I applied for a business grant. And guess what? I didn’t get it but I did learn two valuable lessons.
- There is REAL free money out there: When you start a business on your own, with just an idea and no funds/sponsors, it’s hard! Getting free money to grow your business is beautiful. There are grants on several levels and my advice to any small business is to apply for them all. Here are some grants that you can vet: https://www.comcastrise.com/ ; https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/small-business/small-business-grants
- I was able to strengthen my vision & mission: I thought I had my business figured out because I wrote a business plan. Once I started writing my grant proposal though, I realized areas of strength & weakness. I reflected on my business practices - what I needed to keep vs. what I needed to cut. Afterwards, I was able to fine tune my original business plan and steps closer to realizing my vision and achieving my mission. Here are some small business best practices resources: https://www.smewealthbuilder.com/insights/business-growth-strategy/10-best-practices-to-grow-your-small-business/ ; https://www.business.com/articles/smb-seo-best-practices/
So once upon a time, I applied for a business grant that I didn’t get it. However, the lessons I learned through the process are priceless. Every failure is is a lesson learned. So while my business is not where it needs to be right now, I know that it will be.