100K Raise in 1 day – and welcome to Michigan, time to check your ego at the door!
I met Josh, the founder of Riley’s Candles, a few weeks after moving to Traverse City. My wife had gently pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and attend a founders’ meet-up hosted by Broc Crandall at a local coffee shop called Happy Camper in Elk Rapids. I didn’t know what to expect.
Coming from the Boston startup scene, having judged pitch competitions at Harvard’s i-Lab and MassChallenge, I’ll admit—I was not sure if there were “real” founders in Northern Michigan. Networking always felt like noise in a crowded room. But this? Five people. Small town coffee shop.
I almost didn’t go.
There was Jamie from Earthly After, working in the funeral space. Broc, the coffee shop owner. Bradley mentioned something about Conquer Accelerator, which I assumed was a small-town co-working space. Chase an AI startup that I had spoken with one time before, and Josh, a guy who made candles. I made assumptions from the egoless introductions.
But then we started talking.
Jamie wasn’t just helping support funeral homes—she was transforming how we approach legacy and grief. She was innovating in a completely broken and outdated space with a fresh concept that could scale globally. Broc? He’s the founder of Stocked; a logistics-forward grocery delivery platform designed for vacation rentals. Bradley runs Conquer, which is an MSU’s research-backed startup accelerator connected with the largest funders of startups in the state. And Chase, with his adorable AI startup, turned out to be fresh out of Y Combinator after also finishing Conquer. He was heavily backed by some of the biggest investors in the industry, and 1-2 years ahead of the AI boom.
I came in thinking I was the one with experience. I left realizing I had a lot to learn and was out of my depth.
Josh doesn’t just make candles. He funds emergency dog surgeries. When a family calls him at 2 am—"Our dog needs $15K surgery, and we don’t have the money—Josh doesn’t tell them to start a GoFundMe. He brands a candle in that dog’s name, sells it through his loyal customer base, and donates the profits to save the dog’s life.
He created a way for people to ask for help without asking for money.
He’s also reimagining corporate gifting. Gone are the cheap, branded mugs.
He creates products people want to use—products that tell stories, honor lives, and sit in the heart of people’s homes.
Josh is doing something real. And it hit home for me as a lifelong animal lover.
From that day on, we started collaborating. I launched a new startup, and Josh was the first to say, “I’m in.” First paying client. Gave me access to his network. Supported me in ways I didn’t expect.
In return, I offered to help where I could. Josh was doing it all himself. Solo founder. Handmade supply chain. Constant demand. He needed capital, fast —but more than that, he needed a story that investors could understand. So, we went to work. I helped him shape a pitch deck—tight, clear, to the point. I figured we’d do a few revisions.
Josh didn’t wait.
He sent it out within minutes.
The next day, I get a text: “Raised $100K.”
It wasn’t just the deck. It was the trust he had built with people over the years. It was the clarity we added around a mission that’s as powerful as any I’ve ever seen. And it was a reminder that sometimes the simplest work—done well—is the most meaningful.
Josh is one of those people you meet once and never forget. He’s undeniable. The way he lives. The way he gives. The way he keeps Riley—his dog, his co-founder in spirit, who recently passed—alive in every product and every mission.
It’s no surprise that the entire community was gutted when Riley died. He was the heart of it. And so is Josh.
This isn’t a case study about marketing strategy or product optimization. This is a story about listening, connecting, offering what you have, and being willing to learn in return. It’s about getting out of your own way and seeing what’s right in front of you.
Real consulting isn’t PowerPoint. It’s people helping people. It’s clarity. It’s momentum. It’s doing small things that unlock big movements.
Josh is undeniable.
And I am undeniably lucky to call him a friend.
Work with Enhance and you tap into battle-tested executive with 30-plus years of “been-there, fixed-that” experience. We’ve solved the problem you’re facing, know the pitfalls to dodge, and bring the exact tools and systems that turn obstacles into breakthroughs. Let’s put that firepower to work and lift your organization to its next level of success.
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