On International Women’s Day, Jolanda Slagmolen-Flores was awarded second place in ATB’s inaugural Build Her Business competition, a province-wide crowdfunding campaign for women entrepreneurs. As a Calgary Chamber Ignite participant, Jolanda gained the tools and skills necessary to accelerate her innovative idea into the record-breaking crowdfunding venture and brand it is today.
The Idea was Simple: Custom Cabinetry, at an Affordable Price
For the past 13 years, Jolanda has built a reputation for creating breathtaking custom cabinetry designs, as the co-owner of Casa Flores Cabinetry. However, she realized that no cabinetry solution combined the positive buying experience of custom with the affordability of stock. By simplifying the design, materials and construction, Jolanda made custom cabinetry affordable with her new brand, Sencillo Cabinets.
Record-Breaking Crowdfunding Results
On February 1st, Jolanda, along with 21 other women entrepreneurs from across Alberta, launched her campaign. She had hoped to raise $7000 for her new brand, Sencillo Cabinets. Supporters contributed in exchange for rewards, and by February 14th the campaign had already reached $17,000. Encouraged, Jolanda set her sights higher, declaring a stretch goal of $25,000.
“I set what I thought was a reasonable and achievable funding goal that would help me scale my business, but the interest was beyond expectations,” says Jolanda.
When the campaign wrapped on February 28, Jolanda had raised a total of $66,611 for Sencillo Cabinets, 952% of her original funding goal, earning her second place in the competition and two ATB BoostR records:
1. Highest funds ever raised
2. Highest percentage over anticipated funding
An “Overnight Success,” Accelerated by Calgary Chamber’s Ignite Program
From the outside looking in, it’s fair to assume that Sencillo Cabinets evolved from an innovative idea - making custom cabinetry affordable - to a successful, record-breaking BoostR campaign in just 28 days. What people don’t see are the days, weeks, and months Jolanda spent testing and refining her strategy as she grew her skills in the Ignite Accelerator program, prior to the launch.
“Before Sencillo became a reality, a lot of careful consideration and hard work went into researching and planning my next move,” explains Jolanda. “The Ignite program gave me the guidance and confidence I needed to take my business to the next level. I’m truly grateful for the overwhelming support I received as I prepared to expand and grow.”
To book a consultation or to learn more about Sencillo Cabinets, contact us today.
P: (403) 255-8234
E: info@sencillocabinets.ca