Bob Dalton, founder of Sackcloth & Ashes, was inspired to create his business with the broad mission of addressing homelessness after his mother went unhoused for a period. When Bob considered how he could make a difference, he found every shelter needed blankets, so he came up with a business that uses a one-for-one model. For every blanket purchased from Sackcloth & Ashes, the company donates another to a local homeless shelter. Through this unique approach, Bob created a thriving business that’s helping shelters around the US.
A personal connection to a cause
Bob did not set out to start a company. His mother’s unexpected struggle with homelessness acted as sri lanka phone number library the catalyst for his commitment to making a difference through his entrepreneurship, fundamentally altering his perspective. Bob explains, “When it hit that close to home, it completely changed my understanding of why people could end up on the street.”
The local impact
Bob implemented a one-for-one donation model because he liked its simplicity, And because customers could see the impact they made. He felt this contrasted with similar social missions of peer companies that, at best, were a drop in a bucket in terms of impact and; at worst,
Group behind a table full of blankets
Sackcloth & Ashes organizes “blanket drops” at local shelters, so customers or other companies can get the in-person experience of donating in their community. Sackcloth & Ashes
He also modified donations based on feedback. Bob found shelters fleece blankets, instead of the india number list wool blankets he sold to consumers. Fleece blankets are easier to wash, so Bob adjusted the Sackcloth & Ashes’ business model to give shelters blankets that fit their needs.
Cold outreach
Bob didn’t have any business experience or a college degree before he started Sackcloth & Ashes. the digital world also provides excellent statistics to analyze What he did have was persistence and a mission to make a difference for those experiencing homelessness. With a goal to get into 10 stores, Bob star own the Oregon coast, walking into retail shops and asking if the owners would stock his blankets.