1. Crowd funding
The marshmallow cafe’s two owners started selling their handmade marshmallows at pop-ups and other events, but they launched a Kickstarter funding campaign after finding their storefront near Loyola University Chicago’s campus. They aimed to raise $6,500, but ended up garnering more than $9,500, thanks to media mentions and strong consumer interest. Donation rewards ranged from a free latte to a choice of three “Mars'halos” (doughnut-shaped marshmallows) to a six-month subscription to the shop’s Marshmallow of the Month Club.