Today we present Dan Breier as part of The Startup Magazine’s Founder Interview series. Dan has a great story as Founder of BreierSide Solutions, a charity consulting company in Sleepy Hollow, Illinois. BreierSide Solutions was started as an effort to give back to the community. Dan is a successful entrepreneur who plays an active role in his community. From coaching, to mentoring and donating to a number of worthy causes, he aspires to help make the world a better place with better fundraising tools.
BreierSide Solutions is a startup business Dan launched in recognizing that fundraising is a critical and recurring need for schools, churches, charities and youth sports teams, and that supporting these community organizations has only become more important during the recent pandemic. The business is built on an innovative approach to fundraising beyond the traditional local discount card and coupon book concepts. It utilizes a digital discount “book” through the cutting edge Rhino Club Card App which makes the old fundraising concepts obsolete.
Dan epitomizes the successful entrepreneur using innovative solutions to helping people help their own local businesses and charities. We interviewed Dan to get more insights into his entrepreneurial journey and startup challenges…
TSM: To get us started, describe what BreierSide Solutions does in 10 words or less:
Dan: Raise funds for charities and other organizations.
TSM: With a bit more detail, what does BreierSide Solutions do? What big-picture problems does it solve?
Dan: We are an affiliate marketing partner (state of Illinois primarily) for the Rhino Club Card App. We provide a digital fundraising platform for charities, churches, youth sports teams and other organizations.
TSM: What is an experience or two you’ve had that really shows the impact that BreierSide Solutions has on its fundraising customers?
Dan: We’re just in the startup stage, but I’ve been able to donate some items already to a local animal shelter to help raise funds, and made a special needs volunteer smile with some BreierSide swag items. I have some verbal commitments right now, one for the football team at St. Edward Central Catholic High School in nearby Elgin and one of the local Boy Scout Troops.
TSM: With the COVID-19 crisis, are there new factors to consider on how you are able to make an impact with your fundraising offerings?
Dan: The Rhino Club Card App is perfect for our current state of affairs. The fundraising is all done online and through the App. It’s easy and convenient and provides a new source of fundraising for many organizations.
TSM: Tell us about making that leap from a corporate job to a startup. What were the first hurdles?
Dan: Brand name and lack of awareness of the Rhino Club Card App. They do a great job in Florida and some other Southern states, but we’re the first ones to market this game-changing App in Illinois.
TSM: Give us a bit more background on the BreierSide success. As the organization is growing, what are the additional challenges to making it sustainable? Hiring? Getting visibility? Raising capital?
Dan: We’re just focused on the daily tasks and spreading the good word of the Rhino Club Card App. It’s a little tougher right now to make appointments and get in front of school PTO’s, nonprofit development personnel and youth sport coaches. Schools are a big potential user of our product and PTO meetings are mostly virtual now. Just need to continue developing brand awareness and get information in front of PTO Presidents and other key decision makers.
TSM: Going back to your early career decisions, tell us what factors influenced your decision to run a charity servicing company and gave you the entrepreneurial passion that you apply to it?
Dan: Owning a business is tough because you deal with all aspects of running a company and there is always more work that can be done. I feel like I’ve been blessed in my life and am just trying to be successful in a space where I can help a lot of people and organizations.
TSM: What do you see in the next five years with this app?
Dan: I hope we have hundreds of clients by then, and have helped them raise hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars to support their organizations. I would like to see 100,000 Rhino Club Card members in Illinois.
TSM: What is one piece of advice you can offer other entrepreneurs that want to follow an entrepreneurial path, on how they can be successful?
Dan: I believe in a quote I heard from Zig Ziglar a long time ago, that you can have anything you want in life, if you’ll help enough other people get what they want. I think success comes from how hard you work, how well you treat others and how big you dream.
TSM: That is great advice for sure. To finish, what is one interesting fact about you that people may not know?
Dan: I can quote the entire William Wallace speech from Braveheart when he’s rallying his men on the battlefield against England.
TSM: That’s fantastic, Dan. You’re certainly making an impact with your startup, and we wish you continued success. Thank you.
