2018 Lavin Seed Fund Award Winner: Jerrin Padre

The Foster School’s Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship proudly awards grants to Lavin Entrepreneurship Program students to help bolster their startup journey as they balance both school and work. The annual Seed Fund is unique to the highly competitive program at the University of Washington. Students compete and pitch their existing or early-stage ventures to a select group from the Seattle entrepreneurial community in early March. Each of the 2018 Lavin Seed Fund award winners shared an update on their startup journey with us. Here’s Jerrin Padre of “Bo & Whimsy“.

2018 has been a doozy, folks! I sort of feel like I’m on the tail end of a treadmill that’s running a little too fast and the only thing preventing me from tripping and being launched backwards is my death grip on the rail. Only, in this case, the rail is my current responsibilities while the treadmill represents the tidal wave of deadlines leading up to graduation.

Since receiving the Lavin Seed Finding, I’ve primarily been in development mode. March and April was filled with numerous phone calls to different printing companies trying to figure out the best deal going forward. I’d love to be able to print in hardcover, which is a goal for the next printing round, but finding a cost effective way to do so is proving mighty difficult. I’ve talked to both local and national printing companies and narrowed it down to a list of 4 or 5. As for distribution strategy, I’ve also been reaching out potential partners and influencers. There are a few accounts I’m still working on, but so far they look promising! Updates to come.

I’ve also been chatting back and forth with our illustrator, Chawin, who is currently based out of Thailand. Dealing with WiFi and a 14-hour time difference doesn’t make for the most streamlined communication, nor is it the leanest and meanest way of getting things done. With our busy schedules, it sometimes take us a week to get back to one another, which can get frustrating when we’re trying to adhere to self-imposed deadlines.

Of course, all the Bo & Whimsy work throughout the past few months has been done in tandem with a full-time course load, working 3 other jobs, and dodging the 90 mph curve balls life tends to throw at you.

A lot of people tell you what it takes to keep a company afloat, but don’t really talk about what it takes to keep oneself afloat. And this makes sense—kind of. Everyone’s experience is different, and what works for some may be the downfall of others. However, if there’s anything I’ve learned throughout this process, it’s how to better manage myself.

I’m an impatient, hands-on person who often bites off way more than I can chew. One minute I’ll be talking strategy and the next I’m fighting in the trenches. I like to be involved in big and small decisions, and my attention-to-detail may have the tendency to turn into full-blown neurotic-ism. So, for the sake of every poor soul who’s so graciously dealt with me during those times (and my future spouse and children), I’m here to make a change! Starting with letting go. I said a swift, “Bye, Felisha!” to the idea that I could and should publish a book all by myself. The same goes for asking for help. I was able to realize my discomfort with delegating and started to let more people in on my process. Since doing so, I’ve felt more inspired and supported than I have in a while, and hearing other’s perspectives on the book and it’s direction made me fall in love with the project all over again!

Read more about Jerrin Padre in this profile piece here. Follow Bo & Whimsy on Facebook and Instagram for additional updates.