Today, over 90 percent of start-up companies are self funded. Self-funding, also known as bootstrapping, is advantageous because owners do not have to give up any equity or control of their business. Angela T. Jones is one of the many entrepreneurs to fund their companies this way. Jones, the founder and CEO of Super Woman Production and Publishing established the company with the paychecks from her corporate job. To avoid running out of money, she kept overhead costs low by doing a lot of the work herself. Funding remains a top priority for companies throughout the development of a company because it is essential to stay in business.
Funding continues to challenge Jones, but since her company’s launch in 2008 she has grown as a businesswoman and developed skills to tackle the problem. She has learned to negotiate and build mutually beneficial relationships with business owners in assorted industries to obtain funds to keep her company thriving. Jones was inspired to found Super Woman Production and Publishing after researching how to publish a book without losing creative control. She realized that developing a company would be more beneficial because of the long term opportunity it presented. Becoming a business owner has proven to be exhilarating and fulfilling for Jones despite of the constant challenges.
Jones is also a motivational speaker, movie producer, blogger, radio show host and contributing writer. She released her first book, Breaking Through the Black Ceiling in July through her company. The book provides a consumer’s and business owner’s perspective on the importance of supporting black owned businesses and what is required to create a positive experience with these businesses. The book is dedicated to the memory of Mark England, a fashion designer and businessman, who was Angela’s friend, stylist and mentor. He passed away from lymphoma on January 19, 2014. A portion of the book’s proceeds were donated to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit to help fund cancer research.
Super Woman Production and Publishing is also reaching out to the public with events to make their presence known. It is the first company to host an official International Women’s Day event in Detroit, Michigan. It was also the first event of its kind in Michigan. It hosted the inaugural “I Feel Good Mind, Body and Soul Conference” last year to educate young women on health issues, self worth and other important lessons. A second event was held on August 16, 2014. This year, the event covered the same topics and included an additional lecture on the importance of practicing proper etiquette on social media networks and the impact it can have on their future. Bringing the company into a positive community spotlight will also attract investors.
The hardest part of starting a business is finding a source of money. As Jones demonstrated, bootstrapping has its benefits and can help your company take off. It is a good way for less experienced entrepreneurs to start a business until they develop the skills needed to win over new investors and funding sources.
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