Click on the logos below to learn more about each company and entrepreneur.
Shon Barnwell (Air Force veteran)
Barnwell Publishing was launched as a platform to serve minorities and women with military backgrounds to publish their stories, insights, and life experiences. Discussions with publishers and editors have demonstrated that currently there is a great market for insightful stories from African American military women and minorities on their military experience, leadership, and resiliency-related topics. I have built a sizable tribe of military members and their spouses who show great interest in submitting fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and children's books. My first book, "Leadership Is About Behavior, Not Titles" is set for Pre-Order sales beginning 15 Feb 2021. I have a team of fellow Chief Master Sergeants who have served as key stakeholders at the Pentagon set to recommend the book for all of the Armed Forces Professional Reading Lists. We are passionately dedicated to ensuring all voices are heard!
As a winner of the Ignition Challenge, I would be able to purchase an initial order of books for upcoming Conferences (I've been invited to speak at the annual Air Force Sergeants Association conference in Orlando, FL); purchase equipment (camera, microphone) for media interviews and promotion events; label printer and labels (for direct sales book orders), square reader, marketing materials, scale for postage processing. I would also like to attend a Lisa Nichols "Speaking to Inspire" coaching event; and a Larry Broughton "Elite Mastermind" coaching event.
(website under development)
Bilal Muhammad (Air Force veteran)
Black Harvest Farms seeks to provide African-American communities experiencing food deserts with organic nutritious vegetables grown in vertical farms. In addition, we will provide education and training regarding the management and operation of vertical farms to the African-American community members assisted by these farms. By educating, training, and developing these vertical farms in communities impacted by poverty and scarce employment, we can provide both employment opportunities and low-cost healthy food to these communities. We are currently developing our first vertical farm using a repurposed shipping container to be located at our recently purchased 1.7 acre property in Rockingham, North Carolina.
$15,000 award: $3,500 shipping container purchase and delivery, $4,000 vertical farm equipment, $4,000 hire employee to assist with construction and general labor
$10,000 award: $3,500 shipping container purchase and delivery, $4,000 vertical farm equipment, $2,500 hire employee to assist with construction and general labor
$5,000 award: $3,500 shipping container purchase and delivery, $1,500 vertical farm equipment
Shipping container purchase and delivery includes but is not limited to purchasing a 40-foot-high capacity shipping container and delivery to Rockingham, North Carolina.
Vertical farm equipment includes but is not limited to grow towers, overhead track system, hydroponics water monitoring and management systems, internal wood frame and drywall.
Construction and general labor includes but is not limited to undeveloped land preparation, internal framing, drywall and construction, HVAC system installation, rainwater collection system installation, solar power system installation and integration.
Mario Mitchell (Air Force veteran)
We are a coding bootcamp doing things the right way. We believe that when you enter tech, there is more than one pathway. Tech is the new buzz word for a lot of people that were affected by the pandemic. People are looking to transition into technology daily. Our online platform has an intuited learning dashboard. It is instructor-led to give the in-classroom experience while being able to serve anyone anywhere. Students will have more control of how they enter the tech world.
We will use funds to help add onto the dashboard. The coaching with help teach me how to be a better leader.
Robert Marshall (Army veteran)
Dapper Guru is a premium men’s grooming company that creates natural skin care and grooming products for the modern man. We specialize in creating natural products that are good for the environment and body. One thing that sets Dapper Guru apart is using natural ingredients that aren’t found in many men’s grooming products on the market. We also use ingredients that are not harmful to the skin, and made for those with sensitive skin as well. As more customers want cleaner and less toxic products, we are leading that charge.
I would use the award and coaching to hope grow Dapper Guru into a bigger brand to help my community and others. We will use this award to get a production space so that we can grow and hire more people from my community. Being from the DC area, I am committed to helping the disadvantaged Black population with employment, and Dapper Guru can help with that mission as we grow. Each of us can help our communities in our own way, and this is my contribution. As Dapper Guru grows, so does the opportunity to help my community.
Michael Loyd (Marine Corps veteran)
Dope Coffee Company is an Atlanta-based hybrid specialty coffee roaster and Hip-Hop record label. We market our product through Hip-Hop and operate e-commerce and brick and mortar experiences. We offer same-day shipping on freshly roasted coffee in addition to our unique coffee-based skin & body line. Dope Coffee is different in that we are pioneering a wave of combining consumer packaged goods and digital media publishing at the producer/distributor level. We dedicate a significant portion of our resources to our non-profit arm, Break The Wealth Gap, which uses Dope Coffee's platform to elevate the mission of breaking the wealth gap for communities of color.
Our team is jam-packed with talent and experience but more importantly, we grinded through Dope Coffee's startup phase in an intensely resource-limited environment. We would use the award to inject much-needed working capital into the company. We've exhausted much of our runway from our startup phase and we have great traction going into 2021. We would use the coaching to propel our efforts to reach our company goals for 2021.
Dr. Keith James, OD (Air Force veteran)
Eye Smile Optometry and Dental Care, founded and managed by Dr. Keith James, OD and Dr. Yvonelle Moreau, DDS, is a family-owned, primary care optometric and dental practice that was launched in March 2020. It was developed to provide Arlington, Alexandria, and the surrounding region with comprehensive, patient-centered vision and dental services in one convenient location. By combining our practices and services, we not only emphasize vision care and oral care, but we also promote overall health and wellness. As a black, family-owned business, we are committed to serving our neighboring community, educating those that are under-represented and underserved, and leading as examples to future under-represented entrepreneurs.
If we had the honor of receiving this grant, we would use it to reinvest in the growth of our practice. A portion of the funds would be used for technological advancement that can further enhance the diagnosis and treatment of our patients. Other portions of the grant would be helpful in hiring more staff and in turn, offering more job opportunities to the neighboring community. With the added exposure and marketing, we would be able to extend our community reach and offer our unique services to a wider population.
Belinda Barnes (Army veteran)
There are three phases to the business model. Phase one collect recyclables and take them to the local recycling center. Phase two, partner with the local recycling center to process the recyclables. Phase three manufacture sustainable building materials from recyclables. We are a recycler looking to disrupt and improve recycling in our nation. Our business model is unique as it is 100% closed-looped and self-reliant. We will manufacture sustainable building materials and create jobs in the marketplace while saving natural resources.
We would use the award to gain more clients, and hire more out of work veterans and others in the community. We would use the coaching for growth and help with R&D for manufacturing.
Barzel McKinney (Army veteran)
Our business eliminates veteran homelessness by providing affordable housing and job training for homeless and low-income veterans and their families. We acquired a blighted duplex renovated and updated and made it a beautiful home for our veterans. We were able to take two veteran families that were in the shelter last month and bring them home for the holidays. Because we are veterans helping veterans and understand the severity of homelessness, we don't want them just to help them off the streets; we want them to have a safe, clean, nice place to live that they can be proud of, and create self-esteem, a path to homeownership, and job training.
To bring more awareness through marketing, streamline our processes, and purchase more equipment to scale up.
Chasity Wright (Air Force veteran)
Infiltron software suite empowers people and businesses to proactively secure their devices and data in real-time. Includes protection against racial and gender bias found in facial recognition technology for smart ecosystems that use facial recognition for identity purposes, like smart bases. What makes Infiltron so unique is that it has taken a strategic, simple system integration approach for any industry to quickly provide services. Infiltron’s team has built a solution that warns you if there is malicious activity, investigates it, and blocks in real-time.
To pay my team and continue development to streamline our solution for new customers’ specific needs.
Natasha Hinds (Army veteran)
Keep Your Hair Headgear, LLC offers quality satin- and silk-lined products to protect your precious hair from breaking off while wearing moisture-absorbing wool, cotton, and nylon headwear. Our innovation of completely lining military headwear with silk material created an option for members to purchase headgear more conducive to their hair type or skin condition and still remain within military wear and appearance standards. Our satin-lined baseball caps are manufactured to fit larger heads, thicker hair, braids, or locks. Keep Your Hair Headgear, LLC’s goal is to donate at least 10% of its profit in support of donations to military cancer patients/survivors and veteran-owned non-profits.
We would use the award to invest in hiring a marketing manager to improve our digital marketing sales funnel: Awareness, Consideration, Conversion, Loyalty, and Advocacy. The Marketing agency can improve the marketing funnel in the following ways:
Design and develop Keep Your Hair Headgear-friendly marketing campaign brand assets
Optimize Keep Your Hair Headgear website
Design Keep Your Hair Headgear marketing funnel with KPIs for multi-channel marketing
Drive Keep Your Hair Headgear marketing campaigns through ongoing digital marketing
Radiah Mallard (Army veteran)
The impetus for creating Plan The Course© is assisting the bereaved in navigating through grieving and the transition of assets. There is a need for an organized process that will ease the burden of loved ones left behind. Realizing the rising and stressful costs of funeral planning, Plan the Course© was created to give everyday people the ability to organize their transition from A-Z while they are still living. Once within the secure platform, our patent pending process helps them organize, track, and complete crucial administrative tasks needed to prepare themselves and their family members for pre and post transition.
I would use the award and coaching to fill in communication gaps and shortfalls with what I have built thus far and get help with pitch decks, presentation and possibly crowd funding. I consider Plan the Course as a diamond in the rough. Though I am passionate, very confident and well versed in the conceptualization, organization and marketing details related to Plan the Course, I lack the technical communication ability and skills to bring it to life. My hope is that this program will be a catalyst for that.
JT Liddell (Army veteran)
Today, many military veterans get out of the military with poorly laid or non-existent plans for success and do not realize the immense challenge ahead of them until it's too late. Culture shock, lack of access or just plain lack of awareness of resources, a sense of belonging, or just knowing where to start in planning are just a few of the challenges many veterans face as they transition out of service. Meanwhile, there are a plethora of resources available to them but they are disparate, hard to access, and have minimal awareness around them in the veteran space. We aim to change that narrative! Promenade uses data science and AI to match and connect military veterans to the most relevant resources, people, and organizations that matter to them. As a SaaS, web-based platform, we also provide each user with a personalized and structured roadmap that helps guide them on their post-military journey.
We would use the monetary award for overhead, to continue making necessary changes to our platform, conducting user testing, develop strategic partnerships, and continue refining our AI algorithms. This award would help push us forward significantly. Coaching would help us significantly as well as we need assistance with strategy in key areas throughout our business-like marketing and communication where we do not have significant expertise.
Juan Biddix, Jr. (Army veteran)
I founded SARGE FITT to help improve the overall health and wellness of individuals. In furtherance of this mission, I invented a free standing and adjustable multifunctional exercise system called the FITT Rack. The patented design to the FITT Rack allows it to convert from a pull-up station, to a dip station, and to a push-up station without having to add any additional attachments or accessories while offering a variety of bodyweight exercises in between. Unlike any other product on the market, the FITT Rack has removable handles that rotate 360 degrees and slide laterally for exercise variations. The FITT Rack is designed to provide total body workouts that help users build muscular strength and lose unwanted body fat. Users can get body transforming workouts with the FITT Rack without spending a fortune on gym membership fees or excessive exercise equipment and accessories.
I am currently working with an overseas manufacturer to produce my second prototype of the FITT Rack. Once the prototype is completed and tested, the process of mass production can begin. I would use the award to fund the manufacturing and distribution of the FITT Rack. I would also use the award to help fund the marketing and outreach campaign that will help build my potential customer base. I would use the coaching to improve my business processes to ensure I am prepared to launch the FITT Rack for sale
Hilda Alexander (Navy veteran)
Sweet Christi's makes plant-based bath and body products for girls that look and smell like delectable sweet treats. Most bath products geared towards young girls are filled with yucky ingredients. Our products are clean, and we also promote self-care as a routine practice for overall wellness. Our mission is to teach girls the importance of routine self-care practices and how to implement it through workshops and literature.
We would use the money invest in a professional copywriter to improve the product descriptions on the website and create email sequences for the autoresponder; hire a professional to make a strategic marketing plan; and then use any additional funds to buy supplies to make product faster.
We would love to get the coaching to help us improve our operational plan and scale the business to a new level.
Tarena Muhammad (Air Force veteran)
Legion is a management consulting firm that caters to women entrepreneurs, with specific focus on veteran-owned businesses. I implement and manage systems, automation, operations, product/service launches, projects, teams, revenue streams, production of assets, metrics and analytics, information security and strategic planning, making it easier for the client to grow a sustainable business that generates $200k or more in annual revenue.
I plan to launch an incubator where I walk alongside the client in each step of the business journey. The incubator begins with a free content strategy that educates prospects on starting and running a business in 2021 and beyond. When prospects sign up to join the incubator, it will be approximately a 4- to 6-month journey where I coach them through setting up their backend systems for billing, email, customer service, etc.; building their websites; packaging their products/services; and finding their ideal clients. It's designed to help them launch a lean operation that's cost-effective, and helps them avoid overwhelm and burnout.
If I am awarded $15,000, I plan to spend:
*$10,000 to hire a technical/administrative virtual assistant that will manage administrative tasks for my current business while I build out the incubator program
*$2,500 to build the website and content for the incubator
*$2,500 on marketing and advertising on Facebook and LinkedIn
If I am awarded $10,500, I plan to spend:
*$5,250 to hire a technical/administrative virtual assistant that will manage administrative tasks for my current business while I build out the program
*$2,625 to build the website and content for the incubator
*$2,625 on marketing and advertising on Facebook and LinkedIn
If I am awarded $5,000, I plan to spend:
*$2,500 to build the website and content for the incubator
*$2,500 on marketing and advertising on Facebook and LinkedIn
I would use the coaching to learn how to improve my marketing and positioning to reach more people.
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Tyler Weston (Marine Corps veteran)
We SAVE LIVES! Our company provides Situational Awareness and Critical Incident Management Training (Active Shooter) as well as detailed site security plans. Our training is like nothing on the market as we train in the classroom AND with live scenarios. With 2021 on pace to have the most mass shooting in U.S. history, everyone needs to be vigilant and aware so they can help SAVE LIVES.
We would use the financial award to buy some more equipment, help with marketing, and buy inventory. We just launched in October 2020 and though I am not personally new to running a business, I am a new veteran business owner. I am looking for any and all help I can get! I know that I cannot do this on my own. I like to network, meet new people, and learn from successful business owners/entrepreneurs. I believe winning this challenge will help to take us to the next level and get us out there even more. We want to help SAVE LIVES. I know I have said it over and over again, but that is our mission. Winning this challenge will get us closer to achieving that!
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Sean Grorich (Army veteran)
Our mission is to be sustainable (using earth friendly products) and socially responsible (our Coffee with a Cause Campaign). With our Coffee with a Cause Campaign we donate 12% of our proceeds from our coffee blends to local community charity causes. I just began roasting coffee beans last September in the middle of the pandemic. We mostly wholesale but also sell some retail and online.
Improvement in efficiencies of production with weigh scale machine and improved packaging/labeling along with targeted marketing. These could help us grow to the next level where we could then take on a new employee or two.
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Leonard Peterson (Air Force veteran)
Rebound has designed, developed, and manufactured medical accessory parts for use with personal equipment that requires an air hose, or similar attachment, to connect a patient with health supports.
My PDHC (Personal Device Hose Caddy) offers a completely different level of safety and convenience because its primary premise is to grant the user an ability to move freely in their sleep/resting quarters without being limited by a fixed metal, or other encumbering tree type device. This PDHC part also offers a variety of currently fashionable colors for their visual comfort. We offer installation materials that WILL NOT damage any area of a painted wall, or furniture. All facets of this product, including manufacturing, are sourced from American (USA) companies and this primary device is manufactured in the USA only.
I would use up to 1/3 to complete a professional Website, 1/5 to develop introduction videos and the balance in reserve to advertise and service debt.
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Benjamin Koberstein (Army veteran)
Red Arrow Crane & Rigging provides training for individuals to acquire a nationally recognized certification to operate different types of cranes. The cranes very from Articulated Cranes to Tower Cranes and everything in between. We also provide certification training for riggers and signalpersons. Once the individuals pass both a written exam and hands on exam they receive their certification from The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).
Marketing would be the biggest use. Currently the majority of the sales have come from word of mouth which is not a bad thing but getting the name out more never hurts.
Another use of the funds would be for securing a building to locate all of the testing/training material in one location and hopefully have a large enough space to do some testing/training in house.
Having a mentor to talk through different ideas, problems or situations would be great.
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Scott Shirk (Army veteran)
Redleg Custom Woodworks is providing a unique, personalized gift idea for the Field Artillery community. We specialize in handcrafting personalized wooden artillery rounds for service related awards and gifts for retirements, graduations, change of duty stations, and other occasions.
One of my goals with Redleg Custom Woodworks was to let the business grow naturally and not try to push it. We have grown so much already that I would use the award and coaching to learn about marketing material and website design along with updating some smaller equipment.
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Percy Duckworth (Army veteran)
Robles & Duckworth is a 24-hour emergency services/janitorial services, which specializes in hoarding and organization. We provide counseling and pastoral care free of charge because we understand the challenges of mental health. We also give back to the community we are involved local and international with human rights. Our company in not just a cleaning company; we change lives by providing services and care for all.
We would use funds to be able to hire more employees and to market our business to take it to the next level.
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Jeremy Neuharth (Army veteran)
Sycorr has created identity & access review tools exclusively for banks. We integrate with non-friendly applications that banks use in an operations-friendly way to shrink the effort required to pass required regulatory activities dramatically. A typical mid-sized bank (~3B) spends about eight weeks to complete a reach permission review (entitlement review, access certification); our case studies show we can shrink that effort down to roughly a week.
The top five ways we would use the award include: 1) We would use the fact that we received the award in marketing materials to continue building momentum. 2) We would leverage the award for PR in bank trades and associations to get our story out there. 3) We would use the funds to invest in marketing activities. 4) We would use coaching to expand our network and refine our approach to reaching our potential network. 5) We would use the award to help accelerate partnering with more financial industry application vendors.
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Andrew (Cody) Norton (Air Force veteran)
Wing & Wrench is an aviation maintenance technician trade school. Our curriculum goes beyond every other technician school; it is proficiency focused, and is all-inclusive of equipment, tools, books, and testing to ensure student success. There is a two-year waiting list locally for this education, and the airlines are in dire need of local technician sources. Students will get the training they need for a successful career in the aeronautical industry.
We would use funds to secure facilities, use as equity to urge lenders, and take the coaching as an opportunity to fine tune.
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Greg Fischer, (Marine Corps veteran)
Burn Pit BBQ provides grilling and barbecuing tips, techniques, and products to aspiring backyard pitmasters. Our products are all natural, gluten free, gmo free, and taste delicious. It's the same products we feed our families. Since starting in August 2020, Burn Pit BBQ has had over 400 online orders and is in eight retail shops in Wisconsin and Illinois.
Burn Pit BBQ is at an exciting crossroads in our young journey. The money would help us expand our inventory needs to meet the demand of our growing customer base. A portion would also be used to increase our marketing efforts to reach new audiences.
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Kyle Gernhofer (Navy Veteran)
Because of corporate dentistry's growing presence, more people today than ever before are receiving unnecessary, poor quality and/or less personalized dental care. This costs patients millions of dollars every year in unnecessary out-of-pocket expenses along with physical and emotional suffering. Thousands of corporate dentists participate in TriCare Dental and military family members have no way of knowing which dentists in their plan provide the best overall care. DenScore is a software solution powered by artificial intelligence that helps military family members and everyone else find the most desirable dentists in their dental plan.
The cash prize and coaching would be a game-changer for DenScore! We've validated that enterprise companies are willing to pay for DenScore services and we're getting very close to entering a contract agreement with a few of these companies. Charlie has built one of our insurance products which is an application programming interface (API) and he manages our data science/machine learning needs on a daily basis. However, he is not a software engineer and we need to pay someone to write additional code for the software we intend on offering to our early employer clients and healthcare navigation partners. Eventually, we will bring a full-time software engineer onto the team but we are unable to do this until we raise our pre-seed round and/or generate revenue. We are a very coachable team and we understand there are a lot things we don’t know that we don’t know! We would be humbled and grateful to receive any amount of mentorship from the PenFed mentors!
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Aimee Slaughter (Air Force Military Spouse)
Epiphany Care Homes was founded by Aimee and Derek Slaughter as an alternative to traditional large-scale assisted living, memory care and nursing home facilities. We focus on residents with Alzheimer’s/Dementia, seniors with mental health disorders and general ageing related disorders. Our home operates with a philosophy of care that allows aging-in-place, with more intensive services available on-site as needs progress. We take a holistic care approach when partnering with a resident and family, focusing the physical, mental and psychosocial of a resident need; to develop and drive a customized care plan which results in the highest quality of life.
If we received this award, we would use it to open a second facility. We receive calls daily asking if we have openings and we do not. We would like to be able to offer excellent services to other seniors with mental health issues in the community.
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Chelsea Andrews (Air Force National Guard)
I am currently a Licensed Family Childcare Provider and am able to serve 8 children and their families. Due to COVID, there is an extreme need for childcare services throughout the country and Brodhead, WI is no exception. I want to expand my childcare center into a group childcare center which could serve approximately 70 children and their families. Getting off the ground has been difficult, but I am determined to open this center to make a difference for the families and children in my community before I am ordered to deploy for the US Air National Guard.
I will be a nature-based childcare center. I believe that children learn best when they are outdoors so they are free to explore and be creative. I am dedicated to high-quality care as I am currently the highest rated YoungStar provider in Brodhead, WI. YoungStar ensures quality within a center and assigns a star rating accordingly. My goal is to become a 5 Star center through a play-based, nature environment where children can thrive.
It would be life changing for my community. I know that my business will be successful but just getting off the ground has been tough. I will be able to use this to invest in high-quality materials for classroom use. This is no small feat as the environment is the children's #1 teacher.
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James Zess (Army veteran)
MCHX Technology is a certified VOSB that provides mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering services, and product design services associated with small turbine engines for power production and aviation applications. The Company holds a Certification of Authorization to perform engineering services in the State of Wisconsin. MCHX Technology is subcontracting to a Milwaukee architectural company to provide MEP engineering services for the Milwaukee VA Medical Center Historic Buildings Reuse project for veterans. MCHX Technology also has current and past contracts with aviation companies to design turboprop engine recuperators for unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and small, high performance planes.
We are in desperate need of engineering software. MCHX Technology would use the funds to secure a network license in SolidWorks to perform CADD, FEA and CFD fluid simulation. MCHX Technology would also obtain a license and training in Autodesk REVIT software for MEP analysis and design optimization.
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Kyle Nyseth (Navy veteran)
Navy Paddles offers handcrafted, high quality memorabilia, paddles, plaques, coin boxes, and carriers. Products are made by a retired navy lieutenant from a combination of woods grown in Wisconsin. Serving all branches of the military, fire, and police. Our products are a very unique way to honor and recognize someone’s achievement. It is not just a plaque or card, but it is a way of display that can be presented beautifully. The piece we handcraft is an icon of teamwork.
Our first thing we would do to help grow our business would be hire additional employees for production, social media, and invoicing/QuickBooks. We would also process automation on our website to streamline more orders and business.
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Barma Malekebu (Marine Corps veteran)
Next Global Security provides security guards and patrol services for businesses and governments. We’re constantly improving our methods to provide the best cost effective security solutions. Our training methods are rigorous. As a company, we embrace technology to become more efficient at what we do. We provide specific training on defensive tactics, patrol techniques, criminal law, and customer service.
If we won the award, I would use this funding for marketing. Marketing strategies are very important. Improving our website, print advertising, and commercials would increase sales.