Respond to a Worthy Cause
Business Plan a CD Story
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How do you follow a successful first act? With an even more successful second act, say three members of the HBS community involved in producing Respond II, a double CD of women artists released in January. Like its predecessor, Respond II is a collaborative nonprofit venture: All proceeds from the CD will be donated to help end domestic violence.
Respond II features 32 female artists, half of whom were nominated for Grammy Awards and all of whom donated their work to the project. It came together with the help of HBS research associate Charan Devereaux, who was executive producer of both Respond and Respond II, and Sonya Brown and Michelle Dietz (both MBA ’02). After the success of the first CD, last year Devereaux asked the HBS Entertainment & Media Club for help writing a business plan. “The idea was to broaden the scope of the original CD,” explains Devereaux. “We wanted to add national and international artists, expand the marketing efforts, and make a bigger impact in the battle against domestic violence.”
Brown and Dietz signed on, and HBS faculty members Michael Watkins and Max Bazerman agreed to be their advisors. The three women crafted a business plan that was first runner-up in the social enterprise category of the HBS Business Plan Contest. They used the $5,000 cash prize and the same amount in services from The Bridgespan Group to turn their business plan into a reality. They garnered support from a wider range of artists — including folk legend Joan Baez, African soul star Angélique Kidjo, and country icon Dolly Parton — and partnered with the Family Violence Prevention Fund, a national organization focused on ending domestic violence, and RESPOND Inc., one of the oldest domestic violence shelters in the country. Prior to the official release, more than two thousand copies of the twenty thousand print run were sold, enough to cover production costs. Since then, sales have been strong.
“By wrapping the anti-violence message in a package of beautiful songs by great female artists, we were able to provide our audience with a wonderful gift,” says Dietz with pride. Brown agrees, adding her appreciation for the Schoolıs role in the project: “HBS gave us the opportunity, the platform, the contacts, the seed capital. We are grateful.”
CDs are available at the Harvard Coop and online at www.respondproject.org.
