27. Monica Meldrum, Whole Kids // How To Grow A Business In A Recession With A Million Dollar Equity Crowdfund

Do you think it's possible to change the world while also making a profit? Monica Meldrum, Founder and CEO of Whole Kids, knows exactly how to make that happen. Whole Kids' products are available in over 3000 stores across Australia, and the business was not just named in Westpac's Top 20 Businesses Of Tomorrow in 2018, but also Organic Business Of The Year in 2019. Monica's vision for the business has always been to create a healthy, happy world for kids and families, and despite being affected by COVID-19, she was not going to not let that impact the business' future growth plans. So how is the business accelerating their growth? Monica and the Whole Kids team just launched a 7-figure equity crowdfunding campaign, and they've already raised more than $420,000 from people who love and believe in the business' vision. How's she made that happen? In this episode of The Make It Happen Show, we dive right into the world of equity crowdfunding. From what it is, to how you can make it work for your business, and everything that goes into setting a campaign up for incredible success, Monica shares her been-there, doing-that experience with us, and all the lessons she's learning along the way. This is an eye-opening look into the world of equity crowdfunding, and regardless of whether you've considered it for your business or not, it's an absolute must-listen! Here's what Monica covers in this episode of The Make It Happen Show, in some more detail: [1:54] Monica shares how Whole Kids was named Westpac’s Top 20 Businesses Of Tomorrow [4:16] The social change and impact Whole Kids has been making in their community [5:25] How an equity crowdfunding campaign became Whole Kids’ smart move towards expansion and growth [7:56] What to consider before attempting an equity crowdfund [9:23] Attraction strategies to get people to pay attention to your crowdfunding campaign [12:08] How Whole Kids garnered hundreds of investors in just a few months [13:18] Value-driven incentives to offer your customers when investing in your business [15:50] Why you should consider a crowdfunding campaign for your business [16:31] The best steps to take to start a crowdfunding campaign [21:19] Whole Kids' surprising response to the COVID-19 crisis [23:10] What’s next for Whole Kids [24:26] Why hiring people with been-there-done-that experience will benefit your company [28:30] How to find your true passion in life [29:18] The one thing to do to make real change in the world