After I got canned from my job, I started up a business. It’s like if Lynda.com had a baby with Etsy. The goal is to create a place where people can come in through discussion boards and create businesses around teaching others about their area of expertise.
It’s all in its infancy, and it starts with courses on yoga because that is my interest and area of expertise. I’m hoping to grow it fairly quickly - I have a great web person on board.
I created a yoga video and the footage is all shot, and much of it is edited. The loan helps me to finish up the editing and other aspects of promotion and to promote the course.
If you haven’t used Kiva before, it’s a microloan platform. This is not a GoFundMe or KickStarter - you will get the funds back WITH INTEREST.
I have already had 6 lenders get in on this deal, so I just need 13 more before they will open up the loan to the entire Kiva platform. Right now it’s in its private funding period.
I’m excited that it’s already gotten so far. I’d love to have you as an investor!
Everything I saw on that site indicates that the lenders don’t get the interest, nor does the website. It seems as though the middle-men and facilitators get the interest.
Do Kiva and/or Kiva lenders receive interest on Kiva loans?
Kiva never collects interest on loans and individual Kiva lenders do not receive interest from loans they support on Kiva.
Field Partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many expenses associated with providing small loans in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva’s Field Partners also provide additional services with loans, including training, financial literacy classes or health services.
Thank you. I did not realize that lenders do not get interest. I updated my post.
The site is funded through donations that they solicit when lenders loan, as well as through interest they receive from their lending partners.
Chattanooga is a Kiva city, so we go directly through Kiva. My loan is certified by Co.Lab, one of the business incubators here. I worked with the rep here to get my loan approved through Kiva; the certification shows that the Co.Lab supports me to make my business successful.
Do you have other places where you are asking people to participate? Because expecting us here to chip in $4900 in 8 days is kind of a tall order. What contingency plans have you made in the event that you don’t make your goal?
Yes! All over my social media, my business consulting clients, my mailing list, it’s being pushed by the CoLab business incubator in Chattanooga, I asked them to send an appeal to my grad school - and we are praying Kiva will push it in the final days on their platform.
Contingency plan is hustle. I booked 3 new clients today and have 1evaluation call planned, 1 strong referral, and a fistful of cards of strong connections. I’m not even really set up in my new office yet!!!
I have 13 hours to raise $4650 - or rather $2325 because everything is getting doubled.
Please kick in some $$ if you have it to spare. I would really appreciate it.
This is actually my plan to get through the startup phase of my business. I’m not 100% sure how I make rent next month if I can’t get this loan. I have a couple of weeks to figure it out, so I’ll land on my feet, but this is the reality of what this loan means to me right now.
I have spent all day preparing my new yoga/video studio for an open house tomorrow. I canvased my whole building handing out flyers. I posted them up on the street and in my building. I am drop dead tired and I still have stuff to do to get ready for tomorrow. And somehow I need to get this Kiva funded, too.
Starting up a business is so much work, but this has been my dream for so long.
Thank you in advance for lending whatever you can. Remember - it’s a loan! The funds come back to you.
I had a lot of people loan to me last night, but for some reason the loan ended at 9 am this morning. It was a terrible time to try to rally people. And I didn’t know until the loan was ending exactly what time it would end, so I couldn’t prepare for that.
Anyway, I learned a lot from trying this. One is that I love you all. I appreciate all the support.
The second is that the idea I’ve had in mind to build a social media site around the Discourse technology + a online store for digital products like online courses is a strong one. People saw and understood the Kiva concept so much more here than my friends on Facebook - and I was posting every single day to the point of being obnoxious.
I’m not 100% how I’m getting through the next week or two, but fortunately my unemployment will kick in soon, and I will start hustling up business - hopefully will make enough to pay my rent. Starting a new business is hard, but it’s not as hard as going into work every day feeling bored and out of control.
It was a hard day.