All Over Albany

Next Label

Project: Next Label, a lifestyle marketplace for independent creators of clothing, makeup, home products, and art.

Who: Akkera Dorsey

Short bio
Akkera Dorsey 22 years Old creative type who just recently relocated back to the Albany ny area. Ive always been creative from decorating bottles when I was a kid to designing and creating my own clothing. Ive always wanted to own a business and selling my clothing , was the logical next step, And that I did. But in an age of instant communication, social networks and online shops I soon learned I was not the only person with the same ambitions. Feeling swallowed by the competition and lingering sales I sold the rest of my stock and closed my online store. A few weeks passed I began searching through social networking sites and online host like big cartel to see shops that were doing what I tried doing successfully. I began to see so many different brands, labels and products in my search that all were individually promote their product , sell there own items and try to get brand recognition and have there stamp be made. Places like big cartel and etsy for the small business owner make them sell ship and promote there own product which for a small business can be costly and time consuming. With that being said I see a whole an entire market is not being represented. Next Label would fulfill that. Not only is next label going to fill the void in the market but our mission is to help those brands who want to take there business or label to the next step. Next Label will work with all types of independent creators from clothing , make up , home products and art all in one lifestyle marketplace. Next Label wants to carter to small brands and open up a market place that will directly sell independently made products. The consumer will then be provided with an more exclusive and customer driven offering of product; Because the small business can carter to the needs and wants of the consumer better than any large or mass produced product. We also provide the customer with and wide range of brands that people may never come across without Next Label.

A description of the proposed project

I want to create Next Label for two main reasons and a lot of smaller ones. The first is to support other creative people and entrepreneurs. I want to help others like me get there products sold on a platform that will help their brands and or products get exposure and sell units. The main reason is to provide a platform for the consumer and the producer that is exclusively for independent designers and their consumers. Also to provide great customer based products to the consumer that are made with them in mind.

How would the grant money help?
The $1500 dollar prize money will help in creating a professional website for next label and to do professional marketing campaign that will help get the needed brand awareness and "hype" right before the official launch of Next Label. Graphic designers charge about $300-$1000 dollars for a professional web design. Our 1st marketing campaign will consist of phoot shoots and video that will cost about $500. The prize money will help complete Next Label and give it the polished professional look that our consumers and creators will expect.