Shop Local, Invest Local - Grow Locally

SUSTAINING LOCAL INVOLVEMENT IN WEST CHESTER

Both from its internal sources of capital, as well as operating as an investment fund gatherer the LLC aims to enable small businesses to open and thrive in downtown West Chester. We will work with banks and government entities, as well as individuals, to help facilitate the funding of local business.  In order to foster a mutually-benefited environment, our model places emphasis on engaging with the business community and encouraging mentor and coaching services to help link business owners with the support they need.  The LLC fosters a focus on the success of our local business community by encouraging participation in and by neighboring businesses and individuals of our community.

As an example, The LLC would assist when a business is closing to identify potential successors to the present ownership and management, if it was deemed to be a business operation worth preserving in West Chester.

One objective is to expand the base of residents who increase their involvement in the small businesses of this town, through either ownership, employment, or by being loyal customers.    Increased knowledge and a sense of having a vested interest in the success of the town are vital to sustaining the momentum in West Chester that has already developed.  It is further the intent to use our leverage with these new businesses to entice them to hire local employees as well sustaining a higher overall quality of living.

PHILANTHROPRENEUR

Philanthropreneurs are people who bring an entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy or who operate an entrepreneurial entity with a philanthropic touch.  They are interested in effecting positive changes in the world and alleviating suffering, but are doing so with a profit motive. Their contributions are investments rather than donations.

This hybrid of business and charity stemmed from impatience with the slowness and rigidity of traditional philanthropies. Philanthropreneurs believe that innovative thinking and financial resources can be harnessed to market forces to accelerate progress in such areas as environmental awareness, small business development and medical research.
Some notable philanthropreneurs are:

·         Jeffrey Skoll of eBay

·         Pierre Omidyar of eBay 

·         Steve Case of AOL

·         Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Group

·         Warren Buffet of Berkshire Hathaway

·         Bill Gates of Microsoft

·         Blake Mycoskie of TOMS Shoes

What happens when entrepreneurship meets philanthropy?
"A new generation of philanthropists has stepped forward, for the most part young billionaires who have reaped the benefits of capitalism and believe that it can be applied in the service of charity. They are 'philanthropreneurs,' driven to do good and have their profit, too."                    - Stephanie Strom, New York Times, Nov.2006
West Chester LLC is not looking for billionaires who are doing it on their own.  Instead, the LLC gives the same opportunity for our investors to apply innovative thinking and financial resources to accelerate progress in these chosen fields.  
The initial founding investors were selected and approached from a group of RKM Advisors clients and Richard May’s contacts in the community with diverse business backgrounds.  The subsequent investors, also privately approached, will comprise the first round of “non-voting” members.  Investors will eventually be solicited through a filed public offering.