1,000 True Fans is all you need...

If you follow internet guru's like Pat Flynn, or Seth Godin, or Michael Hyatt, you will hear the term: "1,000 True Fans". I hadn't bothered to find the source of this term until today.

Seth Godin's blog (here), links back to the original author Kevin Kelly's blog (here). It's a great essay/article. Worth a read.

As we sat to lunch today, Flavia and I talked about how this principle would apply to The Playground.

If we had 100,000 people give $10.00 toward our concept, that would be $1,000,000 ($1Mil) toward the start-up.

If we had 10,000 people give $100 toward our concept, that would be $1,000,000 ($1Mil) toward the start-up.

If we had 1,000 people give $1,000 toward our concept, that would be $1,000,000 ($1Mil) toward the start-up.

The point is, it doesn't take as much as you think. If those who like the idea give what they can to help, and we enlist businesses through a dedication wall, allowing those persons' to have a place of permanent advertising in our business, and if we combine that with grants and other fund-raising, we can totally fund an amazing start-up without having to "go cheap".

Here's to all of the amazing True Fans we are going to have!

Building the Building: Permits, Fees, Compliance, and Codes

The MOST confusing and mysterious part of the business planning if figuring out what we'd need to have in regards to Permits, Fees, Compliance, and Codes. There seems to be no uniform or even general answers available. However, the City of Hayden seems to have a process for Pre-Development whereby you meet with the staff and work out these details. This could be a good place to start.


QuickLinks:

Permits, Etc.

• Kootenai County Building Department 
• City of Hayden Building Dept
• City of Hayden Fee Schedule

See Also:

• City of Coeur d’Alene Building Dept
• City of Post Falls Building Dept
• City of Rathdrum Building Dept

City of Hayden: Permits

Pre-Development Procedures

The following procedures shall be followed for all development within the City of Hayden.  Commercial building permit applications, site plan applications, land use, and subdivision applications are accepted only following a pre-development meeting.  Pre-development meetings are held for one hour increments and are available for scheduling on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:00 and 11:00 a.m.  Meetings must be scheduled by noon of the Monday of the same week.  Advanced scheduling of a few weeks in advance is recommended as available time slots may fill quickly.

• Customers will complete a Pre-development Meeting Request Form
• City staff from Building, Planning and Engineering will be present at the meeting along with other involved agency staff (such as the Fire Department)
• Notes customized to your development proposal will be drafted during the meeting and emailed to the contact person identified on the meeting request form.
• A file folder will be created for future reference
• The meeting is informational in nature and is provided to assist you during permitting and development processes.  Feedback is based on an assessment of the information provided by  you, as the applicant, at the meeting as well as codes, regulations, and fees in effect at the time of the meeting.  Timing of application as well as alterations to the site plan and/or project scope, and detailed project review, among other things, may affect the applicability of those items discussed.  Because the pre-development review meeting is designed to provide conceptual level review, no approvals are intended or implied until the permit application, review, and approval process has been completed; as such, the items noted herein may not be addressed completely or accurately at the meeting.
• Upon development application, the information from this file will be transferred to the building permit application, development application, or site plan application file

Funding the Business

There are several avenues we are looking into for funding the start-up. We have decided that there will not be any owners other than Flavia & Darrell Wolfe (and eventually the kids or other family). Therefore, we will not accept investors/stockholders.

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Mini Pitch:

We want to give North Idaho a place to play & grow!

Help us give North Idaho a place to play & grow, here's what that looks like:

The Playground is a Movement-Based Entertainment Center for the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Community. The facility features an indoor over-sized PlaySmart Playground, tables and seating for parents (who tire quickly) and meeting rooms. There are also mini-events and movement-based arcade games (but only those that keep the body moving).

See our website for ongoing development details and updates.

https://theplaygroundllc.blogspot.com/

***

We are looking into the following options:

1. Crowd Funding

• GoFundMe
• https://www.gofundme.com/theplaygroundllc

2. Grants

3. SBA Start-Up Loans

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1. Crowd Funding:

Articles on Crowd Funding:

• Entrepreneur.com: 10 Top Crowdfunding Websites
• Forbes.com: Top 10 Crowdfunding Sites For Fundraising
• Intuit Quickbooks: 8 Crowdfunding Sites: Which Is Best for You?
• CrowdFunding.com: Top Fundraising & Crowdfunding Online Platforms

Will use:

GoFundMe
https://www.gofundme.com/theplaygroundllc

• Set a monetary goal, tell your story (who, what, why, when, where), share, share, share the links, embed the widget, spread the news.
• GoFundMe charges nothing to have the posting but does charge a percentage/fee per transaction.

Won't use:

GoGetFunding (No Go > Costs of GoGetFunding are very high compared to GoFundMe).
https://gogetfunding.com/the-playground-llc/

• How it works
• We're a 'keep-it-all' personal crowdfunding site meaning that even if you don't reach your fundraising goal, you still keep all of the funds raised (minus our industry low fees).
• It's completely free to start your fundraiser! We charge a competitive 6.9% fee on funds raised (2.9% of which is a payment processing fee*) - making our fees lower than all of our major competitors. This fee is automatically deducted when you receive a donation - you don't have to do anything and you won't get any bills from us. We know that the features and personal support we provide will help attract extra donations that will more than cover this fee.
• Some sites say they are '100% Free' but they actually charge donors. Not cool. *If you connect payment handlers PayPal and Stripe, they charge an additional minimal fee of between $0.25 and $0.30 per transaction. For more info and your local rate, please see the PayPal and Stripe fees page.  Please note: Some developing countries or those with payment restrictions may be subject to higher fees. If so, you will be advised during campaign creation
• Unlike many other crowdfunding sites, you don't have to wait until your campaign ends before accessing your donations. Just wait for a small period (7 days, typically) for the funds to clear.

Either won't work or requires more information:

IndieGoGo

• Pre-Launch Guide
• Fees
• It's unclear as to whether IndieGoGo would be of any help to The Playground, LLC for our purposes.
• Example of a similar business using this service: First ever Youth & Special Needs Parkour Facility

Patreon

• Who It’s Good For: Because Patreon prides itself on supporting creators (from podcasters to game creators to artists), this platform is best if you’re pursuing a creative venture.

Kickstarter

• Kickstarter would not work for The Playground, LLC as it's not for starting traditional businesses.
• Kickstarter is specifically for creative projects in the following categories: Art, Comics, Crafts, Dance, Design, Fashion, Film & Video, Food, Games, Journalism, Music, Photography, Publishing, Technology, and Theater. Make an album, write a book, create an immersive theater experience, score a film — you name it.

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2. Grants:

TBC...

We have learned about a friend of the family who understands grants, pending a meeting with her.

Coeur d'Alene Idaho: Community Opportunity Grant

• The City of Coeur d’Alene issued a Notice of Funding Availability on October 13, 2017 to invite competitive proposals for projects or services that benefit low-to-moderate income Coeur d'Alene citizens or neighborhoods, and/or promote job creation/economic development which would impact low-to-moderate income employees. Any individuals, profit or nonprofit organizations, business or governmental agencies may submit a proposal for funding under the City of Coeur d’Alene’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. 

Grant Opportunities in North Idaho

• Mostly geared toward Non-Profits
• Members of the Idaho Nonprofit Center may subscribe to the Society for Nonprofits Organizations (SNPO) and receive full access to SNPO and GrantStation.com. Sign up now! Call (208) 424-2229 for more information on how to take advantage of this great member benefit.

Networking through the CDA Chamber of Commerce could help us find more; however, it's a $500 fee for the minimum entry level (annually).

Small-Business Grants for Women: 10 Go-To Spots

• Grants.gov is a database of federally sponsored grants, including grants for small businesses. To apply, you must obtain a DUNS number for your business (a unique nine-digit identification number), register to do business with the U.S. government through its System Award Management website, and create an account at Grants.gov.

• The SBA sponsors about 100 Women’s Business Centers nationwide, designed to help women entrepreneurs with business development and access to capital. Some, such as the California Capital Financial Development Corp., lend money directly, while others help you find small-business grants and loans that you may qualify for.

• The Amber Grant Foundation awards $500 to a different women-owned business every month. At the end of each year, one of the 12 grant winners is awarded an additional $2,500. The application is relatively simple: Explain your business, describe what you’d do with the grant money and pay a $7 application fee. The foundation’s advisory board chooses the winners, looking for women with passion and a good story. Businesses operating in the U.S. and Canada are eligible.

• Eileen Fisher, a women’s clothing retailer, awards a total of $100,000 to up to 10 women business owners each year. To be eligible, women must make up at least 51% of your business’s ownership and leadership, your business must have been in operation for at least three years, earn less than $1 million in annual revenue, and be focused on environmental or social change.

• FedEx awards up to $25,000 apiece to 10 small businesses annually. In 2017, the contest provided a total prize pool of $120,500. Winners also receive money to use toward FedEx Office print and business services. The application requires an explanation of your business, how you’d use the money, photos of your business and — this part is optional — a short video explaining your business. To be eligible, you must operate a for-profit business with fewer than 99 employees and at least six months of operating history.

• This nonprofit trade association awards $4,000 per month in growth grants to small businesses that can be used for a variety of business needs, including marketing, advertising and hiring employees.

• Find small-business grants for minorities

Small-Business Grants: Where to Find Free Money

• Economic Development Administration: This U.S. Department of Commerce agency provides grants, resources and technical assistance to communities to support economic growth and encourage entrepreneurship and innovation. Each state’s agency helps businesses find financing (including state or regional grants), secure locations and recruit employees. You can search for regional offices and local resources at the EDA’s website.

• Small Business Development Centers: Your local SBDC provides support for small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. They’re often associated with local universities or the state’s economic development agency, and many can help connect business owners with financing opportunities, as well as mentors and networking opportunities and training on basic business skills.

Government Grants for Small Business—Think you Qualify?

• This article basically says there are no Federal Government Grants unless you're a High Tech business or Advanced R&D business.

Want Free Money? Check Out This List of 106 Small Business Grants

• Many states actually have a STEP program, Idaho included. However, they each have individual application processes and qualification criteria, so make sure you double-check what you need to do to apply!

• Each year, Chase Bank puts aside $3 million to split between 20 small businesses—that’s $150,000 each. You’ll have to answer a few essay questions regarding your business, its story, and its community impact, and then winners are decided by a panel of small business experts and senior executives. You’ll also get a free trip to Google for a small business marketing workshop, and more.

• Similarly, Coca-Cola’s community-giving branch centers around empowering women, improving access to clean water, and fostering healthy living and youth development. If your small business doesn’t qualify under the mostly charity-centric criteria, then try to see if you can contract or cater for the nonprofit that does.

• NASE offers small business grants of up to $5,000. Just register and see if you’re eligible!

• This is the inaugural year for LendingTree’s Small Business Grant Contest. The winning small business will receive $50,000 to fund the needs of their growing business!

• Though an international program, Walmart’s GWEEI should still be on your list if you’re a female business owner: they’ve pledged to support women-owned businesses with over $100 million in grants.

• This initiative provides up to $15,000 grants to 12 “mompreneurs,” alongside business counsel and networking opportunities.

• Open Meadows funds projects with $2,000 grants, so long as they’re designed and led by women.

• The MBDA has regular grant competitions for minority business owners, alongside a long list of other resources for you to learn from.

• Hosted by AT&T Experts, this grant offers $1,000 to unique business ideas submitted in the form of a two-minute video. (Note that if your business is already established, its annual revenue must be can’t be greater than $20,000.

• Fundera now hosts our very own small business grant, giving out $2,500 every year to entrepreneurs looking to start or fund their businesses. All you have to do is submit a video entry to the annual contest explaining why you started your company, follow us on social media, and… That’s all! Apply today to get that easy capital.

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3. SBA Start-Up Loans:

I have a friend who does these, I'll be meeting with him to get more details in the future.

Employer/Employee Research

As an employer, there are certain compliance standards we must adhere to. This research is dedicated to understanding the needs and costs of those standards.


To Be Continued....

Building the Building Buy vs Lease

Building the Building

It is currently unclear whether building a new building or retrofitting an existing building would be more cost-effective for our purposes. We re exploring the options, primarily there are two (or a vartion of these):

1. Buy & Build
2. Buy/Lease & Retrofit/Renovate

1. Buy & Build

One appealing option is to buy un-improved land, put down a slab (with plumbing/electrical) and place a pre-fabricated steel building on top. This could then be built out from the inside to be what we need it to be from day one.

• Land of sale in (or near) Hayden, ID
• LoopNet has a continual running report under the critera of Land Only, Hayden ID HERE.
• s
• Steel Master Building Systems
• Facebook Profile
• No need to waste time with complex, flimsy structures that gobble up a ton of time and many of your hard earned dollars. SteelMaster’s prefabricated warehouse building kits are a cost-effective, easy way to create adequate storage for your business.

• Our warehouse kits can range from  40’ to 80’ in width with no limits on lengths. The base cost of the building is approximately $8 to $12 per square foot.  SteelMaster also offers several different models that can accommodate different designs and floor plans depending upon your needs.

• We'd probably need around 80*300 (24,000 sq ft), but we could get away with less.
• 80*300 (24,000 sq ft) retails for $192,000-$288,000 (or less)
• 80*200 (16,000 sq ft) retails for $128,000-$192,000 (or less)
• *or less because who knows what clearance they may have at that time. The Favor of God (FOG) works in mysterious ways.

The Q-Model (information here)

2. Buy/Lease & Retrofit/Renovate

The more common option is to buy or lease an existing building and then renovate it to suit our needs. There are warehouses in CDA and Hayden that could work. However, so far each has had it's major drawbacks. Primarily, none of these comes set up the way we'd need them to be; therefore, all requiring extensive remodel (including new plumbing/electical), this may also mean digging up foundation to lay new pipe and drainage. Unless we forgoe all food service, it may still be cheaper to build from scratch.

The best contender we've seen so far was this one, and even it was too small to properly work long term. It also had inadequate parking for a facility inviting families.


~$750,000 to purchase, and then we'd still need to renovate quite a bit. Still not enough parking and not enough space inside long term.

827 W Prairie Ave
Hayden, ID 83835
Trulia Listing
1.21 acres lot size
11,338 sqft
$66/sqft

Lego Themed Play (and displays)

In additional to the PlaySmart Playgrounds, it would be great if we could incorporate other play items. I'd love to see finished Lego models behind cases throughout the facility.

What if we had large over-sized lego-type blocks. They can be ordered from:

• Place A, for a cost of $xxxx
• Place B, for a cost of $xxxx
• Place C, for a cost of $xxxx
• Place D, for a cost of $xxxx

Images of this in use:

PlaySmart: The World's Best Playgrounds

PlaySmart: The World's Best Playgrounds

• Equipment List
• They offer in-house financing.

Each playground is composed of individual Events that allow children to play interactively with each other, and children benefit from a healthy dose of exercise as well! 

The following are images taken by ourselves as well as those from the PlaySmart website and a few from around Google Images. These are examples of PlaySmart equipment that we intend to use for The Playground, LLC of Idaho.

These photos are not of our facility; rather, they are of the type of equipment we intend to use from the company that produces that equipment. They are intended to provide a inspiration for what The Playground, LLC of Idaho will look like.

Be inspired along with us: