OEN NewsYour Support in Action: Regal Dreamzzz
As we look back on what we’ve accomplished in 2019—launching Oregon’s first fund exclusively for food & beverage, growing our Venture Catalyst program, adding key OEN leadership and staff members, and reaching more entrepreneurs with live stream and webcast—one thing is clear: we can’t do it without you. To all of you supporting entrepreneurship in Oregon, thank you from the OEN Board and Staff!
Today is #GivingTuesday, that’s why we are asking for your support to help entrepreneurs succeed across Oregon & Southwest Washington. Join us on our mission to connect entrepreneurs to the people they need to know, the programs & education they need to grow, and the capital they need to scale. Above all, your support allows us to offer education, guidance, and mentorship to impassioned entrepreneurs like Janice Shokrian.
The idea: Regal Dreamzzz
In 2018, Janice Shokrian visited her dad in a nursing home in Houston, Texas. “I walked in and saw this once-dignified man all slumped over in his geriatric chair,” she explains. It did not look comfortable. So, Janice took some measurements of the chair and began searching for a better pillow for her dad.
Soon, Janice realized the type of pillow her father needed hadn’t been developed. “Eighty percent of seniors have head and neck pain. It’s…pain that can be mitigated if they had the proper support,” says Janice.
With this data, Janice created RegalDreamzzz, a patent-pending integrated pillow system that provides neck and head support whether resting in bed or upright in a chair.
Your support in action
Janice discovered OEN in October 2018. “I was introduced to OEN by my patent attorney who invited me to the Tom Holce Award Show and from there, a whole infrastructure of support opened up,” she says.
In the meantime, Janice had begun developing the product for Regal Dreamzzz. However, she had no business plan, proforma, or supply chain. She needed guidance. So, Janice attended OEN’s award ceremony, office hours, and the Startup Resources Tradeshow. Before long, she registered for the Startup Series.
“I owe a debt of gratitude to OEN’s Startup Series,” says Janice. “During this class, I took my assignments seriously and immediately incorporated it into my business practice. I re-wrote my business plan, developed a solid pitch deck, restructured my articles of incorporation, and created my business value statement.”
“I look back at my year and where my business is today. This would not have been possible without the connections and community of support I found through OEN,” says Janice.
Thank you for your support
Now more than ever, we need breakthrough game-changing solutions. So, OEN provides hands-on work with aspiring entrepreneurs in every pocket of our state to help find and nurture those ideas and the teams working to bring them to life.
Act now! Everyone who donates at least $500 to OEN in 2019 will be invited to a happy hour celebration in Portland this January. Join us as we gather our community to double-down on our efforts to build a robust and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem in Oregon.
You can make a tax-deductible donation at www.oen.org/donate and you’ll receive immediate confirmation of your gift. Or you can mail a check to OEN at 309 SW Sixth Avenue, Suite 212, Portland, OR 97204 and receive confirmation of your gift by mail.
This #GivingTuesday, we hope you’ll choose to support local entrepreneurs like Janice by supporting the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network.
Thank you for your support!
