When most people want to launch a business they will save the money, borrow from people they know, or get a loan. Christa Hastie created the Million Gumballs project instead.
Ultimately it is Christa’s goal to raise enough money to build her very own a bed and breakfast. To do that she is selling gumballs that can be personalized and will be placed on a 10’x10’x10′ cube. From business logos to sayings, and even a wedding proposal, people are able to own a little piece of this project and help an aspiring entrepreneur launch her dream business at the same time.
Tell us a little about the Million Gumballs project.
I am a young 30-year-old mother of two beautiful girls, ages 2 and 4. And a wife to a wonderful husband. Like most people, we work very hard at everything in life – work, family, kids, marriage, gardening, chicken farming (4 chickens!) etc. I want to take my great work ethic and bring it to a tropical island where I’d like to start my own family focused bed and breakfast.
So in an effort to raise enough money to materialize these dreams, I am offering people the opportunity add their logo, name, birth date, or other words, numbers and phrases designed with gumballs to the surface of my giant 10’x10’x10′ cube art installation. So when people share their words, along with words from people all across the world, through gumballs, they are helping me materialize my dreams!
My husband who is a former NASA rocket scientist (helped launch the Mars Rovers from Cape Canaveral in 2003) and mechanical engineer has designed the underlying structure needed to support the 1 ton of gumballs going on this art piece. And yes, he thinks I’m crazy (in a good way)!
In the next couple weeks an interactive cube modeled after the real art piece will be available at www.milliongumballs.com — it will allow users to rotate the cube and zoom in to see what’s on each side of the cube, zooming in to see what’s printed on the gumballs purchased so far, as well as click through to view the supporter’s website (if they have one).
FUN STATISTICS
* A 10’x10’x10′ cube will ultimately have 1,058,480 gumballs covering 4 sides and the top with the bottom of the cube sitting on the ground gumball free.
* An estimated 1,000,000 gumballs will be for sold with letters/numbers/characters/logos and 58,480 gumballs will be used as blank spacers.
* A 3″ border of 5/8″ gumballs will be on each side (except the bottom of the square) for a total of 3,760 5/8″ gumballs per side and 18,800 5/8″ gumballs total
* There will be a total of 207,936 1/4″ gumballs per side and 1,039,680 1/4″ gumballs total.
* The 1/4″ gumballs weigh approximately .9 grams each, and the 5/8″ gumballs weigh approximately 1.9 grams each for a grand total of 2,063 pounds (~1 ton) of gumballs.
What inspired it?
The Million Gumballs Project started in the garage a couple months ago when I was doing some organizing. I found some gumballs left over from my oldest daughter’s birthday party and shortly after our afternoon crafts project turned out to be gumballs glued to leftover scrap fabric. We wrote fun words and phrases on the gumballs and framed those finished pieces in shadow boxes for the girls’ room. They were super awesome, fun, colorful and inspiring. I thought it would be a cool idea to see what other people would write on gumballs if given the opportunity.
What are some of your personal favorite phrases/logos that were put in gumballs?
There have been some interesting and touching phrases, including a marriage proposal!! No logo gumballs have been purchased yet but I’m excited to see what business will be the first to jump on board! I’ve also recently had to hire an attorney to help me with some potential copyright issues and deal with some inappropriate language. I really don’t want to exclude anything though because it is a cube that allows free speech!
“Live. Love. Laugh.”
“Keep your friends close but your enemies closer”
“My good people, as you pass by, as you are now, so once was I. As I am now, you soon shall be. So prepare yourself to follow me…”
How might someone go about purchasing a gumball?
Just go to www.milliongumballs.com to buy them! They are $2 a piece for the gumballs which allow one character (per gumball) or $5 a piece for gumballs with custom logos imprinted on them.
Although you haven’t yet chosen what to do with the 10 x 10 gumball square when you’re done, what would you like to see happen with it? Have you considered showing it off in your bed and breakfast when you finally launch your business?
I would like to see it in a place where it gets maximum exposure to make sure the words and logos of my supporters are read and seen by the most number of people. There’s a lot that will be said on this cube and I think it’s important that people have the opportunity to see it all.
What has your project taught you?
No matter how crazy the idea, you can make anything happen if you really want it. I am hopeful that all the gumballs will sell and my dreams will become a reality.
Any tips you would like to share with someone that might be interested in taking a unique route, as you have, to help fund their own business venture?
Be relentless. Don’t be afraid to go for it no matter how crazy it is. Even if you fail, chances are you will learn something.