husband’s military service ended. Struggling with financial challenges, she discovered a passion for making candles, which has become a vital source of income for her family. The business has shown promise, but limited cash flow restricts her ability to buy materials in bulk, hindering growth potential.
She emphasizes that her motivation stems from her two daughters, for whom the company is named. Her competitive edge lies in her authenticity and determination, believing that she is only competing with herself on this journey. The owner expresses confidence in the business and the positive impact of receiving grant support to help achieve their vision of success.
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General Information
Business Registration Number: 155880335
Location: Summerville, SC, United States
Length of Operation: 1-5
Number of Employees: 1-10 Employees
Annual Gross Income: Less than $100k
Annual Gross Expense: Less than $100k
Open to Loans: YES
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Funding Usage
I would love to use this funding to open up a storefront in the town of Summerville, SC. This will allow me to have a location to make product that is separate from my home as well as give our growing client base a place to conveniently come and shop. This dream is our livelihood and we need help to get to the next step. This funding will provide me with more than enough opportunity to really see what our company is capable of. This funding will help get all my ducks in a row, pay off debts, get taxes sorted and in order, pay licenses and fees, and all the other expenses that come along with owning your own business.
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Business Plan
We attend many craft markets, farmers markets, and some festivals in the area. We plan to open a store front as well as continue traveling to large festivals to promote our brand. We plan to utilize the internet and social media to bring in a larger online customer base. I became a single mother at the age of 20. I had no college degree and very little “skills” to really help me land a good paying job. I do not come from a wealthy family and I do not have the best credit score. I have struggled for many years. I met my husband in 2012 in NYC, it was a magical meeting to say the least. He was brand new in the US Navy. Within a year and a half we were married. He has been by my side as I have been alongside his through 10 very rough years in the military. Our financial situation has always been a struggle, two young adults with now two children to provide for and a crippling amount of debt. We welcomed our youngest daughter in 2015. My husband has had many struggles to overcome since serving our country for 10 years. He is now disabled, struggling with many mental, emotional, and physical side effects from his service. In 2021 he was honorably discharged. The entire world went crazy in 2020 (as if you needed a reminder) we decided to homeschool our girls and start our own business to provide for our family. I started making candles! I absolutely love making candles and have met so many amazing people during this journey. I have found something that I am really and truly passionate about and good at! AND it’s feeding our kids! It’s paying our bills! We work hard trying to get out product out there, we have done so much “ground work” and face to face marketing that it really has been paying off! Right now we are struggling to get ahead.. we buy a bunch of material, make a bunch of product, sell a bunch of product, pay the bills and struggle to get ahead of the working to ends meet. Materials are expensive so I have to purchase very little amounts at a time which ends up costing me a lot more in the long run. I need to be able to purchase a large bulk amount at once so I can focus on turning that material into product and ultimately into profit. We have essentially built this little business from NOTHING and it’s doing great and wonderful things, this would give us that push we need to really explode. I am so confident in us and our product, choosing us would be such a blessing. We are a simple family just wanting to achieve the American Dream. I am a hard working woman married to an even harder working veteran. Our company is named after our two beautiful daughters, they are the reason. For everything. Thank you so much for your consideration and taking the time to read through my rambling.
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Self Identified Competition
I’m only in competition with myself. I am genuine. I am focused. God has a plan for me and I have full faith in that plan. I am only in competition with myself.
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