So many product-based business owners wonder: Are grants really worth pursuing? How do I find them? And what actually makes a grant application successful? In this episode, you'll learn from Tanisha, a grant expert with years of experience in higher education, nonprofit administration, and grant management. She helps small business owners understand the grant process so they can access free money to fuel their growth.

What you'll learn in this module:

- What a grant really is (and why it’s different from a loan)
- How to find grants—from federal and state opportunities to private organizations
- Examples of real grants that small business owners have applied for
- The grant application process—what you’ll need ready and how to build your “grant backpack”
- Why being specific and unique in your business niche makes you stand out in grant applications
- Common mistakes to avoid, especially around budgeting and justifying how funds will be used
- Best practices to increase your chances of success, including how to ask for feedback when you don’t win

Tanisha Elder-Kirk is an experienced professional specializing in strategic grant management and proposal development. With a Master’s in Public Administration, she has successfully led initiatives to secure multi-million-dollar grants and coached faculty, staff, and business owners on crafting competitive proposals. Her expertise includes developing actionable strategies for grant success, managing comprehensive budgets, and mentoring teams to ensure compliance and maximize funding opportunities for growth. Tanisha has a passion for empowering organizations with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive while navigating the complex grant landscape.

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE
Email Tanisha at stbgrantconsulting@gmail.com

LEARN MORE FROM MONICA LITTLE
Website: www.monicalittlecoaching.com
Instagram: @monicalittlecoaching
Join the Product Biz Academy waitlist to be first notified when doors open

Tune in to the PBA alumni who prove to you that you CAN grow your online sales even if you are working part time, full time, stay at home mom, wife, are brand new to business, have been in business for a while, and more.

These are real small business owners that joined PBA at all different levels of business and with different levels of responsibilities in life… and they’ve used Product Biz Academy to grow their business even further, no matter what stage they were at or what responsibilities they are obligated to outside of their business.

It’s one of the clearest demonstrations of what this program is actually built to do.

It’s not about needing to work for your business full time or needing to be at a certain “stage” before you join.

It’s about clarity, leverage, and strategies that WORK to support a way of doing business that is simpler AND more successful.

Here’s who you’ll meet today:

Kimberly, owner of @fitmamafoods who hit her first 5-figure online sales month within WEEKS of enrolling in PBA... while being a busy homeschool mom to twins who compete in elite-level sports

Nancy, owner of @brighterdaypigments who joined PBA and got her products into ANTHROPOLOGIE!

Kimberly, owner of @kbella_crafts who DOUBLED her online sales within the first 30 days of joining PBAwhile being a busy mom

Chelsea, owner of @familyscreationsllc who secured a retail partnership that's bringing in $4000 per MONTH after joining PBA... while being a mom and being new to business in a very niche product category

Catalina, owner of @heliconiaboutique who got her products into 10 stores and became reinvigorated with her business again after joining PBA... while being in a very saturated market

Join this conversation with people who once stood where you are now, wondering if this could really work for them.

Spoiler alert... It does.

Are you dreaming of seeing your handmade products on the shelves of your favorite store one day? If yes…. Then this episode is going to light that fire even more.

In this episode, I sit down with Nancy, owner of a small business called Brighter Day Pigments, who shares how she turned her lifelong love for art into a thriving handmade watercolor business—and how that journey led her to land a dream collaboration with Anthropologie. Yup, you heard that right! And the best part is… Anthropologie found her and reached out to her… from being found on Etsy.

From mixing her own pigment-rich paints to growing a loyal customer base and navigating the challenging larger retailer wholesale process, Nancy’s story is a reminder of what’s possible when you follow your creativity, trust the path, do the work, and never give up.

Whether you’re selling on Etsy, growing your own website, or wondering how to take your small business into massive retail spaces, this conversation is packed with inspiration, real-life strategy, and proof that your business CAN open big doors.

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn:

• The exact story of how Anthropologie found her products and reached out to her…. From ETSY
• What it really takes to land a wholesale deal with a major retailer
• The behind-the-scenes challenges of working with big retail (including packaging, pricing, and returns!)
• Tips for persistence, negotiation, and pitching your handmade products
• How Nancy balances handmade production with scaling for wholesale

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE
Follow Nancy @brighterdaypigments
Find Nancy's products at ANTHROPOLOGIE!
Enroll in Etsy Algorithm Secrets

LEARN MORE FROM MONICA LITTLE
Website: www.monicalittlecoaching.com
Instagram: @monicalittlecoaching
Join the Product Biz Academy waitlist to be first notified when doors open