UKBF user name: rentadateforcharity
Real name: Lisa Connell
Company name: Rent A Date For Charity
Website: www.rentadateforcharity.com
Contact: 020 8368 0486 [email protected]
How did you start your organisation?
In 2006 at the age of 27 I was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. I soon realised that little was known about its cause and was an area in need of great funding to go into research, care and support for brain tumour suffers like myself. I learned that brain tumours was the second most common cause of cancer in children and that over 13,000 people in the UK alone are diagnosed every year.
After having run the London 10K run in June 2007 after being told I may never walk again I managed to raise over £3,500 from people I didn’t even know through my MySpace account. That's how my idea of Rent A Date For Charity came about. I used to get random emails from people I didn't know saying "cor your fit, fancy a date?!" so I thought why not? Put your money where your mouth is! Before I knew it, the media interest was going wild and I knew I was onto something.
What services does your organisation offer?
Rent A Date For Charity offers an exciting, unique and novel way to put the fun back into 'fundraising'. Not only can you auction yourself as a date but you can auction new or used items as well as a service with 85% of the proceeds going to charity.
Businesses can also benefit from free advertising on the auction listings. In addition, we reimburse the seller any postage costs so it won't cost them a penny! We are the only site to offer the opportunity for people to win a meet and greet with a celebrity and signed memorabilia. The possibilities of what you can auction on my site is endless. Any charity can register and receive funding at no cost.
What were the main challenges you faced when starting up?
My main challenge was that I was working alone seven days a week from home and round the clock. Having to deal with my illness and the strains of running a business at the same time. Having to rely on my mother for funding to get the website to where it needed to go. It is a lot for me to take on but I don't regret it for one minute.
I hope that now we are up and running to our full potential sponsors will start to come forward enabling me to donate more funds to charity and put more money in to help raise its profile and in turn the awareness of brain tumours worldwide.
How would you rate the success you've achieved?
I's second to none! What I have achieved in such a short period of time is very impressive. The media coverage has been more than favourable and the public support is growing faster than ever.
However, that said there is still so much to done and I'm far away from my £1 million target. Raising awareness is the easy part; finding the funding is my next step.
How has UK Business Forums benefited your organisation?
From the day I registered I have made so many great contacts all of which are offering support and advise. The site is invaluable to me and I can't thank my friend Emma enough for introducing it to me.
What are your plans for the future?
Where do I start? Im hoping to have my pilot film "Lisa's Story" commissioned as an awareness campaign for all brain tumour charities following my fight for awareness and reaching out to other brain tumour patients and their stories.
I want to reach my goal of ticking off my bucket list and make Rent A Date For Charity a worldwide household name!
What are your three tips for business success?
Determination, passion and good a good sense of humour!
Real name: Lisa Connell
Company name: Rent A Date For Charity
Website: www.rentadateforcharity.com
Contact: 020 8368 0486 [email protected]
How did you start your organisation?
In 2006 at the age of 27 I was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. I soon realised that little was known about its cause and was an area in need of great funding to go into research, care and support for brain tumour suffers like myself. I learned that brain tumours was the second most common cause of cancer in children and that over 13,000 people in the UK alone are diagnosed every year.
After having run the London 10K run in June 2007 after being told I may never walk again I managed to raise over £3,500 from people I didn’t even know through my MySpace account. That's how my idea of Rent A Date For Charity came about. I used to get random emails from people I didn't know saying "cor your fit, fancy a date?!" so I thought why not? Put your money where your mouth is! Before I knew it, the media interest was going wild and I knew I was onto something.
What services does your organisation offer?
Rent A Date For Charity offers an exciting, unique and novel way to put the fun back into 'fundraising'. Not only can you auction yourself as a date but you can auction new or used items as well as a service with 85% of the proceeds going to charity.
Businesses can also benefit from free advertising on the auction listings. In addition, we reimburse the seller any postage costs so it won't cost them a penny! We are the only site to offer the opportunity for people to win a meet and greet with a celebrity and signed memorabilia. The possibilities of what you can auction on my site is endless. Any charity can register and receive funding at no cost.
What were the main challenges you faced when starting up?
My main challenge was that I was working alone seven days a week from home and round the clock. Having to deal with my illness and the strains of running a business at the same time. Having to rely on my mother for funding to get the website to where it needed to go. It is a lot for me to take on but I don't regret it for one minute.
I hope that now we are up and running to our full potential sponsors will start to come forward enabling me to donate more funds to charity and put more money in to help raise its profile and in turn the awareness of brain tumours worldwide.
How would you rate the success you've achieved?
I's second to none! What I have achieved in such a short period of time is very impressive. The media coverage has been more than favourable and the public support is growing faster than ever.
However, that said there is still so much to done and I'm far away from my £1 million target. Raising awareness is the easy part; finding the funding is my next step.
How has UK Business Forums benefited your organisation?
From the day I registered I have made so many great contacts all of which are offering support and advise. The site is invaluable to me and I can't thank my friend Emma enough for introducing it to me.
What are your plans for the future?
Where do I start? Im hoping to have my pilot film "Lisa's Story" commissioned as an awareness campaign for all brain tumour charities following my fight for awareness and reaching out to other brain tumour patients and their stories.
I want to reach my goal of ticking off my bucket list and make Rent A Date For Charity a worldwide household name!
What are your three tips for business success?
Determination, passion and good a good sense of humour!
