So you own a business… or maybe you are just starting out. Whatever phase of business you are at, most of us have in common one thing- we must have financing. I am sure you have been exploring your options: financing it yourself, Angel Investing, bank lending options, charge cards, borrowing from a friend or loved ones member… you’ll find methods to get it done.
But have you investigated Kickstarter or crowdfunding in general? It may or may not be for you (depending on your organization, etc) but it is worth investigating. Kickstarter is a financing platform for people with project ideas. An individual puts together a page about their project- what it is, what they are aiming to fulfill, how much cash they will need to raise, etc. If the project is authorized, it goes live and others are able to see it.
Consumers view the project and if they decide to “invest” in it is creation they are able to make a donation. Funding is all or nothing- so if the amount needed is raised, the individual that created the project will get the funds. If support comes up short, money does not exchange hands. This creates security for both the project owner and the investors. You do not have to attempt to build a product without enough money; and purchasers do not put money into a venture that may 0r may not be completed.
So why would I propose this style of fundraising?
1.) The all or nothing concept – there is an ability to fundraise the money you must have and possibly more. If you do not, no damage done. You do not owe anyone anything
2.) The visibility – having possibly 100s of people knowledgeable of your project before it is even built and having “pre-orders”
3.) Control – compared borrowing money, you don’t pay back the funding you receive. The backers through Kickstarter traditionally are given “rewards” for a variety of monetary contributions. So the finances are yours to develop your project. However, understand that money earned through “crowdfunding” can be subjected to taxes
4.) Input – once you fund-raise and build this community around your project, you now have people with a authentic concern in seeing your project succeed- and possibly are already thinking about acquiring it. Go to them for suggestions, with your options, etc. Discover what they would like to see included!
Of course there are many other crowdfunding site out there besides Kickstarter. Take a look at the different outlets, compare them and get going! What do you have to lose?
