When I pressed the 'go live' button on the Crowdfunder UK page I certainly held my breath. Asking people to give money to a company that is in its earliest stages and not yet open is a big ask, especially during a national pandemic. Reaching the goals set by NatWest to be able to receive their generous contribution was amazing a special thank you must go to them and their initiative to help Women In Business. I still can't believe the success that the campaign saw, the support from our local communities is hugely humbling.
All together we had 233 unique backers and we raised £11,355.00 which is an incredible amount during normal times let alone when the future is so uncertain for the world. This money has enabled us to complete the purchase of the bespoke play area by Tigerplay and we are now looking at an even earlier installation date however we are going to stick with our September aim for opening so that we get everything right and perfect for you and your little people.
Raising the money was obviously the main aim of the campaign however two other benefits came from the process which I hadn't thought about or expected to gain.
During the Crowdfunding period we gained loads of new followers on Facebook, new families who didn't know we existed and we can now reach out to them with our facilities when we open. Word of mouth and advertising are essential for a new business start up. The exposure Cub and Calf received by everyone sharing the posts via social media was in a way just as important as the money being raised. For the business to work, we need a successful following and I am so grateful we are creating a growing community who are right behind us and our ideas. You guys have got my back and that means the world it really does.
That leads me on to the second benefit, a more personal benefit gained from the campaign. Putting your ideas out there for everyone to see is daunting. What if people think they are silly or not necessary? What if people just simply don't like our plans? Having the support and backing surface through the Crowdfunder campaign has boosted my confidence hugely. I'm not a very confident person, you can probably tell from the campaign video haha, but I do truly believe in what we are creating and to see you guys rally round with your support and well wishes has been priceless. The comments section on the Crowdfunder page is so touching, the things written by you all are beautiful and have pushed me on during some really challenging days with the conversion at the building. We have, in recent weeks, been faced with the discovery that the building has had the water supply cut off and we are now having to have it reconnected in the road. I've had some pretty stressy moments on the phone but what has powered me on is knowing you all want this to happen and no matter what dramas this old building throws our way we will get it open and ready for you all to enjoy. I don't feel like we are tackling this on our own, you guys are right there with us cheering us on so thank you to every single one of you.
For now i'll leave you with some recent progress photos. If anyone is ever considering using Crowdfunding for their ideas please feel free to drop me an email, I'd be happy to answer any questions. hello@cubandcalf.co.uk