We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brittany Calahan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brittany below.

Brittany, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Here at Live Royally, our mission is deeply rooted in the belief that practicing social economics benefits communities in so many ways. We are on a mission to serve communities by offering a simple software solution that creates sustainable, circular economies by connecting local businesses with consumers and driving the circulation of dollars within communities.

We believe in the power of supporting local businesses, as they are the heart of our communities. By creating a platform that connects consumers with these businesses, we are not only driving economic benefit but also fostering community engagement. We are passionate about creating a system that benefits everyone involved, and we are excited to make a difference in the way dollars flow within our neighborhoods.

Our software aims to revolutionize the way communities and local businesses interact with one another. It helps business associations and local governments identify strengths within their ecosystem, seize growth opportunities, quantify B2C and/or B2B engagement, and promote local spending within their business network/communities.

Brittany, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Live Royally started as a slogan for a collection of stationary, office supplies. My initial intent was to use this to be a source of inspiration for my community during the height of the exposure of the racial inequality issue in our nation. As this issue was more exposed, I became determined to find a more impactful way to empower my community. The more I researched for an effective method to revitalize my community, the more I realized the success of any community was dependent on the strength of their economy. According to research, communities “that have a greater awareness of local entrepreneurship and support it have a greater potential for economic growth” (https://siteselection.com/trustbelt/the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-small-towns.cfm). A community’s economic growth impacts many factors within that community, from the obvious like cost of living to the not-so obvious like healthcare.

I have spent over a decade working in State government managing teams and streamlining processes to create efficiencies and better systems. Through my personal and professional experience, I have seen the struggles that small businesses face, with a high percentage failing within their first few years despite increasing consumer spending year after year. This disconnect between consumers and local businesses inspired me to take action and develop an app that will create a win-win situation for the consumer and the local businesses.

The Live Royally web-based platform is a simplified marketplace that offers all-inclusive tickets to local dining, entertainment, and cultural experiences during high-traffic events so that the economic benefit is spread throughout communities to the local businesses. This not only benefits consumers by providing value and discounts, but also helps local businesses thrive and encourages the circulation of dollars within the community. Our platform also offers a subscription service for organizations such as chambers of commerce and local governments to increase community engagement and gather statistical information.

Our easy-to-implement software solution is designed for small, community-based chambers of commerce and local governments looking for innovative ways to increase engagement with the local businesses. Due to the low engagement, they are experiencing, many chambers are suffering with stagnant/declining membership and struggle to communicate the value of joining their organization to potential members. Similarly, rural and smaller communities are struggling to figure out support their small business owners and stop the economic leakage that occurs often due to big box retailers.

What sets our platform apart from other alternatives is our holistic approach to creating a sustainable, circular economy. We are not just focused on advertising businesses, but on creating a system that encourages the flow of dollars from consumers to local businesses and back again. This not only benefits the economy but also helps to build stronger communities and neighborhoods. It offers a unique opportunity to connect consumers with local businesses and benefits all parties involved. We are excited to continue growing and making a positive impact in our communities.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Generally speaking, entering the tech industry as a non-technical founder can come with a high cost to entry as a barrier. There were many, many, many times, that even though I believed in the problem I was working to solve, thinking of the initial investment needed to just start the proof of concept sometimes scared me. Fortunately, as I continued to work toward the software solution, I was able to take advantage of resources and opportunities that allowed to me obtain my initial capital.

1. Networking – Through local events within the local tech community and my participation in accelerators and cohorts, I’ve been able to meet some really great coaches and mentors and make some lasting connections. While this is not direct capital, the invaluable feedback received from mentors and collaborations with other entrepreneurs have proved to be instrumental in my success thus far.

2. SSBCI Program – The State of Louisiana offered various forms of funding to local startups in the area. Through this program, I was able to secure a microloan that made it possible to start development of our minimum viable product (MVP).

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I consider myself a typical Type A personality; I like to be prepared and have a plan A and a plan B, just in case. On this journey of entrepreneurship, I constantly have to remind myself that’s it’s ok if I don’t have “A-to-Z” figured out. At times, not knowing the next turn can be overwhelming because I don’t want to make the wrong turn into something I’m not prepared for. In those times, my husband, founder of Only Basketball Elite, reminds me, “You don’t have to be great to get started, but you do have to start to be great.”

As a solo founder, doing everything and knowing everything is a role that is sort of forced upon you. But I accepted that I could not do everything, nor was I expected to know everything. With this revelation, I knew it was time for me to start relying on the expertise of others for those areas and tasks that were “outside of my genius” (Felecia Hatcher). Once I made that adjustment, I witnessed my business grow more in a short time than what I was able to do by myself over years.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.liveroyally22.net
• Instagram: @liveroyally22
• Facebook: www,facebook.com/liveroyally22
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcalahan