Popcorn Project Proposal — $4k/mo

Overview

A proposed separate, flat-fee engagement to capture Doodlers' ~$250k state grant for popcorn-related initiatives. Rather than absorbing popcorn work into the existing $10k/mo retainer, the proposal creates a clean, separately invoiced project that Doodlers can submit directly for grant reimbursement — freeing the remaining grant funds for product, packaging, and shipping costs.

The proposal was discussed during the ^[1] and was ~80% drafted at that time. Karly was assigned to finalize and present it to the client.

Proposal Structure

Item	Detail
Fee	$4,000/month, flat
Billing	Separate invoice from existing retainer; labeled "Popcorn Project" throughout for easy grant reimbursement
Ad spend overrides	None — flat fee only
Term	Not yet defined; tied to grant availability

Scope

All popcorn-related brands and initiatives, kept separate from Doodlers' grain/cornmeal work:

Doodle Popcorn brand
Old World Popcorn brand
Popped Popcorn brand
New product lines (e.g., seasoned salt, coconut oil accessories)
Bulk popcorn sales support (e.g., outreach to distributors, organic food companies)
Old World brand store buildout (website and/or Amazon storefront)
Popcorn accessories (e.g., bowls, sourcing distributors)

Third-party creative work (e.g., Jen's bag design for Popped Popcorn) can also be invoiced against the grant separately by the client.

Rationale

Why a Separate Project?

Doodlers are already paying ~$10k/mo on their existing retainer. Folding popcorn-specific work into that agreement creates invoicing complexity and makes grant reimbursement difficult. A standalone, clearly labeled invoice simplifies the paper trail for the state grant administrator.

Why $4,000/mo?

Working from an estimated grant total of ~$225,000:

$4,000/mo × 12 months = $48,000 to Asymmetric
Remaining grant funds: ~$177,000 available for product, packaging, shipping, and other vendor costs (e.g., Jen's creative)

At $3,000/mo the math still works, but $4,000 was judged appropriate given the scope and the fact that this is grant money — not out-of-pocket client spend.

"We probably could charge them $4,000 a month and they wouldn't care." — Mark Hope

Client Receptivity

Doodlers are happy with Asymmetric's work (Amazon is their only meaningful revenue channel at ~$126k/mo). Because the grant funds are state money rather than personal cash, price sensitivity is expected to be low.

Grant Context

Source: State grant for popcorn-related initiatives
Estimated total: ~$250,000 (exact figure TBC)
Doodlers' situation: Carrying ~$1M in debt; banks are applying pressure. Grant funds represent a meaningful, low-friction capital source if properly documented.
Key constraint: Invoices must clearly reference popcorn work to qualify for reimbursement.

Action Items

[ ] Karly — Finalize the Popcorn Project proposal document (was ~80% complete as of 2025-12-05) and present to Doodlers
[ ] Karly — Confirm exact grant amount and any reimbursement documentation requirements with the client
[ ] Mark — Review final proposal before client presentation if needed

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