Our Approach

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Empowering the unhoused with tools of entrepreneurship. 

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Wait! If you think about it or if you have met someone that is facing homelessness, they will tell you that they have already experimented with several ventures if not at least one in order to make some money.

 

"Entrepreneurship is rampant in this community" is one of the recurring quotes that reverberated during one of my workshops at Destiny Family Church and Shelter.

 

Why not grow those skills and help people make a sustainable source of income?

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As our governments, churches, and nonprofits are investing resources on food and shelter, which are very much needed, spending a tiny amount on equipment to start a business will provide a potentially permanent solution to exit their state of homelessness along with providing dignity and hope.

 

"Furthering the old adage teaching a person to fish, NANO empowers one to own a pond" by Reverend Stephen Boda, Hope Education for the homeless.

 

We use a three-prong approach:

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1. Business incubators established at shelters- work with dedicated case managers, career development, or economic empowerment specialists at shelters to engage residents who have a dream to start a business. They will have the opportunity to go through our NANO entrepreneurship workshop. 

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NANO Incubator includes 6 total sessions- online via zoom or pre-recorded videos. One session every 2 weeks, equipment delivered after the second session. Session 3-6 includes a follow-up at every session and personalized mentoring addition to focusing on a topic.

 

An additional goal is to pair with mentors from local businesses.

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• Session one- What are your dreams? - Entrepreneurship worksheet and Business executive summary.

• Session Two- What are your goals with business? - Inventory of seed equipment

• Session Three-Branding: Creating your own brand, Website and LLC set up

• Session Four-Marketing: Working for your dedicated customers and plan to grow them

• Session Five- Accounting 

• Session Six- saving and building credit- Expanding the business

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2.Work with local small businesses and corporations to assist in mentoring the entrepreneur in their journey until they become successful. Our country is home to 30.2 million small businesses.  Imagine if every business was to mentor one unhoused entrepreneur, we could potentially end homelessness not only in our country but also across the world.

 

3. Fundraising and helping with the initial seed equipment to start their venture.

Entrepreneurs who are able to complete the first two sessions of the NANO workshop either online, at their shelter, or via Zoom and submit their entrepreneurship worksheet, business executive summary, and an inventory of their equipment will be delivered the equipment needed for their business.