SCHOLARSHIP WINNER ANNOUNCED: Recipient Always Dreamed Of Becoming A Small Business Owner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Occoquan, Virginia – August 8, 2017 – Destini Sapp, owner of Crafted by Des, 2017 graduate of Mason County High School in Maysville, Kentucky, and entering freshman at Northern Kentucky University, is the first recipient of One Degree Capital’s annual John Mathis Entrepreneurial Spirit Award.
As a young entrepreneur, Destini puts her love of visual arts and interior design to work. “Since I was a child I dreamed of becoming a small business owner.” Destini’s two-year old business, Crafted By Des, is an Etsy shop specializing in custom home and wedding decor. Destini makes everything by hand using wood pallets, canvases, slate, coasters, and more.
Like many small business owners, Destini faced several obstacles along the way. Her greatest challenge was marketing her business to keep sales consistent; in its infancy, business was far from steady. In response, Destini self promoted her business by advertising on social media, designing her own business cards, and setting up displays at local craft events. She is working diligently to make a name for herself and is happily watching her business grow, with each month's earnings surpassing the previous.
Destini’s vision for her business is simply that it continue to grow. She currently sells to people in almost every state in the U.S. and hopes to eventually expand to other countries. Destini is attending Northern Kentucky University this fall where she will double-major in Marketing and English with a minor in General Business. Destini is combining this scholarship with other awards to cover her tuition, room and board, allowing her to be loan-free for her first year of college. “For that, I feel extremely grateful and honored.”
“Destini shows that she has taken that first leap into the unknown,” explains John Mathis in his review of the final candidates for his namesake scholarship. “When faced with limited sales, she looked at her business and focused on what was needed to grow and then pursued that goal. Only time will tell if that business grows. Taking that first step is always hard, but not nearly as difficult as living with that decision.”
To anyone who has ever considered starting their own business, this young entrepreneur has some good advice: shoot for the stars. “The best advice I can give is to not give up in times of doubt. You will have to find ways to work around the obstacles you face, but that is part of anything in life. In the end, being a business owner is worth all of the effort.”
Destini certainly embraces a quote found on one of her canvases: “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.”
About The John Mathis Entrepreneurial Spirit Award
Named after the father of One Degree Capital co-founder Jenn Mathis, the John Mathis Entrepreneurial Spirit Award honors high school seniors who are either employed by a small business or who own their own small business. The non-renewable $2,000 scholarship award can be applied toward tuition and fees of a postsecondary school. Applications for the 2017-18 academic year will begin November 1, 2017. For full details and to apply for the scholarship award, visit www.onedegreecapital.com/scholarship.
About One Degree Capital
One Degree Capital is a privately funded direct lender to small business owners nationwide. Established in 2010, One Degree Capital has helped thousands of business owners start, sustain and grow their businesses by helping them find the right type of business loan for their unique needs. One Degree Capital offers a full suite of small business financing including business loans, working capital, equipment financing, SBA-backed loans, factoring and more. For more information, contact One Degree Capital at 1.703-579-6868.
Media Contact:
Jenn Mathis
1.703.579.6868
media@onedegreecapital.com
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