Interview with Entrepreneur: Filomena Laforgia of Filanthropists.com

Please give us a little bit of a background on yourself and tell us how you became an entrepreneur.

When Filomena Laforgia's son was diagnosed with Autism in 2006 at age three, she made a commitment to herself and her son to raise awareness of this condition. A former marketer, Filomena's first thought was to develop and sell a product from which a percentage of the proceeds would be donated to Autism related organizations. It was while researching this concept that she realized that she was not alone in her quest to develop a product with a "for a cause" purpose. She found that there are thousands of charities selling cause-related products as a means of fundraising that are struggling to be noticed. It was this realization that led her to create Filanthropists.com.

What is your business called and what do you do?

For the charitable consumer, Filanthropists.com serves as a one-stop online shopping mall for the purchase of cause-related products. The site features a variety of products from merchants and local and national organizations that are committed to the sale of these products to support fundraising efforts for their specific cause. The site is fully searchable and visitors can search for cause-related product by category, charity name or cause type. Filanthropists.com also seeks to celebrate these individuals who have chosen to make a difference. Consumers can upload their photo and include a brief statement about why they chose to support their particular cause. For charities / non-profits and product vendors, Filanthropists.com provides a way to engage in fundraising through e-commerce and as a way of finding like-minded partners with whom to explore and build business opportunities. Fundraising is accomplished through the shopping mall where cause-related products are showcased and sold. The "Unite" feature, a search enhanced social networking function, enables charitable organizations and product manufacturers to find each other. Note: The organization's name, is more than just a play on Filomena's name and the word philanthropist, it's a symbol of how the socially conscious individual can make a difference through the simplest of acts and how through buying a cause related product we can all be Filanthropists.

How did you fund starting your own business?

I funded it initially, but I am almost finished with our Business Plan and will be looking for other philanthropists to contribute to it future success.

How many hours do you work a week and how much is spent is your home office?

40 hours a week at least trying to maintain and marketing the site.

How would you rate your success?

Hopeful! It seems everyone likes the concept. Plus, our 2010 holiday season was pretty good considering we are still a start-up. And we have been getting some great PR.

What has been your biggest business challenge as an entrepreneur?

Money, of course and since the business is a new concept overall, convincing people to engage shortly… People are sooo very busy these days and it seems like everyone is on their guard, thinking “you” are trying to sell them the Brooklyn Bridge.

What advice would you give to a new entrepreneur?

Just do it. Start with one thing… a logo, a mission statement… something. Otherwise, you and others will come up with a million reasons why you should wait or not do it at all.

Anything else you would like to share?

Yes, be patient, think positively and don’t underestimate anyone… You never know who is listening.

Website URL: filanthropists.com

Twitter ID: http://twitter.com/filanthropists

Facebook Fan Page: Filanthropists

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