47 Year Old Todd Seeks Business Grant For Dream Fulfilling BBQ Restaurant

by Todd Meinburg
(Colfax, WI, USA)

I am a 47-year-old married 10 years to my wife Ali. We have an awesome 7-year-old son named Griffin.

I have been a therapist for the past 23 years, specializing in juvenile substance abuse, sex offenders, violent offenders and their families.

I always make myself a part of my community and church, and I recently accepted several posts at church and on the school board.

I have engaged in many public relations hours for community events and fundraising.

I have always had a passion for cooking and have been the one everyone goes to for cooking at their events.

I have never been able to realize this passion into owning a restaurant as I was busy being a therapist and was suffering from undiagnosed bipolar disorder. I was fearful to take the risk.

I have come to a point where I burned out from counseling, am on my feet managing my disability and want this change.

I have many of my own recipes, have extensive managing skills, a great deal of self-marketing skills and love to feed people.

I have bipolar disorder, type II. I began to notice in my early 20s I was having mild mood swings much faster than what seemed normal.

As I became older I was married in my late 20s and began to have wilder mood swings. I was divorced after 4 years.

My mood swings got worse and I began to self-medicate with alcohol until age 37, when I married Ali. She encouraged me to get help.

I procrastinated until 4 years ago when I had a depression and drinking episode that convinced me to get sober, get medication and counseling. I have been sober and medication compliant ever since.

After deciding to receive help for my disability I have been a returning student at The University of Wisconsin Stout in the Vocational Rehabilitation program.

I struggle to pay for my medications. We are living paycheck to paycheck from my wife's work.

I badly need a newer vehicle. Mine is 14 years old and about to die.

I have not been working. I have attempted to apply for SSI, SSDI and the right to work program.

We are relying solely on my wife's income, I have tried to seek work here and have not been able to be hired.

I am in a position where I have too much experience and employers believe I want too much money when I would take about any offer.

I am seeking a business grant for $150,000 to $200,000 for a BBQ restaurant in Menomonie Wisconsin. A BBQ eatery does not exist here.

I am ready and motivated to take this risk.

There is not an eatery here for this type of fare. I have projected an annual income of $35,000 and a 6-7 percent growth rate over the next 3 years.

I will serve pork, beef and chicken BBQ, all smoked and pulled with family style sides. I will also have soups, breads and desserts.

I have a very strong work ethic and will manage my time with a heavy emphasis on customer service.

I have a tremendous background of using free advertising and community events to sell both my product and myself.