Success Stories

Startup Incubation Success Stories

Below are a selection of case studies from HBICHQ Startup Incubation Grant Recipients.

MINDFUL CLEANERS

This HBIC is a single mom from Concord, NH and a graduate of our Pave the Path to Success program.

A former foster youth, she was “in the system” since childhood and wanted a better future for herself and for her preteen child. 

Her goal was to provide an income opportunity where she could make her own hours, the more she works the more she earns. She also wanted to provide work experience for her child and other local teens as a way to promote responsibility and to keep them off the streets.

She applied for the Incubation grant program with a business plan and a personal video presentation. She was awarded a grant, leading to the creation of her natural homecare startup.

She was guided through the training process and participated in a suggested admin automation course extension to help her successfully run her company.

By the time she had completed the training process she had established her brand and created a simple and effective website where clients can easily book services online.  

L’APOTHICAIRE UNIQUE

This HBIC has a passion for healing and is a professional Reiki master. By the time she attended her first HBICHQ workshop she was trying to heal herself from an abusive relationship. She earned her Reiki certification in the hopes that she could use what she went through in order to help others who had gone through similar situations.

Thanks to our programs she was inspired to expand upon her passion and ended up creating a business selling handcrafted soothing skincare products that she had originally formulated for mother who was battling cancer at the time and couldn’t tolerate certain soaps or fragrances.

After participating in the Pave the Path to Success program she applied for the incubation grant program and was approved. The incubation program guided her through the entire process of creating her organic skincare and cosmetics business. In the end she established a new online store along with a kickoff plan and a promotional marketing strategy.

PIN UP BOOT CAMP

One of the creators and authors of the Pin Up Boot Camp was a graduate of the Pave the Path to Success and used what she learned to create her own workshops for women who where putting themselves out there as performers, to promote empowerment and safety.

The authors book began their journey with live workshops teaching pin up models and burlesque performers how to get into the business safely, manage their time and resources, overcome body-image issues, and understand the tax and financial basics for running a business.

They applied for an incubation grant and were awarded a grant to help them self-publish their book. The HBICHQ incubation program helped them build their personal brands and create a community around the principles of their book, including a launch program and engagement strategies. Now their readers have a platform to connect and support each other during their boot camp workshops.

Their book helped to create a movement, connecting women in a vulnerable industry, and empowering individual expression while promoting personal leadership.

CURIOUSER CATERING

This HBIC has a love of cooking and wanted start a food business but she didn’t know where to begin. She attended a Circle Challenge about creative business creation, and then she got to work. At first she wasn’t sure exactly which direction she wanted to go and was overwhelmed with the choices; since she had never created a business before she was lacking confidence and know-how. After the Circle, she had a brand new business plan in hand. That’s when she realized her dream could become a reality.

After completing the Pave the Path to Success program she submitted her incubation application, which included her new business plan. Once she was awared the grant, she was guided and supported every step of the way along the incubation training process.

At the end of this process, she created a launch event and corresponding marketing plan to help her get the word out and start building her income potential doing what she loves. Thanks to the HBICHQ Startup Incubation Grant, she was able to create a solid foundation to run a successful business and provide a better future for herself and her little boy.

BEYOND EXPERIENTIAL

This HBIC found us through our Mentorship Program as a Certified Mentor. Though her business was already established, she wanted to expand so she could bring on a staff and provide employment within her community.

She has an established experiential marketing company that she created with her business partner. Together they produced marketing tour for the likes of Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville products, Starbucks VIA, Cartoon Network, and more. 

After applying for the incubator grant with her new plan for business expansion she was awarded incubation training to help get her startup well underway.

During the incubation training she was guided through the basics of hiring and payroll to allow her business to hire special-events producers, brand ambassadors, fabricators, and event designers. Due to this pivot she was able to provide for herself and for her employees.

HON STUDIOS

HON Studios was created by a group of three women who are members of the HBICHQ community. After participating in a Circle Challenge in the same learning cohort, they decided to combine their hustles and create a business they each could run while taking care of their individual families. 

Each of the founders completed the Pave the Path to Success program and they collectively applied to the startup incubator program together. After the program was completed they were able to start their multi-media business and generate income for all three founders.

2 of the 3 founders were single moms who were raising multiple children by themselves and the idea of starting a business on their own seemed unreachable. HBICHQ values community, such as with our Mentorship program and our Circle Challenges. Bringing these three together was a life-changing event that has helped each and every one of them as individuals and as a community.

In the end, by combining their ideas, they were able to balance running their business while raising their families and building an independent future for each individual.