Field Study LLC

PROJECT PURPOSE

Our project is to expand a woman-led small handmade clothing business by moving into a larger retail space, adding a production workshop, and employing 6 people. The goal is to build the workforce and contribute to retail and tourism commerce in Oklahoma City. With the proposed expansion, our plan is to train and employ traditionally difficult to employ people and Afghan refugees, teaching them valuable skills in assembling and sewing clothing. Additionally, we will contribute to and become a leader in the growing handmade and artist community in Oklahoma City by being the city?s only handmade clothing manufacturing facility and clothing store. We are currently located in a Qualified Census Tract, and will keep this retail location, plus add a production facility in a QCT area. During September of 2020, I was laid off from my job at an oil company due to depressed oil prices during the pandemic. I struggled to find another position, so I decided to start my own business. Currently, OKC does not have any business in this category and while the business struggled because of the decline in brick-and-mortar retail spending, I am excited to contribute more to the retail and tourism economy in OKC.

EVIDENCE

None

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

With the additional funds, we will be able to expand our handmade clothing business and add to Oklahoma?s economic diversification. We will add 2 to 4 part-time sewists from underrepresented and underemployed communities, including women, low-income, African American, and Latino communities as well as Afghan refugees. The reasoning behind this target workforce development is to provide a stable, high-paying job, that is flexible for working mothers and families. We will offer sick leave and eventually, our goal is to provide healthcare. These communities were impacted by the pandemic disproportionately because of exposure to unsafe working conditions, inflexible work schedules, and inability to take time off for sickness, to get tested, to get vaccinated, etc. Additionally, our goal is to provide a new and valuable skill to these workers. This mission has the added benefit that it shortens the labor clothing supply chain, bringing the ability to manufacture high-quality hand-made garments to OKC and offers ethical, sustainable clothing to the OKC market.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

We have created a detailed year-by-year budget with revenue projections. Our yearly goals are clearly outlined in our budget and we will create quarterly reports and revenue statements showing how we are using the funds and the progress made on meeting other performance measures such as hiring underserved communities. Since our business has been open 1.5 years, we have revenue and sales tax figures that we will compare to post-project completion numbers to show progress on our goals as stated in this application and our detailed budget. We will utilize a private business loan to fund the $85,000 expansion costs.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma