Joanna Serra, an award-winning teacher, and Barbara Kent, a West Point graduate and disabled combat veteran, co-founded Fundraiser Blankets in 2023 in Metro Detroit, Michigan. Polish immigrant sisters who grew up near 8 Mile watching their single mother clean houses, they built a debt-free, bootstrapped business with 49x ROAS, $3 million in 2023, $8 million in 2024, INC5000 and Vet100 recognition, and secured a $300,000 deal from Lori Greiner and Barbara Corcoran on Shark Tank Season 17 Episode 3.
Poland, Detroit, a Teacher, a Combat Veteran, and a School Fundraising Problem That Demanded a Better Answer
Joanna Serra and Barbara Kent grew up as Polish immigrant sisters in Metro Detroit, watching their single mother clean houses and offices to build a life in America. That upbringing gave them two things that most entrepreneurs never develop: a genuine understanding of financial struggle and an unshakeable commitment to community.
Their professional paths diverged dramatically before they came back together. Joanna became a teacher, dedicating herself to education and earning state-level recognition as an award-winning educator. Barbara followed a completely different calling. She graduated from West Point and became an Army combat veteran, a disabled veteran who brought military discipline, leadership, and mission-first thinking to everything she built. She also gives five-year scholarships to underprivileged women, taking 2% of what she earns for this purpose, confirming that service is not just a professional credential but a personal conviction.
Their return to entrepreneurship began when they noticed the same problem plaguing schools across America. Most fundraisers forced families to buy things they did not want. Schools made minimal profit. Parents felt strained. Communities experienced effort without joy. The system was broken and everyone knew it.
What started as two resourceful moms searching for meaningful fundraising ideas became a solution that thousands of communities across America now rely on. What began as a small business called Birdy Boutique evolved into Fundraiser Blankets, launched in 2023, replacing unwanted fundraising products with ultra-soft, custom logo blankets featuring school spirit, team mascots, and community pride.
"When you start with genuine care, lead with mission, and keep helping others at the heart of what you do, success follows," Joanna Serra says.
Debt-Free, Bootstrapped, 49x ROAS, $5.30 Cost, $25 Retail, and a Process So Simple Schools Keep Coming Back
The boldest product and business decision Fundraiser Blankets made was to build an end-to-end fundraising infrastructure around a single product that every family genuinely wanted to keep. A school uploads its logo to the website, receives four digital design options, and can either order in bulk or set up a pre-sale digital campaign. Each fundraiser gets a custom webpage where money goes directly to the school. Free samples, digital mockup kits, and order forms are provided to every partner.
The unit economics are extraordinary:
Manufacturing Cost: $5.30 per blanket (smaller size)
Wholesale Price to Schools: $10.50
Retail Price to Families: ~$25.00
This pricing model gives every community organisation a genuine profit margin that traditional fundraising products never delivered. Fundraiser Blankets is entirely debt-free and bootstrapped, with a 49x return on ad spend confirming that every marketing dollar invested produces extraordinary returns.
The revenue growth confirms the model's power. The brand generated $3 million in its first year of meaningful scale in 2023 and jumped to $8 million in 2024, a 167% growth rate. The 2025 projection is $10 million, with $1.5 million in profit after expenses. Each co-founder paid herself $100,000 in salary, confirming genuine personal financial returns alongside business growth.
The brand's competitive advantage is equally powerful:
"There are a couple of other companies targeting schools with custom blankets specifically, and we've outranked them on search engines by far," Joanna Serra says. "Eventually, we envision ourselves being a fundraising empire, because this industry has not been disrupted in a very long time."
Recognition has followed the results. INC5000 honors the brand's extraordinary growth. Barbara Kent earned the Vet100 recognition in 2025 as one of America's most impactful veteran-owned businesses. The brand serves K-12 schools, sports teams, PTOs, booster clubs, shelters, and nonprofits across America from its Romeo, Michigan headquarters.
1.Roots & Initial Venture (Birdy Boutique):Grew up near 8 Mile watching their single mother clean houses; Joanna excelled in education while Barbara attended West Point and served as a combat veteran. They co-founded Birdy Boutique to address community needs.
2.Fundraiser Blankets Launch & Scaling (2023–2024):Launched Fundraiser Blankets in 2023 with custom digital kits, free samples, and pre-sale portals. Scaled revenues debt-free from $3M in 2023 to $8M in 2024 with a 49x ROAS.
3.Shark Tank Appearance & Joint Shark Deal (October 2025):Appeared on Shark Tank Season 17 Episode 3 (aired October 8, 2025). Pitching a $300,000 ask for 10% equity, they prompted Lori Greiner and Barbara Corcoran to team up, closing a $300,000 deal for 20% equity.
4.National Expansion & Impact (2025–2026):Expanded school district alliances, achieved Vet100 and INC5000 recognition, projected $10M in sales with $1.5M profit, and continues operating from Romeo, Michigan in 2026 with an estimated $40M net worth.
A Bold Ask, the Sisters Partner Two Sharks Together, and a Deal That Felt Like Destiny
Joanna Serra and Barbara Kent appeared on Shark Tank Season 17 Episode 3, which aired on October 8, 2025 on ABC, before a panel that included Chip Gaines, Joanna Gaines, Daniel Lubetzky, Lori Greiner, and Barbara Corcoran. They sought $300,000 for 10% equity, valuing Fundraiser Blankets at $3 million.
The numbers immediately stunned the Sharks. Chip Gaines, Joanna Gaines, and Daniel Lubetzky stepped back from negotiations once multiple offers arrived on the table:
Kevin O'Leary: $300,000 for 20% equity
Lori Greiner: $300,000 for 15% equity
Barbara Corcoran: $300,000 for 15% equity
Then the sisters made their boldest move of the entire pitch: they directly asked Barbara Corcoran and Lori Greiner if they would be willing to partner together on a joint deal. The two Sharks agreed. The combined offer came in at $300,000 for 20% equity split equally between the two investors, valuing the company at $1.5 million under negotiated terms.
The sisters ended up giving away slightly more equity than they would have with just one investor, but having two women in their corner felt like the right move. The Shark Tank deal generated a massive boost in exposure, more school partnerships, alliances with school districts across America, and improved production and delivery processes.
Scale and Real-World Impact
| Parameter | Details |
| Co-Founders | Joanna Serra (Award-Winning Teacher) & Barbara Kent (West Point Graduate, Disabled Combat Veteran) |
| Founding & Location | Co-founded in 2023 in Romeo, Metro Detroit, Michigan (Bootstrapped & Debt-Free) |
| Financial Growth | 2023: $3 million | 2024: $8 million (167% growth) | 2025 Projected: $10 million ($1.5M profit after expenses) |
| Unit Economics | Manufacturing Cost: $5.30 | Wholesale: $10.50 | Retail: ~$25.00 | 49x Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) |
| Founder Compensation | $100,000 salary paid to each co-founder |
| Current Business Valuation | Estimated net worth of $40 million based on a 4x revenue multiple |
| Community Impact | Serves K-12 schools, sports teams, PTOs, booster clubs, shelters, and non-profits nationwide; Barbara allocates 2% earnings to 5-year women's scholarships |
| Shark Tank Appearance | Season 17 Episode 3 (Aired October 8, 2025 on ABC) |
| Shark Tank Deal Details | $300,000 for 20% equity split equally between Lori Greiner and Barbara Corcoran ($1.5M negotiated valuation; pending due diligence as of Oct 2025) |
| Industry Awards | INC5000 Honoree, Vet100 Recognition (2025 for Barbara Kent) |
| Current Status | Active and expanding operations through 2026 |
The Most Powerful Purpose-Driven Brands Are the Ones That Start With a Real Problem in a Real Community
The sharpest lesson from Fundraiser Blankets' journey is this: the most enduring and most explosive consumer brands are the ones built by founders who personally experienced the gap in the communities they were already serving.
Joanna Serra was a teacher who watched schools struggle with ineffective fundraising. Barbara Kent was a combat veteran and scholarship giver who brought military discipline to every operational challenge. Together they built a product so well-designed that schools kept coming back, families kept buying, and competitors got left behind on every search engine.
From Poland to Detroit. From a mother cleaning houses to daughters on INC5000. From a school frustration to $8 million in sales. From two sisters with a mission to two Sharks saying yes because the sisters asked them to partner together.
"Eventually, we envision ourselves being a fundraising empire," Joanna Serra says. "Because this industry has not been disrupted in a very long time."
It has now.
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