Walk the Dream is a 4700 mile odyssey designed to raise awareness, funds and celebrate small business innovation and entrepreneurialism in the United States. Our plan is to walk 4700 miles in 180 days or roughly a marathon (26.1 vs 26.2 miles) every day.
Our journey is a "Walk-U-Mentary" where we'll travel from Atlanta, GA to Boston, MA; from Cleveland, OH to Minneapolis, MN; from Seattle, WA to San Diego, CA; from Los Angeles, CA to Las Vegas, NV and Dallas, TX back to Atlanta, GA.
Our start date is slated for June19th, 2011 and is targeted to end on December 15th, 2011 or 180 days!
Along the way, we'll chronicle and share stories about small business owners who are making a difference in their communities as well as their industry. We'll post their stories on our blog, YouTube, Tweet about them, post about them on Facebook and LinkedIn and talk about them to media outlets tracking our journey.
Walk the Dream is promotional, marketing and celebratory journey supporting The Seed Fund Organization, LLC. An organization consisting of business volunteers who believe the best way to help oneself is by helping others first. The first Seed Fund Group was named the Atlanta Seed Fund on LinkedIn and created by Pete Boehm, a serial entrepreneur who understands firsthand the challenges, heartache and exhilaration associated with starting one's own business. We also understand how critical it is to be involved in a supportive business community to help all those starting a local business succeed.
ALL BOATS RISE WITH THE TIDE!
Our vision is to open seed funds in select cities throughout the United States; grant them $500,000 and empower them to change their community by investing seed capital in between 10 to 15 local startups PLUS provide them with guidance, mentorship, oversight and general help; to give them the best chance to be successful. Companies supported by The Seed Fund Organization, LLC will sign a contract and be required to:
- Hire locally in their community
- Agree to stay in their current location at least 5 years post funding (and support)
- Generate taxable revenues
· If and once successful, to reinvest profits into their local community seed fund to continue a "viral" and vibrant local business community; to embrace the notion that a healthy business community helps everyone; to evangelize the idea that charity and support truly begins at home.
OUR STRETCH GOAL IS TO RAISE $5 MILLION DOLLARS IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH 10 SEED FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
· The first seed fund will be established in Atlanta, GA with another one to be established in the Detroit / Flint Michigan area.
· Eight other seed funds will be started through submissions by motivated business people sending a business plan to The Seed Fund Organization, LLC showcasing how they will manage a volunteer network of business people in their community and how they will support the successful launch of 10 - 15 businesses in their local community.
PLEASE HELP AND SUPPORT US BY PROMOTING THE WALK THE DREAM FOR SMALL BUSINESS PAGE ON FACEBOOK; FOLLOWING WALK THE DREAM ON TWITTER AND MAKING A DONATION TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT ON WWW.WALKTHEDREAM.COM.
As of Jan 31, 2011, we are currently seeking 10 corporate sponsors willing to participate in our sponsorship program at a monthly rate of $2,500 for six (6) months or $15,000 in exchange for promotional marketing through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, WalktheDream.com and other media outlets profiling this worthy and worthwhile cause.
In addition, we are seeking product and service corporate sponsors offering goods and services in the following areas:
1. RV rental for 6 months (for example Winnebago)
2. $5,000 Gas Card (for example Shell, BP, Citgo, etc.)
3. 120 nights free lodging (two rooms) at a national Hotel Chain / Lodging (for example Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn, Courtyard by Marriott)
4. National Food Chain / Franchise (Subway, Chili's, Applebees, Wendy's, etc.)
5. An Airline Partner willing to provide 24 free round trip tickets between any city in the contiguous 48 States (for example Delta, Airtran, American Airlines, etc.)
6. Apparel and Footwear (Nike, Reebok, New Balance, etc.)
7. Technology and Communication; Notepads (2), Mobile Phones and Service (2), Internet Access and Aircard (2), Notebook Computer (1), Satellite Dish and mobile receiver (1)
8. Portable gym equipment and weights small enough to fit on an RV
9. Promotional Product Supplier(logo T-shirts, Mugs, Totes and Backpacks, etc.)
10. Fitness Bars, Nutritional Supplements for example Muscle Milk, EAS, etc. enough for 4 servings for 180 days (retail partner such as GNC would work)
11. Water and Beverage (Powerade, Zephyrhills, Coca Cola, etc.)
We will also need a Web designer to help with Website updates; a Video Producer / Editor to help edit raw footage from the field and post on YouTube and a Marketing Communications person to reach out to media outlets in cities where the Dream Walker will be traveling.
"The Journey of a Lifetime begins with ONE SMALL STEP!!"
