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Impact Collective
Student business

Build. Earn. Lend.

Every real business starts the same way: someone noticed a problem and decided to do something about it. Here's how to go from idea to first sale.

Launch your Business using our playbook.

Playbook

Part 1 - Launch

spot the gap

Find a Need

What frustrates people around you? What's missing at school, in your neighborhood, or in your community? That's your starting point.

product or service?

Choose your model

Products = something you make or sell. Services = something you do. Services are usually cheaper to start — no inventory needed.

know your customer

Who is it for?

Get specific. "Everyone" is not a customer. Is it students? Parents? Local businesses? The narrower you go, the easier it is to sell.

Part 2 - Set up the Basics

Pricing

Cover your costs, add a margin. If people say it's too expensive without hesitation, it's probably priced right.

Roles

Assign a sales lead, finance lead, and ops lead early. Confusion costs money.

Track

Track every dollar from day one. A simple spreadsheet beats forgetting where the money went.

Part 3 - Scale

Community Events

Frozen treat stands, cultural nights, campus walkathons. Fun, visible, and easy to repeat

Sponsorships

Local businesses, Kiva Days with food trucks, matched donations from school foundations.

Online Campaigns

Monthly giving challenges, impact posts, alumni outreach via email or LinkedIn.

Frostbite's Frozen Ice - A Case Study

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Build

Identify a need. Deliver the solution. Create the desire