River Walkers | Application Preview
River Walkers is seeking government grants for a total of $25,000 to enhance their operations and inventory. The funding will be allocated as follows: $7,000 to settle outstanding invoices and PayPal credit, $4,000 for a business trip to Chiapas, Mexico to source minerals, $13,000 for new inventory purchases, and $1,000 for packaging materials.
The business plan includes renting a larger space for inventory and online sales, as well as participating in more live events like gem and mineral shows. Membership in the Tulip City Gem and Mineral club will aid in networking and educational opportunities. Within five years, River Walkers aims to establish a physical store to complement their online presence.
River Walkers argues for funding approval based on the booming crystal market and their ability to secure minerals at low costs due to strong relationships with suppliers. With over 25 years of geological expertise, the owner has seen steady income growth and increasing sales. The business is proud to be women-led and minority-owned.
In terms of competition, River Walkers faces several established companies like Thee Ancients and Tellurian Crystals, which cater to high-end collectors, and Virgo Gem Co., which targets average collectors. The competitive edge lies in River Walkers' ability to offer high-quality minerals at lower prices, alongside a personal customer service approach, including hand-written thank-you notes and tailored payment plans, distinguishing them from larger competitors.
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General Information
Business Registration Number: 87-2114758
Location: Zeeland, MI, 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
$7,000 to pay off current invoices with our wholesalers and to pay off PayPal credit. $4,000 for a working business trip to source minerals by hand in Chiapas, Mexico. $13,000 to purchase new inventory. $1,000 to purchase cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, and other packaging materials.
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Business Plan
We plan on renting a larger space to house our inventory and to do live sales online. I also plan on doing more in-person events such as gem and mineral shows. We have just become members to the Tulip City Gem and Mineral club and look forward to participating in their events and trips to further out geology education and networking. Within the next 5 years, we also hope to get into a brick-and-mortar store so we can not only generate sales online, but in-person as well. The crystal market is booming right now. I’ve spent the last year focused on finding the best wholesalers all over the world. Our costs are extremely low, and on average sell for 200-1000% in profits. At the same time, we still are able to offer these minerals to the general public for less than the going rate simply because I have spent so much time building trustworthy relationships with the mines, in turn allowing me to buy at such low costs. I have over 25 years of knowledge in the geology field and am eagerly learning more every day. This has been my passion since I was a little girl, and I’ve managed to create steady income with it. In fact, our sales have exponentially increased since we started and are projected to continue doing so. We are also a women-lead, minority-owned small business.
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Self Identified Competition
1. Thee Ancients- High quality minerals at high prices. Tailoring to the wealthy collectors. 2. Tellurian Crystals- High quality minerals at high prices. Tailoring to the wealthy collectors. 3. Virgo Gem Co. - Medium-to-high quality minerals for lower-to-average prices. Tailoring to the average collector. High volume inventory. I am a small business, offering high quality minerals at low costs. I differ from Thee Ancients and Tellurian Crystals because I offer some of the same minerals they do but at much lower prices. I differ from Virgo Gem Co because I have a smaller operation, so I do not have the massive amounts of minerals as they do. However, because I am smaller, I am able to give my personal attention to my clients. I write them hand-written thank-you notes in every order showing my gratitude. I strive to make their shopping experience as personal as I can. I also create personalized payment plans for the clients who are needing some financial help. I feel this goes a long way! The larger businesses like Virgo Gem Co do not do this.
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Contact Applicant
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