Builders + Backers makes impact in OKC with first cohort

Jenae Goodin is the mother of two daughters, and the youngest tends to be a bit of a momma’s girl.  This was on Goodin’s mind as she was preparing to be in her friend’s wedding. She would be carrying around her youngest most of the day. Wouldn’t it be great, she pondered, if she could find something for her daughter to wear that matched the beautiful wine-colored dress she would be wearing for the wedding?

Like many experienced online shoppers, it didn’t take long before Goodin was switching between 20 or so tabs and trying to remember which online store had what and which had that great sale. As her frustration set in, she realized it would be great if she could put all these items, across different online stores, in one “big ass bag.”

It was a simple idea, right? Surely, someone had thought of this and created it already? Goodin quickly discovered that while others had tackled pieces of this problem, nobody had developed a consumer-centric tool that worked across all online stores. Thus, from simply trying to find something for her daughter online, Big Ass Bag (BaB) was born.

Goodin's attempt to find matching wedding attire for her daughter quickly led to the formation of a new company.

This probably happens countless times every day across the United States. A normal person has a really good idea to help solve a problem or make someone else’s life just a little easier. But is this idea a business? Is it scalable? Would people pay to solve that problem?

For people who aren’t involved in the entrepreneur ecosystem, asking those questions, let alone answering them, might not even be considered. That is where Builders + Backer’s Idea Accelerator program comes in, says James Atkin, head of community and public engagement for Builders + Backers.

“Only 4,500 startups got their first venture check last year. In a country of more than 330 million people, that’s a very low number of new ventures,” said Atkin. “It is emblematic of this problem of lack of entrepreneurship that happens in our communities. There can be a perception that if you didn't go to Cornell or MIT, have a CS degree, or have started four companies and funded three, you are not an entrepreneur and you don’t belong in this space.”

Those are the people this innovative program is aiming to activate.

“The whole theory behind Builders + Backers and the Idea Accelerator is that there are millions of ideas out there and individuals that could act on them, but they don't have the tools or the confidence to move on them,” said Atkin. “Communities spend a lot of money building entrepreneurial ecosystems but a lot of times their efforts are reaching the same 25 people. We are trying to increase the funnel of people into the whole entrepreneurial ecosystem.” 

Builders + Backers and Heartland Forward brought the Idea Accelerator to Oklahoma City for the first time back in January with 10 “Builders,” including Goodin. She had decided to move forward with her idea for BaB and was talking to different contacts about how much it would cost to build out the platform when one pointed her to the program.

10 OKC entrepreneurs begin national accelerator program to turn ideas into reality.

The program is a partnership between Heartland Forward, Builders + Backers and local sponsors the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and the Inasmuch Foundation. Builders from Oklahoma City joined others from Tulsa, Iowa City and Oxford, Miss., in the three-month program. Each Builder also received up to $5,000 to test out their idea.

Goodin said while the money is nice, the program is so much more than financial support.

“The program has been amazing and very, very well run. Don’t get me wrong, the money is nice, but the information is transformative,” said Goodin. “I have all these people that I can meet with and get advice from. Sometimes the things we talk about and the questions they ask are basic, but people don't dig into them when thinking about starting a business.”

Goodin is among 10 Builders who were accepted into Builders + Backers inaugural Oklahoma City cohort. 

According to Atkin, asking those basic questions and experimentation are the core of the program and help Builders think about themselves differently.

“The program is about getting people to experiment. It may not be the first idea or second idea that they try that is successful,” said Atkin. “We just want to instill in people the idea that you can go out and try something. You don't have to quit your job or mortgage your house. Start by running experiments. Is somebody else already doing that? Is this scalable? Will someone pay me for that service? Our key mantra is getting people off the bench. Put the idea to action.”

Besides Goodin’s BaB, Oklahoma City’s first cohort consists of a digital platform connecting landowners with outdoor enthusiasts, software that creates standards-compliant temporary traffic control plans, an on-demand or subscription-based service for Black hair care products, an app that connects places that can provide shelter to those in need, a blockchain-based payment exchange for health care systems to use to reduce mistakes and provide transparency, a digital marketplace connecting U.S. businesses and entrepreneurs with manufacturers based in Mexico, a refillable candle service to reduce waste, a service connecting Hollywood-level production studios coming to Oklahoma with industry-grade video rental equipment to attract more filmmakers and a spherical drone that can roll over surfaces and better aid public safety.

Ben Loh is a Builder who is working on ways for drones to better help with public safety.

While Builders + Backers targets individuals who might not think of themselves as entrepreneurs, Goodin said she is a person who has always had a ton of ideas, but the program helped her narrow her focus.

“I'm usually the person who has a ton of ideas but what the program did for me was give me a framework,” said Goodin. “It taught me how to vet those ideas. You have this idea but is it a good idea or a bad idea? How do you figure that out? That is something the program has given me that I needed.”

Atkin said easy-to-use coding tools and software have made it easier for everyday people to think more entrepreneurial.

“With the digital tools that exist today, you can build websites and apps that you could not five years ago,” said Atkin. “This is a new era for anyone looking to experiment with an idea regardless of your technical background or experience. That speaks to what we are trying to do in these communities. We want to inspire people to go try things and take that idea from the shower to reality.”

What advice would Goodin give to others out there who might have an idea but aren’t exactly sure what to do next?

“I would say 110% apply for the Builders + Backers program,” said Goodin. “Even if you are not selected, the application process alone forces you to think about what you are working on in a very helpful way.”

Goodin will soon launch the beta for Big Ass Bag and hopes to launch the full chrome extension in three to six months. And just think, it all started just months ago with 20 open browser tabs while trying to find a dress for momma’s girl.