Participant Application

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Legal Business Name *

DBA (if applicable)

Doing Business As…

Department ID *

Entity number assigned by the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. You can search for your Department ID at egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch

Is your business in Good Standing with the State of Maryland? *

Participants are required to be legally registered business entities in Good Standing with the State of Maryland. Please explain how you’re working to resolve this issue. *

Owner Name(s) *

Provide the full legal name(s) of all business owner(s), separated by a comma.

Is at least one owner of the business 18 years or older? *

We’re sorry, but you are not eligible to participate in the incubator. At least one business owner must be 18+ years of age.

Email *

Provide an email address that you check frequently. This will be how we contact you.

Phone *

Business Website

Business Instagram Link

Business Facebook Link

Select the category that best describes your business *

Fashion, Apparel or Accessories
Art, Handmade or Creative Goods
Vintage, Antique or Curated
Decor, Gifts or Specialty Retail
Food or Beverage
Service: Beauty, Health or Personal Care
Service: Professional or Creative
Franchise, MLM, or similar business model

We’re sorry, but you are not eligible to participate in the incubator. The program is built for retail businesses. Food and beverage businesses, service-based businesses, franchises, MLM and similar business models are not eligible.

Do you currently own or operate a storefront? *

If you work at a store as an employee, answer No. If you own the store, answer Yes. If your products are currently sold in someone else’s store, answer No.

We’re sorry, but you are not eligible to participate in the incubator. The program is built to support entrepreneurs who do not already own or operate a storefront.

Describe your business and the products you sell *

What makes your products unique within the Downtown Frederick marketplace? *

Visit downtownfrederick.org/directory for a list of businesses currently located within Downtown Frederick.

Who is your target customer? *

Upload 3 photos of your products on display for sale *

Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload You can upload up to 3 files.

How many hours per week do you work at (or on) your business? *

Full-time (over 35 hours/week)
Part-time (12-35 hours/week)
Side hustle (1-11 hours/week)
Seasonally
Other

Other (please describe) *

How many hours per week do you work at another job, which is not your business? *

Full-time (over 35 hours/week)
Part-time (12-35 hours/week)
Side hustle (1-11 hours/week)
Seasonally
Not applicable
Other

Other (please describe) *

What is the typical price range of your products? *

Example: $10 – $100

Briefly describe the cost structure of your products. How much time and money does it cost to create / acquire them? *

How many units of inventory can you consistently produce or maintain on a monthly basis? Please describe. *

Where do you currently sell your products? (select all that apply) *

Online
Events / Markets
In-Store
Other

Provide link(s) to your online store(s) *

List the event(s) or market(s) where you sell *

List the store(s) where you sell: *

Other (please describe) *

What year did you start your business? *

Describe your retail experience, either through operating your own business or from working elsewhere *

Do you have experience using a retail POS? (such as Square, Shopify, Clover, etc.) *

Can you commit to participating in the entire year-long incubator program from September 2026 through August 2027? *

We’re sorry, but you are not eligible to participate in the incubator. The program is built to give participating businesses a hands-on experience of owning and operating a retail storefront. All businesses must be available to participate for the entire year.

Throughout the year-long incubator program, can you commit to working in the store at least 12 hours per week? This will include working shifts during the store’s hours of operation, as well as maintaining the store’s website and social media accounts (a shared responsibility between all participants), attending trainings, meeting with the managing partners, and dedicating time to shopkeeper meetings with other participating businesses. *

The store’s regular hours of operation are: Friday – Saturday (11am-7pm) and Sunday (11am-5pm). SOUL Street will work with participants to devise a coverage schedule that best accommodates all participating businesses while ensuring the shop is open during the hours of operation. Special, one-off circumstances and emergencies notwithstanding. It may be permissible, if mutually agreed upon, for participants to make joint coverage arrangements for increased flexibility. However, Downtown Frederick Partnership and SOUL Street reserve the right to terminate the program agreement in the event of repeated violations of the hours-of-operation requirement.

We’re sorry, but you are not eligible to participate in the incubator. The program is built to give participating businesses a hands-on experience of owning and operating a retail storefront. All participants must be available to share the responsibility of working in the store.

Incubator participants will be responsible for co-managing the store’s website. Do you have experience managing a website? *

Incubator participants will be responsible for co-managing the store’s social media accounts. Select the platform(s) you're comfortable with.

Facebook
Instagram

Which of the following special event days will you be available to work in the store? (select all that apply)

First Saturdays (the first Saturday of each month) – the shop will be open from 11am-8pm
Frederick @ Night (Friday, November 13) – the shop will be open from 11am-8pm
Frosty Friday (Friday, November 27) – the shop will be open from 9am-9pm
December Saturdays (Saturday, December 5, 12 & 19) – the shop will be open from 11am-8pm
Love Local Tour (Tuesday, December 8) – the shop will be open from 5-8pm

Will you be able to sustain $300 monthly rent payments for the entire 12-month term of this incubator program, in addition to paying any upfront permitting fees that may be required by the City of Frederick (estimated cost of $100)? *

We’re sorry, but you are not eligible to participate in the incubator. All businesses are required to pay $300 per month and required permitting fees.

How has your business been financed up until now? (select all that apply) *

Sales generated by business
Personal funds
Family funds
Funds from friends / acquaintances
Bank loans
Other

Other (please describe) *

What is your total startup capital from all sources to participate in this incubator? *

What were your approximate gross revenues in the past year? If you don’t have this information, please explain. *

Gross Revenue = total sales or income generated by your business, before factoring in operating costs and expenses

How much did you spend on inventory in the past year? If you don’t have this information, please explain. *

What were your approximate profits in the past year? If you don’t have this information, please explain. *

Profit = gross revenue minus operating costs and expenses

Upload any of the following documents that you have:
• Business Plan
• Balance Sheet
• Income Statement (Profit & Loss Statement)
• Cash Flow Statement
• Sales Reports or Revenue Summaries

Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload You can upload up to 5 files.

Why do you want to participate in this incubator? *

What is your vision for how your business will operate 2 years from now? What key changes or milestones will help you get there? *

sources describes is

How do you and your business align with the incubator’s mission? *

Three’s Co. is a space for three emerging entrepreneurs to learn, to grow and to thrive. It exists primarily to serve diverse entrepreneurs and ensure they find their footing in Frederick’s small business community. It represents a near-term future that is more inclusive, accessible and community oriented.

The incubator store will be co-run by three entrepreneurs which means that flexibility and collaboration are essential. Tell us about your willingness to adapt your business and operate within a shared space. It may require compromise on display methods, sharing management of social media accounts, etc. *

How do you see yourself collaborating and working with your fellow incubator participants to make Three’s Co. a unique shopping experience? *

How do you see yourself collaborating with and learning from your managing partners at SOUL Street and Downtown Frederick Partnership? *

Upload any of the following that you have:
• Business logo
• Branded packaging
• Social media graphics (1-3 examples)

Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload You can upload up to 5 files.

What topics would you like to see addressed in our business education efforts? (select all that apply)

Bookkeeping / Accounting
Inventory Management
Employment / Payroll / Labor Laws
Merchandising / Displays / Store Design
Marketing / Branding
General Operations
Other

Other (please describe) *

Describe any other business assistance programs you have participated in before

Provide the Name, Email & Relationship for 3 business references (type each reference on a different line) *

How did you hear about this opportunity? *

SOUL Street
Downtown Frederick Partnership
Other

Other (please describe) *

If you are not selected for the first year of the incubator program, would you be interested in participating in the second year from September 2027 through August 2028? *

The following questions are optional. Your responses will help us better understand the diversity of incubator participants, but you may skip any question you prefer not to answer.

How old are you?

Under 18
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
Prefer not to answer

How do you describe your gender?

Female
Male
Non-binary
Prefer to self-describe
Prefer not to answer

If you would like to self-describe, please do so here:

Which of the following best describes your race and/or ethnicity? (select all that apply)

American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Hispanic or Latino/a/x
Middle Eastern or North African
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Person of Color
White
Another race or ethnicity
Prefer not to answer

If you would like to share your race or ethnicity, please do so here:

Do you identify with any of the following disabilities or accessibility needs? (select all that apply)

Mobility disability (for example: use of wheelchair, walker or other mobility aid)
Deaf or hard of hearing
Blind or low vision
Neurodivergent (for example: autism, ADHD, dyslexia)
Chronic illness or medical condition
Another disability or accessibility need
None of the above
Prefer not to answer

If you would like to share your disability or accessibility need, please do so here:

Do you identify your business as any of the following? (select all that apply)

Woman-owned
Minority-owned
Black-owned
Veteran-owned
LGBTQIA+-owned
Disability-owned
None of the above
Prefer not to answer

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

High school or equivalent
Some college
Associate degree
Bachelor’s degree
Graduate or professional degree
Other
Prefer not to ansewr

If you would like to share your highest level of education, please do so here:

Where do you live?

City, State

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