How did he do it? Here are some pointers.
FIVE WAYS TO GET THAT DEAL STARTED
Become a Grant Expert
The first step is to identify needs and find out what’s available from government programs and initiatives. Be careful to not restrict yourself in what you look for. Bautista made use of the Trade Routes program, http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/route/pcrc-trcp/rctr-eng.cfm a federal initiative that covered his travel to the U.S. to meet with potential media partners.
Obama and Alberta Venture meet on Ken Bautista's desk
Identify Your Niche
CIE went after Telefilm Canada and Canadian Film Centre money because they’re the only ones funding new media start-ups.
Make the Right Connections
To help convert those applications into cash, Bautista stresses that you need to make a contact at the organization that you’re applying too. “People will just apply. But we’ve found it’s better to build a relationship with somebody there who can help shape your proposal so that it suits the guidelines.”
Put in the Creative Time
The specialty of Bautista’s team lay in creating compelling characters and stories not in marketing. In order to reach a critical mass of users they needed to find a distribution and brand partner. With their US media partner, CIE can leverage its network and reach.
Take Risk
While Bautista doesn’t recommend cold calling, the US deal happened because of a “cold email” sent to a brand manager. When Bautista followed up, the brand manager asked, “Do I know you?” Not exactly, but the manager thought CIE’s product was a great fit and ended up connecting him with the decision-maker.
Up Next: Presentation and networking. How Bautista turned a bit of interest into a one-on-one relationship.
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Category: Entrepreneurship, Profiles, Work
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