Entrepreneur Leaves 'Shark Tank' With $725K And A Plan To Fight U.S. Hunger
Entrepreneur Leaves 'Shark Tank' With $725K And A Plan To Fight U.S. Hunger
By Evan Kirkpatrick - SEP 2, 2015 @ 9:00 AM
Brittany Hodak is a problem solver, like many great entrepreneurs. The company she cofounded, ZinePak, has built a multi-million dollar business catering to the entertainment and brand “super-fan” market, a segment she and cofounder Kim Kaupe recognized as underserved. They have received numerous entrepreneurial awards including a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, but after their biggest moment in the spotlight, Hodak discovered a unique philanthropic opportunity.
While filming an appearance on ABC’s “Shark Tank” in which ZinePak struck a deal for $725,000 in funding, Hodak was notified she was to receive $65 per day in per diem for meals. Between the new funding and ZinePak’s profitability, Brittany didn’t exactly need the meal money. Roughly 49 million people in the U.S. do struggle with food insecurity, however. That’s not in a third world country; that is shockingly just here in the U.S.
Hodak’s entrepreneurial mind kicked in and began researching per diem issuance.”The average per diem in the U.S. is $58.50” she explains. Much of those funds are provided to corporate executives, professional athletes, and entertainers that already earn an extremely high income.
Discussing the issue on Thanksgiving day with her cousin, Jennifer Barker, a veteran in the non-profit world,
Per Diems Against Poverty was born. Through a partnership with
Feeding America , PDAP aims to facilitate the process of converting per diems to nutritious food access. “We are energized by Per Diems Against Poverty’s passion and innovative approach to addressing hunger in America,” said Maura Daly, chief external affairs officer of Feeding America. “One in six Americans, including 16 million children, face hunger. Thanks to the generous support from our partners, the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks will be able to provide more meals to families and children in need.”...
Full article:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/evankirkpatrick/2015/09/02/entrepreneur-leaves-shark-tank-with-725k-and-a-plan-to-fight-u-s-hunger/
