August 21, 2024
Waves of Change Grant winner update!! In the fall of 2023 we named our third ever grant recipient, and since then the Design Lab and the entire grant team have been working hard to support this year’s winner!
After over half a year working together, it’s finally time to show off the brand new Laundry Basket, led by the incredibly talented Hyacinth Tucker! It’s been an incredible year supporting and digging into her business, and we couldn’t be more excited about how far The Laundry Basket has come!
Working with our grant recipient is one of the true highlights of our year, and it’s no different this year. Hyacinth, we’re so proud of you and admire the work you are doing. Let’s take a peek into her business, and what we’ve been up to over at Waves of Change!
It all started in 2022. Hyacinth was over at a friend’s house, and there was laundry everywhere. In the grind of life, laundry was the thing there just wasn’t time for. Her friend was overwhelmed and in no mood to do it. She wished someone else could (who doesn’t?!).
A lightbulb went off. Hyacinth volunteered for the job, and from that moment on, realized she had found her niche. Helping give peace of mind and time back to her community? This was it.
An army veteran, mom of two, and with a Masters of Business Administration under her belt, Hyacinth built her business with a clear vision for community impact, one of the huge reasons we loved her so much! Personal connection, deep involvement with the actual people she’s serving, and a commitment to excellence and innovation in her industry set Hyacinth apart from the get go. There are businesses, just doing their thing, and then there are businesses, a bedrock in their communities. You feel the difference, right? They’re making waves (pun intended), and that’s exactly what Hyacinth was doing and is doing!
Things picked up. Her side hustle turned into the main gig. And then she won the 2023 Waves of Change Grant!
We’re a small but mighty team over here. The Waves of Change team is made up of Nicole Yang, Latasha Doyle, Megan Dowd, Nicole Boucher, and Myrna Daramy. While there is a definite synergy in how we work together, each team member has a specific domain that they cover. In a nutshell:
Great question. Our goal is to help our winners relaunch their businesses with an even stronger foundation than they started with. During the interview process Hyacinth blew us away with her passion: now it was time to match it. Challenge accepted.
Together we:
Here’s a little visual break down of some of the process! We got to work:
All in all, this meant we got to touch on and offer our expertise in all areas of her business: from marketing and offers to branding and design as well as operations. This is the goal with all winners! The grant covers a base in these critical areas, and then offers a “menu of services” that winners get to pick from and personalize to fit their individual needs. (And yes, that’s as fun as it sounds).
For those as curious as I am, it’s things like blog content planning, newsletter set up, CRM setup, art direction, or template design on Canva (and so many more options!). Yes, SO FUN.
Since winning the grant the Laundry Basket has expanded their services to Northeast Ohio and Toronto, Canada! And with a revamped brand image and enhanced online presence, they’ve seen a 25% increase in growth in their recurring clients. They’ve formed strategic partnerships with local businesses and community organizations to further their mission of sustainability and inclusivity, and have been featured on multiple outlets like ABC, CNN, and Martha Stewart.
We are SO excited! And we know our amazing community is cheering for our grant recipients from far and near, just like us. Thank YOU for all your support!
You can follow along with Hyacinth and the Laundry Basket on social media and check them out at their new website. And hey, if you’re in the greater DC area, you just might consider letting Hyacinth take a (laundry) load off! 😉
Inspired by Hyacinth’s story? The 2024 Waves of Change Grant will be opening applications at the end of this month! We’d be thrilled to see your application cross our virtual desks. You can check out our qualification requirements here and sign up for the newsletter to be the first to know when applications open!
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