Dolls, Ice Cream and Climate Change Fighters Among the Companies We're Considering at the Next Impact Cherub Club Meeting

Companies Include Little Rebels, Solar Harvest for Howle Farms, Red Rover Creamery, Stride Development and BlocPower

Feb 14, 2024

I’m not a financial advisor; nothing I write in Superpowers for Good should be considered investment advice. You should seek appropriate counsel before making investment decisions.

As we gear up for the 1:00 PM Eastern, February 20th, meeting of the Impact Cherub Club, we invite you to join us. The club is an informal gathering of friends who meet up to review impact investments everyone is eligible to make, and virtually anyone can afford. We share responsibility for completing basic due diligence before making investments. No one is required to invest.

There are no dues or fees to participate, and I don’t touch the money. When members invest, they do so directly for their own accounts. We benefit from new members only by the fresh perspectives they bring and our growing social impact. Please join us!

Join the Impact Cherubs

Next Meeting—February 20, at 1:00 PM Eastern

At our next meeting on February 20, at 1:00 PM Eastern/10:00 AM Pacific, consistent with our plans for future sessions, the agenda will have three items:

Diligence Reports
Education Moment
Preliminary Consideration of New Candidate Investments

I’ll review those items in reverse order.

New Company Consideration

After some preliminary screening, I’ve shared some candidate offerings with the members of the club to choose which we’ll review this month. Members chose the following:

Little Rebels

Little Rebels is raising funds on Wefunder. It is an interactive plush line doll collection inspired by iconic women in history. Little Rebels’ most loved dolls include the ones inspired by Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, Malala Yousafzai, and Mary Jackson and help kids to scan their doll’s face and read all about her. The business has won several awards for its dolls and has its products available nationwide at museums, toy stores, and major retailers. Marjorie Spitalnik founded Little Rebels in April 2019. The current crowdfunding campaign has a minimum target of $25,000 and a maximum target of $124,000. The campaign proceeds will be used for marketing, inventory, and sales. (Courtesy of KingsCrowd.)

Solar Harvest for Howle Farms

Solar Harvest for Howle Farms is raising funds on Climatize. The project is aimed at the deployment of a solar system at Howle Farms. Howle Farms is a family-owned rural farm in Hartsville, South Carolina, that plans to install a 43.55 kW solar array and a 92.16 kWh battery storage system to meet its energy needs. Solar Harvest for Howle Farms will help the farm decrease its operating costs and allow for proper environmental conditions for optimal production. John Carey founded Solar Harvest for Howle Farms in May 2023. The current crowdfunding campaign has a minimum and maximum target of $309,180. The campaign proceeds will be used to fund the solar and storage project. (Courtesy of KingsCrowd.)

Join the SuperCrowd!

Education Moment

At our next Impact Cherub Club meeting, we’ll be talking about the power of due diligence. A 2007 report by Robert Wiltbank demonstrated that doing more due diligence—research and screening steps before investing—increased returns to investors more than fivefold. Yes, that’s what I meant. Good due diligence has a dramatic impact on returns. Hat tip to Brian Belley of KingsCrowd and the Crowdfunding Professional Association for calling my attention to the report.

Diligence Reports

We’ll begin with the due diligence reports from the Impact Cherub Club members who volunteered to research the companies after we briefly learned a bit about them last month. After hearing the members’ reports, we’ll vote to determine whether or not to recommend investment in the companies. The decision will be made available to everyone who registers to attend, including those who don’t make it. Register here.

Here are the companies we’ll learn more about this month:

Red Rover Creamery

Red Rover Creamery is raising funds on MainVest. It is an artisanal creamery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Red Rover Creamery offers a variety of seasonal and American-style ice creams, sherbets, baked goods, and ice cream sandwiches. The business uses local ingredients and creates artisanal baked goods and ice creams with a rotating menu, seasonal menus, and holiday menus. Sarah EgriAmsden and Eric Amsden founded Red Rover Creamery in November 2018. The current crowdfunding campaign has a minimum target of $60,000 and a maximum target of $124,000. The campaign proceeds will be used for space buildout and operating capital. (Courtesy of KingsCrowd.)

Stride Development PBC

Stride Development is raising funds on Wefunder. The company builds housing using innovative designs and construction methods. Stride Development lowers utility costs and reduces carbon emissions to improve residents’ health and create safe spaces. The buildings of Stride Development are affordable, future- and inflation-proof, and lower energy use and bills by 90%. Tyrone Grandstrand founded Stride Development in August 2022. The current crowdfunding campaign has a minimum target of $50,000 and a maximum target of $950,000. The campaign proceeds will be used for affordable housing application fees and requirements, architect and design expenses, and land purchase costs. (Courtesy of KingsCrowd.)

BlocPower

BlocPower Energy Services is raising funds on Raise Green. The company owns and operates energy projects installed in client buildings under the BlocPower pipeline. BlocPower Energy Services has already earmarked multiple projects in New York, California, Colorado, and many other cities and utilities. The company is led by an experienced team and aims to make greener, healthier, and smarter buildings for all through affordable access to critical energy efficiency, clean energy retrofits, and hazard remediation projects. Donnel A. Baird founded BlocPower Energy Services in January 2021. The current crowdfunding campaign has a minimum target of $50,000 and a maximum target of $1 million. The campaign proceeds will be used for BlocPower projects, legal expenses, and accounting expenses. (Courtesy of KingsCrowd.)