When Manuel and Geiszel Godoy bought married 14 years in the past and had children, they began paying to consideration to a jarring phenomenon: They couldn’t discover any comedian books for his or her youngsters with characters who seemed like them.
Geiszel and Manuel Godoy
However Manuel and Geiszel determined to not merely settle for the state of affairs. As a substitute, seven years in the past, they shaped Black Sands Entertainment, a Delaware-based firm that produces comedian books and graphic novels for younger readers within the Black group. They function Black characters, telling tales of historical Africa. “I didn’t wish to continually see solely Hollywood variations of the traditional cultures of Africa,” says Manuel.
Now, with $3 million in income, the corporate is targeted on a technique to spice up progress, primarily by gross sales to colleges.
Beginning Up
Manuel and Geiszel each have been stationed within the military within the early 2000’s, largely in Germany, she for three-and-and-a-half years, he for six, however they met after leaving the army. Every pursued numerous levels, Handbook in economics, Geiszel in vogue design and vogue administration. (She additionally had a level in administration). Six months after assembly, they bought married. Then got here children—and the inspiration for his or her firm.
The primary yr of the enterprise was robust. The couple deliberate to begin with video video games. However they didn’t discount for the way costly that will be. After spending hundreds of {dollars}, they determined it was time to pivot. So that they raised $20,000 by way of a Kickstarter marketing campaign and switched to comics with a ebook referred to as Youngsters 2 Kings. Since that point, they’ve produced near 50 chapters of comedian books—12 sequence, every with a number of chapters. The comics are distributed by Publishers Group West.
Black Sands titles
In 2021, the corporate launched an app for content material creators who lacked their very own platform. “We wished to verify they bought plenty of publicity,” says Manuel. Black Sands additionally introduced a few of these artists in-house.
Boosting Development
Extra lately, the corporate closed down the app, a part of a technique to concentrate on sooner progress. “We now have to get greater to make an actual distinction within the tradition,” says Manuel.
With that in thoughts, the Godoys are dedicating $500,000 to rent a workforce of gross sales reps specializing within the schooling market, as a part of a technique to promote to highschool districts and libraries. They lately signed a cope with the Birmingham, Ala. faculty district for $37,000. In addition they simply held two digital skilled growth periods with librarians and educators in New York Metropolis and Washington, D.C. “We’re instructing them methods to use comedian books and graphic novels within the classroom to get children to learn extra,” says Manuel.
In January 2022, the Godoys appeared on the present Shark Tank. Comic Kevin Hart, a particular visitor, and common Mark Cuban agreed to take a position a complete of $500,000 for a 30% stake. In a while, the deal ended up breaking down, however the publicity, says Manuel, “was large for us.” The corporate additionally plans to lift $2 million by Wefunder; they’re kicking off the marketing campaign on Could 7. And it’s additionally again to creating video video games, “now that now we have the assets to do it,” says Manuel.
“We wished to create content material for the following era, with heroes who mirrored them and their ancestral upbringing,” says Manuel. “Each baby must learn about their heritage and their tradition.”