Hey there!
I have fallen behind on my weekly updates. Partly because there hasn't really been much to update you on, and partly because I have been trying to figure out the best way to share this message. I do best in one-on-one conversations, so I figured that the only way to share what has been on my heart, is for us to just have a chat about it. So if you've got a few minutes, can I share something with you?
(you can watch the video or read the post below)
So here's the thing, funding a small business is incredibly challenging. I thought I had this planned out, and I felt confident that we would be able to make a smooth transition from our Seattle location to our new one in Kirkland. Well... the same day that our lease was officially signed by our new landlord was the same day that life started throwing some pretty intense curveballs.
We have navigated one challenge after another, and my amazing team keeps showing up and serving you to the best of their ability. The challenges have caused some significant delays in our process, a rocky transition that has been incredibly disruptive to our operations, and a funding situation that feels nearly impossible. I'm still reeling and trying to figure out how best to piece things together, because you know what? We've got work to do!
We have so many exciting things planned for our Scoop Community!
- A full-service, package-free grocery store with a streamlined scale system and a wide variety of fresh and dry foods.
- Setting new sustainability goals and sharing our progress with you. You can view our first sustainability report here. This is our jumping off point and we are excited to track our progress and find innovative ways to make improvements!
- New education opportunities including a podcast, social media and blog posts by our incredible team, and new digital courses for eco citiziens and ecopreneurs from Scoop Intelligence!
- A food equity program to find new ways to provide equitable access to high quality foods while supporting local farmers and other local food programs.
- And so much more!
The list goes on and on. Our intention is to be a beneficial presence in the world and there is nothing more important to us than having a positive impact around the globe, in our community, and for every individual who we have the opportunity to serve.
What is really holding us back right now, is securing the funding that we need to build our kitchen. We will not be able to sell bulk food until we have the fully permitted kitchen ready to go, and as many of our community members are waiting to shop with us until that point in time, it is making it really tricky to navigate this transition. The kitchen is the key to moving forward and being able to offer significant value to our community.
Our concept has been so well received. We know that this business model works and is desired by many. Thank you for your enthusiastic and welcoming response! We regularly hear things like:
This is so needed! Thank you for doing this!
I had no idea we had something like that here! I can't wait to check it out!
I wish I had a store like that in my neighborhood!
Will you open one near me??
So we KNOW how important this is. And here's the thing, each of us needs to take action when it comes to building the world that we want to live in.
I teach ecopreneurs how to open stores just like Scoop Marketplace all around the country (we even have a few students from the other side of the globe!). The one thing that I can't figure out how to help them with is how to get their businesses funded. We've tried everything - pitch competitions, grants, loans, crowdfunding, leveraging credit, dipping into personal savings and 401Ks - but the risk and the burden are often too great for one person to bear, and that's why so many small businesses fail before they've even had a chance to have an impact.
People are asking for these stores, and there are dozens, possibly hundreds, who knows, maybe even thousands of ecopreneurs dreaming of opening a zero waste store. They are ready, they are waiting, they are excited, but they don't have the tools that they need to move forward.
I have all of the vision, creativity, ambition and innovation that I need to serve this community in a big and beautiful way, I just need a little help kick starting the ignition on this dream building machine.
Will you help me? It takes a village of conscious consumers with hope for the future to build something like this, and if everyone can just chip in $10, $35, or even $500, we can have this thing built in no time.
Visit our crowdfunding campaign right now and give whatever amount you feel is the right investment for you.
I can promise that as part of the Scoop Community, you will definitely see a return on your investment just by experiencing our growth and having the opportunity to shop at an eco conscious store where all of the products are thoroughly researched for you. However, as my way of saying "thank you" for your contribution, I have set up a couple of reward options on the campaign that you can enjoy the benefits of immediately! If you purchase one of our memberships, you will receive a discount on all of your Scoop purchases (in store or online) for a full year, along with several other fun perks!
If you don't feel like you can contribute to the campaign today, please consider sharing it with your community, and keep us in mind for the next time that you need to purchase anything to support your sustainable lifestyle. We offer in-store pick-up, delivery, and carbon neutral shipping and our online shop is always open for you! You can also visit us in-store to check out our temporary set-up and refill your household and personal care items. Check our website for the current schedule.
Thank you so much for being a part of this community. Your unconditional support and encouragement are appreciated more than you know!
All my best,
Stephanie