Vivi on seed capital, finishing the workshop and learning how to lose

How did the Banco Popular prize help Freedom Ecowear rebuild?

Vivi was telling me about a year when the new production setup was not ready. Freedom was selling its old inventory while she and David rebuilt. Then an entrepreneurship prize gave them money to keep building.

“in 2021 when we were like struggling financially because of this promise, we were not producing anything.” she said. “We didn’t have the new structure ready. We were solely relying on inventory, on sales.”

That was one part of the Freedom Ecowear rebuild she described, rather than a claim that the company had stopped all sales.

How much did Banco Popular award Freedom Ecowear in 2021?

Banco Popular awarded Freedom Ecowear RD$1.1 million in seed capital in 2021. Its 8 August 2021 announcement names Vivi Rufino and David Matías as the people leading the project.

Vivi remembered winning “$1 million in capital seed” in our conversation. The bank’s published amount is the figure I am using here.

What did Vivi say the Banco Popular funding paid for?

Vivi said the prize helped finish the atelier and buy equipment. “And that helped us a lot to finish the Attila and and finish equipment. Yeah. Finished buying the machines we needed.”

She was describing the work behind the Freedom workshop in La Vega. Machines, equipment and somewhere to use them. Those were the things the money helped her get.

What did Freedom Ecowear win from FedEx in 2024?

Freedom Ecowear’s company, Quimaca SRL, received the US$25,000 grand prize in FedEx’s 2024 Dominican small business programme. The amount comes from FedEx’s 18 March announcement.

“In 2024, we won another contest, this one by FedEx,” Vivi told me. She described it as another million pesos when recalling the story; FedEx recorded its award in US dollars. I have kept the two published amounts in their original currencies.

How many businesses entered the FedEx programme Freedom won?

More than 7,500 entrants took part in the programme, according to the FedEx announcement. Applications ran from September to December 2023, with winners announced in March 2024.

The recognition mattered to Vivi. “I felt so backed up by the universe,” she said. That was how she experienced the win.

What did Vivi plan to do with the 2024 FedEx support?

Vivi planned to accelerate production and offer a wider range in 2024, in her statement published by FedEx. The award gave her an opportunity to develop the business.

During our interview, she also talked about needing more people to cut, iron and assemble. The workshop story follows how she wanted that work to happen, and the shipping interview covers getting the finished order out.

What did winning and losing business prizes mean to Vivi?

Winning encouraged Vivi. Losing another contest reminded her to stay open to learning.

“you know, you gotta keep it cool. You know, not not like, get it to your head. Don’t let it get it to your head.” she told me. “Because then you will break. And then when you. If if you let it get to your head, then you, you won’t know how to lose. And it’s very important to know how to do this.”

“we were winning so much. And then like, there was this contest where we lost and it was like I was actually grateful for it.”

The dated Banco Popular record and FedEx record establish the awards. Vivi’s experience of them explains what they meant to her.

What did Vivi learn from losing a contest after Freedom’s wins?

Vivi said losing taught her humility and showed her that there was more to learn.

“You need to be humble. It teach me that there’s a better way to do things. That there’s a long way to go. That there’s so much room for growth, you know, and that keeps you with your feet in the ground.”

“Because you might, spread too much, too much on being competitive instead of being happy with what you’re doing.”

That is the person behind the swimwear decisions and the machinery. A prize could matter to her without becoming the whole reason to work.

What kind of business did Vivi want Freedom Ecowear to become?

Vivi wanted Freedom to support a way of living for herself and her community. “And and also, I think you have to be clear about why. You see in the long run. Where are you getting at?” she said.

“if you are just making profit for for your future, for your shareholders, or you are creating a way of living for yourself.”

“So I place myself more in, in creating, you know, like a better way of living. Yeah. For myself and for my community.”

I liked hearing that alongside the practical story of building the workshop. The prizes supplied money and recognition. They do not tell us every cost, wage or margin in the business. For me, the useful part is hearing what she wanted to do with the opportunity.

Read the rebuild story and the shipping details beside it when you choose a piece. Check the current materials, production window and delivery terms with the brand.

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