Flikshop

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Flikshop works hard to keep every person in every cell connected to their family members and other community resources, prior to their release by enabling photos and postcards to be sent instantly.

Flikshop Logo (2019)

THE CHALLENGE

When Flikshop’s CEO, Marcus Bullock, entered the 20 Degrees Opportunity Zone Justice Accelerator (OZJA) he was struggling to close his $1M Seed Round and had lost revenue momentum. As a formerly incarcerated individual, Bullock’s business and leadership were held to different standards than his peer business owners. Further, Bullock had received so much investor feedback on his pitch that he was losing sight of how to communicate his true ‘why’. Bullock was at risk of failing to drive the business forward on the eve of a major PR opportunity. Bullock joined the OZJA to catalyze his business, accelerate his capital raise and reposition for the future.

20 DEGREES’ SOLUTION

20 Degrees delivered a multi-tiered response to Flikshop’s across the four-month accelerator program:

We conducted our signature service, the 20° Revenue Readiness Assessment. We helped Flikshop identify its readiness to capture capital and grow new revenue, along with concrete priorities and steps to quickly increase the likelihood of success. This ensured Flikshop had strategic clarity to focus on the items that would most quickly result in increased revenue, capital and impact.

Through a mixture of group training and individualized coaching, we helped Flikshop understand the many capital streams available to his business, including a separate 501c3 vehicle and related structures (i.e., fiscal sponsorship) to capture philanthropic investment opportunities. The weekly individual coaching sessions ensured Flikshop had a regular strategic advisor to help guide his business through this critical period.

Finally, we helped connect Flikshop to a number of advisors, partners and stakeholders who could support Bullock’s vision. Through our efforts, we helped Flikshop hone its messaging for an impact-minded investor audience. The 20 Degrees team helped Flikshop create new pitch materials and related collateral to support marketing and fundraising efforts. This also included the creation of a pitch event that attracted a significant number of Opportunity Zone and impact investors.

IMPACT & OUTCOMES

Flikshop is on a tremendous upward trajectory. Shortly after completing the OZJA, Bullock delivered an amazing TED Mainstage talk. Thanks to the work he completed in the OZJA, he was prepared for the increased interest in his business. Flikshop was able to close its Seed Round, grow revenues and hire more critical staff.

In the COVID era, Flikshop’s mission is all the more vital. The team has found innovative ways to pivot, create partnerships and deliver more value to people hoping to connect with incarcerated loved ones experiencing increased health risks during the pandemic.