And there came a day…

There’s an old adage that goes something like, “You’ll never get rich working for someone else.” Personally, it was never a goal of mine to be rich, drive fancy cars, take expensive vacations and all that. All I really wanted to do was make enough money to provide for my family and support their passions and interests…and my comic book habit.

I’m Eli Roberts. In the past, I have been a middle school English teacher, an instructional coach, and a digital marketer. Whether my students were collecting Pokémon, playing Magic the Gathering, reading Batman, or looking for the next great story, my job was to encourage those passions and help them find their voice and express their thoughts. My goal was to help people find their “thing” and celebrate it.

What is that “thing?” Well, it’s the part of you that’s unique to you. Maybe you’re big into comics, or you know everything about the movies, or you’ve caught all the Pokémon, or you’ve conquered all the Dungeons and slain all the dragons. It’s what you spend your money on. It’s what you talk to your friends about. It’s the types of books you like to read, movies you watch, and music you listen to. That’s your “thing.”

That’s what I hope to accomplish with the comic shop. I want to provide a space where fans of comics, pop-culture, anime, cartoons and toys can come and share their passion for those things, meet other people with similar tastes, and celebrate their fandom.

My goal is to open a comic book, game, toy store that welcomes everyone and lets people express their fandom and creativity. Opening a store like this is expensive, and that’s how you can help out. I’m applying for small business loans, submitting applications for grants, and filling out every credit card offer appearing in my mailbox.

With your help, however, I can reduce the amount that I’m looking to borrow. Every dollar that I don’t have to borrow from a bank is a dollar that I can use to grow the business, order more inventory, provide community services, and a host of other things.

Prologue

In order to get the store up and going, I’m trying to collect funds to help cover 1 year of operating costs. I don’t expect to crowdfund all of it. I have my own money invested, but every dollar I don’t have to borrow and all of that.

Your donations will be used to help defray the initial start up costs like:

• Rent: $35-$43/square foot.
• Initial Inventory: $75,000/Comics, toys, games, collectibles, and clothing
• Insurance: $30/month
• Utilities: $2/square foot
• Fixtures and Signage: $2000
• Book Cases and Shelving: $100-$250/book case
• Display stands: $100-$200/display stand

Meanwhile…

Besides my eternal gratitude, there’s something in this for you as well.

• Your name and image on The Source Wall. I will have a dedicated space to acknowledge your contribution. 
• Product discounts on comics, collectibles, and other merchandise. Get more for your money. 
• Incentive cover raffle. Donate and your name will be added to a raffle. Each time my comic orders qualify for an incentive cover, I will pull a name, and that person will be offered  the incentive cover for that month. The more you donate the more times your name can be entered into the raffle.

Epilogue

Any and all funds received will go towards opening and operating Adventures in Ink. 

The Impact

I appreciate any and all support. I know there are other programs and campaigns with loftier goals than mine. Just know that your donation and support means everything to me, and I will work my hardest and do my best to make sure you can be proud to say, “I support that business.”  Also, each dollar you donate, will have a tremendous impact on the location of the shop, how much inventory I can initially order, and determine what other options I can offer customers.

Risks & Challenges

As with any business, there is risk. However, I think I’m uniquely positioned to take advantage of my background in education and marketing to make Adventures in Ink a long-term success. Additionally, I have the support of friends, family, and other business owners who are all pulling for me to be successful and have offered their advice and support for when I open Adventures in Ink. 

If there’s one thing I learned from my father it’s the idea of “Perseverance”. He showed me that giving up and quitting are never options. No matter how hard things get or how bleak the future may look, I have to keep moving. Sometimes it’s hard to move. I’m not making much forward progression. Despite the obstacles, I keep moving. I don’t stop. 

That is my promise to you. I won’t quit. Ever. Unless I die and don’t get rebooted.

Other Ways You Can Help

Spread the word. Share the link to the campaign on Facebook or your favorite social media platform.