MOORHEAD — A new grant is helping young entrepreneurs in our region turn their ideas into reality.
Starting next school year, Concordia University students will be able to apply for grants estimated at up to $3,000 to start or grow a business.
Concordia senior Frederick Robin started his business, Studio FSR, in 2016 while still in high school.
It started by selling bar soap for people like his family with sensitive skin, but it has since grown into a much larger business.
“Today we’re really focused on candles, especially scented ones, but candles are our focus. Then we have toiletries like shower gels and lotions, and then we have perfumes, and we’re also working on room sprays. It’s going to happen.’ Wax melts and a lot of other things happen,” Robin said.
Through inventory management and homework management at Concordia, Robin has continued to grow the business, and products are now sold in 120 retail stores nationwide, including local boutiques. He also sells his products online through his store, studiofsr.com.
He graduates next weekend, and the new Covatunity Fund could have helped him grow even faster.
“We probably would have spent it on marketing and further research. Otherwise, you know, we’ve been debt-free all this time, so we just have the funds to one day buy a bunch of boxes at a really low unit price.” ”’ Robin said.
The fund was established with a $75,000 investment from the Student Government Association’s SPIF Fund.
“This will actually be run by a student organization called the Shale Investment Fund, so they currently have a bond portfolio, and that appreciation will be given to student entrepreneurs across campus.” said Kevin Ness, student body president of entrepreneurship. Concordia club.
It is estimated that the fund could award up to $3,000 in total annually to students who have a business plan and successfully apply online, based on the income their portfolio generates.
We hope this boost will be the catalyst for the next big success in our region.
“All the big companies in this region started small, so you never know when or where the next Great Plains Software in this region will come from,” Ness said.
Interested students can find more information or apply at www.concordiacollege.edu/academics/programs-of-study/offutt-school-of-business/cobbertunity/.
