Last month, Bandwagon Music and Repair was awarded $20,000 as part of the Synchrony Financial Working Forward Small Business Awards.
Bandwagon was selected as one of 10 winners in the contest out of more than 1,400 entries from across the U.S. Jennifer Lantz, who owns Bandwagon with her husband Linden, submitted an essay detailing how she and her husband would use their winnings if selected. “Even if we hadn’t won, it was a great exercise to sit down and think through how we could grow our store and contribute more to our local community,” Jennifer said.
The $20,000 prize is awarded as two separate $10,000 components. $10,000 goes toward a business growth initiative. The Lantz family plans to add more instrument options to their store, which opened in October of 2016. To help alleviate the strain of running all aspects of the business themselves, they also plan to hire a part-time employee. The other $10,000 goes toward a community initiative. Bandwagon plans to continue and expand their efforts in helping area schools enhance their band programs by improving band classrooms and providing instruments at no cost to lower-income students who may not be able to afford the cost of instrument rental.
Jen Robinson, Synchrony Financial’s Small Business Awards marketing leader, said, “Linden, Jennifer and their two kids embody Synchrony’s values perfectly. They’re deserving of this award and we are honored that we’ve had the opportunity to hear their story, meet them and support them in working forward to realizing their dreams.”
Bandwagon is located at 7639 Highway 70 South in Bellevue.
