"LaunchNET was always there to assist with my business goals while navigating the ups and downs of being a college student." - Jada Hobson, Founder of Destination Dream
Can you tell us about Destination Dream and how it got started?
Destination Dream actually started as a YouTube video series for artists! I created the platform back in college and my friend and I would go around campus and downtown Kent interviewing student creatives on what their dream was after college in terms of will they continue their art outside of college and if so what is their final destination within their current endeavors. After graduating from Kent in 2016 I ended up working with the youth at a large capacity back home in Cleveland and started to educate CMSD youth in business and the arts by creating entrepreneurship art workshops teaching youth how to create art based business models. The curriculum was all freelance and after years of networking and learning about the nonprofit sector in Cleveland as it related to the arts and youth development, things just naturally developed into the creation of Destination Dream Foundation as a nonprofit for youth development in the arts and business.
What has been your experience with LaunchNET?
I have always had positive motivating experiences with the LaunchNET as they assisted with my business development since I started my business back in 2014. I was lucky enough to find LaunchNET when they had just opened and I spent a lot of time with Zach and the team working on my business, ideas for marketing, and funding! While working with LaunchNET and having them as a network on campus I was able to successfully market and promote a major crowdfunding campaign that I did for the Destination Dream Platform titled “ MEET THE DREAMERS” as I raised $2,000 to have gallery event hosting all of our featured artists that we had worked with in the YouTube destination Dream series. You can check it out here: https://youtu.be/LqORlGT9Bdo
We heard a LaunchNET client, Joy Ogunpolu, was the recipient of your Business Boost grant! That's so exciting! What inspired the grant and what do you hope to achieve with that?
What inspired the Business Boost Grant was just looking at how blessed my business platform has become since starting back in 2014 while at Kent State and looking for ways to give back to like minded college students that are looking to get started in business. Without the proper guidance, mentorship, and connections it can be very difficult to start a brand or business while in college, so I wanted to at least make the beginning process a bit easier for student entrepreneurs.
What's next for Destination Dream?
Right now we are currently in Phase 2 of our Crowdfunding Campaign for our renovation for our new Art House Studio. We purchased a property back in 2020 which actually belonged to my grandparents and chose to renovate the property into a community based art gallery and studio in the heart of the Buckeye area of Cleveland. We utilize the for youth art and business programming showing youth how to start a business in the arts along with having the bedroom spaces converted into studio spaces for music production, fashion design and artist work space. Phase 1 of our fundraiser allowed us to get the startup renovations for the property and now we are officially in Phase 2 as we work to raise another $15,000 to complete the renovation for our fashion studio and music studio!
Where can people connect with you and help support Destination Dream?
You guys can support the Destination Dream Foundation by supporting our Crowdfunding campaign along with sharing our link to like minded partners or organizations: https://www.destinationdream.org/
