Brothers Andrew and Ryan Landau are building their current startup, Chalkfly, by combining three of their passions: teaching, marketing and Detroit.
The M@dison Building-based company is working on a new formula for selling office/school supplies online that combines both ease and customer service with a philanthropic component.
"We are trying to reinvent how office and school supplies are sold online," says Andrew Landau, co-founder of
Chalkfly.
The brand-spanking-new startup is offering 10,000 products for sale online, along with free shipping, 24/7 customer support and a one-year return policy. The social entrepreneurial component gives 5 percent of each purchase to charitable organizations oriented toward education, such as Teach for America or other approved local educational causes.
"It's a great way for teachers to individually fundraise for their classrooms," Andrew Landau says.
Chalkfly employs seven people and an intern. It recently launched its Beta version in July and plans to go live to the public in August. It expects to use the Detroit market as a launchpad for becoming a national brand.
"I think there is a real renaissance in Detroit in the entrepreneurial community," Andrew Landau says. "This is where our family is. It's an opportunity we couldn't pass up."
Source: Andrew Landau, co-founder of Chalkfly
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.