My guest on this episode, Steve Blank says he very well could have been chosen "least likely to succeed" by his New York City High School classmates. Yet, his story is one of incredible success including leadership of 8 high tech companies, co-founding a business from his living room, heading two startups, and serving as a consultant and educator. His book, "Four Steps To The Epiphany" has been referred to by many as the beginning of the Lean Startup movement. In this conversation, Steve and I talk about what it means to be an entrepreneur, how Lean Startup methodology and crowdfunding are similar and different, and why it's important to build your business on facts, not beliefs.

Many companies are confusing crowdfunding with learning - and it’s a horrible mistake

Lean Startup methodology is based on the premise that a company doesn't have to have its products or services refined perfectly before making them available to customers or clients. Steve Blank says that many lean entrepreneurs who are using crowdfunding as their means to generate revenue are trying the same approach, iterating as they go - and it's a mistake. Steve says crowdfunding requires that most of your learning already be done so that you can provide a finished product to those who pledge support to your campaign. The Lean Startup approach, on the other hand, is built to facilitate learning all along the way. Steve says the confusion between the two has caused many to fail at their crowdfunding attempts and has some advice for how you can ensure it doesn't happen to you.

Failure often comes from confusing a religious activity (I believe) with the facts customers reveal to you

Most entrepreneurs are powerfully motivated by their belief in the product they are creating. Belief is a wonderful thing, some might even say essential. But Steve Blank asserts that belief is not enough to carry you all the way to success. You've got to be open to hearing the facts as they are revealed once your customers begin using and experiencing the product or service that you provide. Those facts are what give you the kind of information needed to make your offering truly beneficial to those who use it. All the belief in the world can't get you to that. Find out how Steve counsels startup founders and their teams to make the best use of the feedback they receive from customers, on this episode of Art of the Kickstart.

Any failure you experience in business can be redeemed if you know how to do one thing with it - learn

When I asked Steve what he thinks about the benefits of failure he was quick to say that failure sucks. It's never fun to fail when you have put so much energy and thought behind a product or new approach to a problem in the market. But he says that failure is not the end of the story if you are willing to learn what it has to teach you. Failure lessons are the most valuable lessons any entrepreneur can receive and it takes an honest, humble person to look at them objectively and actually learn from them. This conversation is packed with insights like that - from a guy who has become synonymous with business success. Be sure you take the time to listen.

Key Takeaways

* [1:09] Who is Steve Blank?

* [4:07] How Lean Startup methodology relates to crowdfunding

* [6:26] Why entrepreneurship is not a job, but rather a calling

* [8:20] How startup failures can be redeemed - through learning

* [10:53] Navigating the chaos between the “search” and “growth” phases of a company

* [12:43] Entrepreneurship is a team sport and how the fact impacts success

Links

* BOOK: The Lean Startup

* The Lean Startup Movement

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My guest on this episode, Steve Blank says he very well could have been chosen “least likely to succeed” by his New York City High School classmates. Yet, his story is one of incredible success including leadership of 8 high tech companies, co-founding a business from his living room, heading two startups, and serving as […]

For this episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke with Ran Cory, campaign manager for the Yeehaw Wand. Check it out to learn more about finding your target audience before launching a Kickstarter project, how much time to spend preparing for your project and much more!

Yeehaw Wand - Easily create any object out of thin air

Key Crowdfunding Takeaways

* How much time to devote to preparing for your Kickstarter campaign launch

* How to get great press coverage for your campaign launch

* Why your crowdfunding campaign needs to be newsworthy

* How to determine your ideal target audience for a Kickstarter campaign

* How seasonality and time of year, especially Black Friday and the holiday shopping season, can affect a crowdfunding campaign

* Why A/B testing your crowdfunding video is important

* Why it’s critical to find your audience before launching your crowdfunding campaign

Links

* Yeehaw Wand on Kickstarter

* http://us.yeehaw3d.com/profile

Sponsors

Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by The Gadget Flow, a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. The Gadget Flow is the ultimate buyer's guide for cool luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Click here to learn more and list your product - use coupon code ATOKK16 for 20% off!

Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data, raise additional funds with add-ons and manage orders for fulfillment, saving creators hundreds of hours. To learn more and get started, click here.

Transcript

View this episode's transcript

Roy Morejon:

Welcome to Art of the Kickstart, your source for crowdfunding campaign success. I’m your host Roy Morejon, president of Enventys Partners, the top full-service turnkey product development and crowdfunding marketing agency in the world. We have helped startups raise over a $100,000,000 for our clients since 2010. Each week, I’ll interview a crowdfunding success story, an inspirational entrepreneur, or a business expert in order to help you take your startup to the next level with crowdfunding.

Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit and The Gadget Flow. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data, and manage orders for fulfillment by automating your operations and helping you print and ship faster. The Gadget Flow is a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. It is the ultimate buyer’s guide for luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Now, let’s get on with the show.

Welcome to another edition of Art of the Kickstart. Today I am joined with Ran Cory. Ran is the campaign manager for the Yeehaw Wand. Ran, thank you so much for being on the show today.

Ran Cory:

My pleasure.

Roy Morejon:

So this is a really cool innovation that you’ve been able to run the project on. So the Yeehaw Wand can easily create an object basically out of thin air. Can you talk to our audience about where this creation was inspired from?

Ran Cory:

So, it all began with the first campaign. We did a special campaign, a 3D printer for kids, and we got a lot of emails from people that say, “We love the 3D printer, but we don’t know how to get 3D objects, and all the different software’s too complicated.

For this episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke with Ran Cory, campaign manager for the Yeehaw Wand. Check it out to learn more about finding your target audience before launching a Kickstarter project, how much time to spend preparing for your project and much more! Yeehaw Wand – Easily create any object out […]

For this exciting episode of Art of the Kickstart, we’ve lined up a very special giveaway! But first, tune in to hear from the creators of the game Watch Ya’ Mouth about launching a game on Kickstarter, protecting your intellectual property, selling your product through Amazon Launchpad and much more.

Watch Ya' Mouth - The Hilarious Mouthguard Party Game

Key Crowdfunding Takeaways

* What it looks like to develop a minimum viable product

* How long it takes to set up a Kickstarter project

* Why the timing of a Kickstarter campaign is important

* How giving backers a chance to help influence the final product can help your campaign

* How to handle inquiries from potential partners during your Kickstarter campaign

* How to use Kickstarter to test your product and grow your fan base

* Why speed to market matters when trying to protect yourself against counterfeits and knockoffs

* How to use Amazon Launchpad after a successful Kickstarter campaign

Links

* Watch Ya’ Mouth on Kickstarter

* wymgame.com

* Amazon Launchpad

* How to Win Friends and Influence People

Connect With Watch Ya’ Mouth

* Watch Ya’ Mouth on Facebook

* Watch Ya’ Mouth on Twitter

* Watch Ya’  Mouth on Instagram

* Watch Ya’ Mouth on YouTube

Giveaway

***This giveaway has closed. Congrats to our winners!***

In honor of the holiday season, we have an exciting giveaway lined up for you!

Want to win your own Watch Ya’ Mouth game and NSFW expansion pack? Give us your email address below to sign up for our newsletter and enter for a chance to win! Want bonus entries? Head over to our Facebook page and tell us what card you’d like to see added to the next expansion pack! We’ll be randomly selecting five email addresses and five Facebook comments to win a prize! Deadline to enter is Monday, January 1 at 11:59pm EST. Official contest rules, terms and conditions can be found here.

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Enter to win a Watch Ya Mouth! NSFW Expansion Pack:

Email Address

(function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);

Sponsors

Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by The Gadget Flow, a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. The Gadget Flow is the ultimate buyer's guide for cool luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Click here to learn more and list your product - use coupon code ATOKK16 for 20% off!

Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsore...

For this exciting episode of Art of the Kickstart, we’ve lined up a very special giveaway! But first, tune in to hear from the creators of the game Watch Ya’ Mouth about launching a game on Kickstarter, protecting your intellectual property, selling your product through Amazon Launchpad and much more. Watch Ya’ Mouth – The […]

For this episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke with Cathy Cao about Vinci 2.0, a project that has raised over half a million dollars on Kickstarter so far. Tune in to hear more about how to make the most of your pre-launch marketing efforts, how to get great press coverage and much more.

Vinci 2.0 - The World's First Standalone Smart Wireless Headphones

Key Crowdfunding Takeaways

* How to use your pre-launch period to build momentum and ensure you fully fund on launch day

* Why email marketing is so important the day you launch your Kickstarter project

* How to use samples to get press coverage

* How to create a compelling Kickstarter video

* How to test your campaign messaging before launching a crowdfunding project

* How much time to spend preparing for a Kickstarter project

* How to use backer feedback during your Kickstarter campaign

Links

* Vinci 2.0 on Kickstarter

* Vinci on Kickstarter

* The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Connect With Vinci 2.0

* Vinci Smart Hearable on Facebook

* @VINCIHearable on Twitter

Sponsors

Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by The Gadget Flow, a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. The Gadget Flow is the ultimate buyer's guide for cool luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Click here to learn more and list your product - use coupon code ATOKK16 for 20% off!

Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data, raise additional funds with add-ons and manage orders for fulfillment, saving creators hundreds of hours. To learn more and get started, click here.

Transcript

View this episode's transcript

Roy Morejon:

Welcome to Art of the Kickstart, your source for crowdfunding campaign success. I’m your host, Roy Morejon, President of Enventys Partners, the top full-service turnkey product development and crowdfunding marketing agency in the world. We have helped startups raise over $100 million for our clients, since 2010. Each week, I’ll interview a crowdfunding success story, an inspirational entrepreneur, or a business expert, in order to help you take your startup to the next level with crowdfunding. Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit and The Gadget Flow. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data, and manage orders for fulfillment by automating your operations and helping you print and ship faster.

The Gadget Flow is a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. It is the ultimate buyer’s guide for luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Now, let’s get on with the show.

Welcome to another edition of Art of the Kickstart. Today, I am honored to be joined with Cathy Cao, with Vinci 2.0. Cathy, thank you so much for joining us today.

Cathy Cao:

Thank you for having me, Roy, pleasure to be here.

Roy Morejon:

You guys just launched your second Kickstarter campaign for the Vinci 2.0, the world’s first standalone, smart, wireless headphones. Tell our audience where all of this started.

For this episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke with Cathy Cao about Vinci 2.0, a project that has raised over half a million dollars on Kickstarter so far. Tune in to hear more about how to make the most of your pre-launch marketing efforts, how to get great press coverage and much more. […]

For this special episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke with John Vaskis, Head of Hardware, Technology and Design at Indiegogo. Tune in to hear John’s best tips for Indiegogo creators, including how to set a funding goal, how to set up Indiegogo perks and what to do to ensure your project’s success.

Key Takeaways

* What types of products raise the most money on Indiegogo

* How creators should choose between fixed funding and flexible funding on Indiegogo

* What a campaign creator should consider when setting their funding goal

* What pre-campaign marketing strategies hardware campaign creators should be using

* What information should be included on an Indiegogo campaign page

* How to make a great Indiegogo campaign video

* How Indiegogo campaign creators can use GIFs on their campaign page

* Why high-quality images are an important part of a successful Indiegogo campaign

* How many rewards a successful Indiegogo campaign typically has

* How to use secret perks on Indiegogo

* How to design your Indiegogo perks to entice potential backers

* How to use Indiegogo’s referral system

* How to use email marketing to make your crowdfunding campaign more successful

* How important it is for crowdfunding creators to get press coverage

* How to get your project featured in the Indiegogo newsletter

* The metrics Indiegogo considers when ranking projects

* What the top Indiegogo campaigns have in common

* John’s best advice for Indiegogo project creators

Links

* Indiegogo.com

* Meet the Pilot: Smart Earpiece Language Translator

* Console Wars by Blake Harris

Connect With Indiegogo and John Vaskis

* @JohnVaskis on Twitter

* Indiegogo on Facebook

* @Indiegogo on Twitter

* @Indiegogo on Instagram

* Indiegogo on YouTube

* Indiegogo on LinkedIn

If you liked this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review in iTunes, Stitcher or anywhere else you listen to podcasts!

Sponsors

Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by The Gadget Flow, a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. The Gadget Flow is the ultimate buyer's guide for cool luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Click here to learn more and list your product - use coupon code ATOKK16 for 20% off!

Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data, raise additional funds with add-ons and manage orders for fulfillment, saving creators hundreds of hours. To learn more and get started, click here.

For this special episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke with John Vaskis, Head of Hardware, Technology and Design at Indiegogo. Tune in to hear John’s best tips for Indiegogo creators, including how to set a funding goal, how to set up Indiegogo perks and what to do to ensure your project’s success. Key […]