New Impact Offerings, Empowering South Asian Beauty, Highlights of SuperCrowdChicago, Leveraging Faith for Financial Impact, and SuperCrowd’s Impact Membership!
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InSpira Performing Arts Featured Among New Impact Offerings – July 1, 2024
Each week, Superpowers for Good shares a list of new impact-related offerings added to FINRA-Registered Crowdfunding portals and by broker-dealers. We’ll share four separate lists:
Impact offerings
Offerings with minority founders.
Deals with women founders.
Those with LGBTQ founders.
Empowering South Asian Beauty: Samreen Arshad’s Vision for Inclusivity
tl;dr:
1. Introduction and Business Overview: Samreen Arshad, the CEO and founder of SamreensVanity, discusses the inception of her luxury cosmetics line aimed at elevating South Asian representation in the beauty industry. She recognized a market gap and launched her brand during the pandemic with initial products like eyeliners and dual-ended lipsticks.
2. Product Line and Strategy: Samreen explains that her brand currently offers nine SKUs, including innovative products like dual-ended lipsticks. Starting with eyeliners to test market needs, her strategy has been to grow slowly and steadily rather than flooding the market with products. This approach has led to partnerships with QVC and potential opportunities with Costco and Shark Tank.
3. Incubator Program: Samreen is participating in the Tower 28 incubator program, which is a ten-week initiative founded by Amy Liu. The program includes classes led by industry leaders, and it concludes with the opportunity to pitch to major retailers like Sephora and Ulta.
4. Vision and Growth Plans: Samreen envisions international expansion for SamreensVanity, citing interest from regions like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. She emphasizes that her brand, which has a strong customer base and minimal returns, is poised for significant growth once it ramps up marketing efforts.
5. Wefunder Campaign and Investor Relations: To support the community-driven ethos of her brand, Samreen opted for a crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder where individuals can invest. She highlights the backing of Backstage Capital, founded by Arlan Hamilton, and encourages potential investors to participate, emphasizing the collective potential for significant returns.
Relive the Highlights of SuperCrowdChicago
SuperCrowdChicago
Last month, we hosted SuperCrowdChicago at Columbia College Chicago and streamed the event live to e360tv and elsewhere on web. In the video players below, we’ll share each of the speeches and panel discussions separately, enabling you to review the highlights of the event that interest you most.
Devin Thorpe, The Super Crowd, Inc., – Opening Remarks
Devin Thorpe, speaking at SuperCrowdChicago, emphasizes the effectiveness of regulated investment crowdfunding, particularly for women and minority founders who secure significantly more capital compared to venture capital. Noting the disproportionately low venture capital investment in women and the static nature of such metrics over a decade, Devin lauds crowdfunding as a crucial tool for social entrepreneurs and community builders. He also addresses investors, highlighting crowdfunding as a viable investment option with potential returns comparable to the stock market while urging careful and informed Investing due to inherent risks.
Dorian Dickinson, Funding Hope
At SuperCrowdChicago, Dorian, founder of Abundant Hope, emphasized how crowdfunding democratizes capital, enabling diverse investors to support innovative projects, especially in disadvantaged communities. He highlighted the benefits of crowdfunding, such as increased Employment, economic growth, and community development. Dorian stressed the importance of investor engagement, transparency, and regulatory compliance. He also noted advancements like blockchain and AI in enhancing crowdfunding efficiency. Dorian called for collective action to harness crowdfunding’s potential for significant social and environmental impact.
Leveraging Faith for Financial Impact: A Conversation with Tom Bassford
tl;dr:
1. Tom Bassford, CEO and founder of EquityVest, discussed the platform’s mission to mobilize the faith-based community to invest in businesses that promote social good, create sustainable solutions, and lift people out of poverty.
2. EquityVest operates without a strict religious or business-type vetting process, allowing companies to highlight their faith-driven motivations and social impact goals to attract like-minded investors.
3. Bassford shared examples of current offerings on EquityVest, including a ridesharing alternative focused on driver welfare, a faith-based organization creating affordable housing on church land, and a Streaming service for the deaf community.
4. EquityVest is unique in being owned by a not-for-profit, with start-up costs covered by program-related investments and donor-advised funds aimed at creating an economic engine for launching businesses without ongoing charitable support.
5. The platform encourages the faith-based community to integrate tangible actions with spiritual beliefs, promoting the idea that addressing physical and emotional needs is as important as the faith-driven message of salvation.
Unlock Exclusive Benefits with the SuperCrowd’s Impact Membership!
We are thrilled to have you as part of our Superpowers for Good community, where we explore the world of impact investing and highlight the changemakers making a difference. Today, we’re excited to introduce you to an opportunity to take your engagement with the SuperCrowd to the next level!
By upgrading to our $5.95 per month paid subscription, you become an esteemed “Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.” This exclusive membership opens the door to a range of benefits designed to enhance your impact investing journey:
1. Join the Impact Cherub Club:
As an Impact Member, you’ll be eligible to join our Impact Cherub Club, a dedicated group of small angel investors focused on making a difference through regulated investment crowdfunding. Collaborate with like-minded individuals passionate about driving positive social change.
Upcoming SuperCrowd Event Calendar
If a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.
SuperCrowdHour, July 17, 2024, at 1:00 Eastern. Each month, we host a value-laden webinar for aspiring impact investors or social entrepreneurs. At this month’s webinar, Pooja Mehta, crowdfund investor and advisor to entrepreneurs, will join us to share her dual perspectives.
Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on July 16, 2024, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, you must first become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.
Recently, we created an AI GPT to help you learn more about The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, and our upcoming events. Click here to try it.
SuperCrowd Community Event Calendar
Successful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET – Click on Events
How Small Businesses Can Raise Capital from the Crowd, Thursday, July 11, 1 – 2 pm ET: Explore transforming your community connections into capital to start or grow a small business through regulated investment crowdfunding. Learn more about how this type of crowdfunding works and the benefits and challenges of raising capital from the crowd. About our Presenter: Author and journalist Devin Thorpe has over 25 years in Finance and a rich background as a former CFO and investment banking firm founder. He’s also a champion for social good, publishing his Superpowers for Good newsletter and show.
Community Capital Live: Lisa Nutter of Community Impact Investments – Virtual Event: July 17, at 2 pm ET
Crowdfunding Professional Association, Summit in DC, October 22-23
Asheville Neighborhood Economics, November 12-13.
If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 7,000+ members of the SuperCrowd, click here.