Kellen

I was born and raised in Canada and spent a good chunk of my adult life in academia. I left the academic world to try new things and start my business. Navigating bureaucracy and financial systems can be a daunting and challenging task. Dealing with those types of tasks had always come naturally to me, and I found that these are the type of barriers for many folks that can mean they can't access financial assistance or lending resources to start or support their business.

What motivates me is helping other people, and working in a context where I know I'm doing good. Our company, Revata Consulting, provides professional services such as grant writing, survey research, and data analytics for hire. But the program areas and target audience are rural communities, small businesses, and agricultural producers that are very much the backbone of America and need all the help they can get. For many of those, navigating bureaucracy is something that can really hold them back. That's where our company comes in.

Our primary revenue source is through the USDA Rural Energy for America Program where we help farmers and rural small businesses access funding to install new renewable energy systems of all types - solar, wind, hydro, biofuel, geothermal, and more. The program allows provides funding for energy efficiency improvements. We also offer grant writing services to small (under 10k population) towns and cities to access infrastructure funding and other financial resources. Finally, we also offer survey and market research surveys to allow these folks to better understand their target markets and the areas they operate in.

I love being able to drive by a big brand new renewable energy installation and say I played a major role in making it come to fruition. Knowing our work is helping our country become a better place to live is what keeps me going day in and day out.