Ask, and Ye Shall Receive
The hard truth is, we mess up…often. Yet every once in a while we get it right, too. The same youthful inexperience that precipitates these errors, also leads to stunning breakthroughs of originality. Thursdays are dedicated to true stories from my own experience and from the experience of people I know. These stories are about successful experiments, lucky innovations, and happy coincidences.
Our current, not-for-profit school has been an eye opening experience for me. Before starting here I participated in the raise and fall of one standard company and assisted or advised the start-up and reorganization of a handful of others. I was brought in precisely because of the experience I had to offer. My partner is a retired schoolteacher with 38 years of educational experience and not even one day’s experience with business. I cannot even begin to guess whether I have taught her more about running a business or vise-versa.
After purchasing the land upon which to build the music school, we built a “Pan-Yard” in which to house the instruments. We based the yard’s construction on the standard pattern of such structures used both on the island of Trinidad and on neighboring Caribbean islands. Specifically, the structure consists of tight-spaced storage room backing a large, wall-less space under a high tin roof. Steel pan bands traditionally play on packed dirt floors in the open air, retaining a roof only to keep the tropical rain or the hot sun from ruining the instruments.
I do not know if any of you have ever been to a tropical island, but there are a lot of bugs. The students and teachers were beset on all sides by biting insects the day we opened. The lack of walls combined with the relatively “dead-air” space under the roof to result in a kind of insect Sargasso, attracting and trapping the little bloodsuckers in swarms.
This flaw was only discovered on opening day, by which time our startup budget had been thoroughly spent. Our operating capital and “cushion” were far from sufficient for anything so massive as building walls or a floor onto our pan yard, so things looked desperate. My partner shrugged lightly and said, “I’ll just ask for some help.”
I was baffled. “Ask whom?”
“Everyone.”
She proceeded to do just that. Social and gregarious, she had already formed at least a nodding acquaintanceship with most of the wealthy ex-pats on our small island. She went to them. As a non-profit school providing free education to local children, we had already been well received as an asset to the community. Once she positioned herself carefully, explaining the nature of the problem, the expense of the solution, and promising public appreciation for potential donors the money came flowing in. In 100 to 300 dollar blocks the local real estate agents and retirees gladly gave in support of our desperate need for walls. Our architect worked nearly for free. We paid less than wholesale for the gravel, sand, cement, and cinderblocks.
Add the donations and the support to a handful of well-positioned fund-raising gigs and we managed to gather perhaps 7,000 dollars in cash, discounts, and assistance in just over a month. The walls were up and a gravel floor was laid within 6 weeks.
I never would have thought of asking.
This entry may seem to only be applicable to non-profit start-ups, but I doubt it. Remember that even lose acquaintances and nodding friends are likely to be excited about and supportive of your venture. It may be a little hard on the pride, but when things go wrong do not be afraid to ask for some help. Explain the purpose of the donation, offer some positive press to the donor, and ask. The worst that they can do is say “no”.
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