Crowdfunding Academy

Join us in a conversation with Rose and Caroline as they share their remarkable journey from moving into an old house in Denver with limited outlets to inventing the Poplight wall light, landing on Shark Tank, and running a successful Kickstarter campaign.

Discover their insightful tips on market research, prototyping, and the importance of building a community. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a fan of Shark Tank, this episode is packed with valuable lessons and incredible entrepreneurial spirit.

Check out their website here (head here if you want to order a Poplight) and their  Kickstarter campaign here. 

This episode was brought to you by George from YG Crowdfunding.

Join us as we interview Brandon Rollins, Director of Marketing at Fulfillrite, a top U.S. fulfillment company specializing in shipping crowdfunding campaigns.

Learn invaluable insights on the journey from idea to product, significant differences between e-commerce and crowdfunding fulfillment, and expert tips to avoid common shipping mistakes.

Discover the complete process from factory to customer's doorstep, important considerations, pricing, and pitfalls new creators should avoid. Also, hear a unique story about shipping fragile items with Fulfillrite and valuable advice for anyone thinking about launching a crowdfunding campaign.

Follow them on Instagram or check out their website.

This episode was brought to you by George from YG Crowdfunding.

In this podcast episode we're talking to Frank Carlson, the founder of Pawly AI Cat Door.

Frank shares his journey from conceptualizing an AI-enabled cat door that prevents cats from bringing prey into the house, to raising over $250,000 from almost 700 backers in his first crowdfunding campaign.

Despite facing shipping delays and learning on the go, particularly in marketing and public relations, Frank and his team have successfully navigated the challenges of bringing a new product to market.

The episode delves into the specifics of crowdfunding preparation, the importance of pre-campaign efforts, and the product's unique appeal, primarily in Europe -- and why it perhaps doesn't do so well in the US.

It's an insightful look at the challenges and triumphs of launching a startup product, with practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Find Pawly's website here, their latest Kickstarter here and want to order one yourself? Find their Indiegogo InDemand here.  

This episode was brought to you by George from YG Crowdfunding.

Tim Chuon, a specialized board game photographer and videographer known for creating stunning visual content for popular games such as Scythe, Mythwind, Frosthaven, and Call of Duty, explains his journey into this niche field, detailing the process of making crowdfunding trailers and marketing assets for board games.

He provides insights into the importance of high-quality visuals in crowdfunding campaigns and offers practical tips for creators on a budget. Listen and find out more about the transformation of crowdfunding campaigns, the significance of professional visuals, and advice for board game creators looking to enhance their marketing efforts.

Find Tim's website here, his YouTube channel here, and Tim's $40 lights here.

This episode was brought to you by George from YG Crowdfunding.

Today's podcast features Rich Loxam, former teacher turned CEO and co-founder of Steamforged Games. Rich shares the remarkable journey of his company, from its humble beginnings with a successful Kickstarter campaign for Guild Ball to becoming a major player in the gaming industry with over 170,000 backers and $30 million raised across 19 projects.

Rich discusses the challenges and triumphs of navigating crowdfunding, the transition from being an impassioned hobbyist to a business-minded CEO, and Steamforged Games' strategic moves, including an exclusivity deal with Kickstarter and future plans.

The podcast serves as an inspiring story of entrepreneurial success, innovative business strategies, and the evolving landscape of the gaming industry.

Check out Steamforged Games' latest Kickstarter project here and their website here. 

This episode was brought to you by George from YG Crowdfunding.

On today's episode, we're talking to Bryant Garvin, the head of marketing at Ozlo Sleep.  He discusses Ozlo's journey of launching a successful product on both Kickstarter and Indiegogo, which raised over $3.5 million combined.

Bryant shares insights on the importance of a unique product, strategic marketing, and leveraging crowdfunding platforms for building community and gaining momentum. He details the origins of the sleep buds, initially a Bose product, and the transition to forming a new venture focused on improving and scaling the product. Bryant also covers the aspects of venture backing, the significance of pre-launch operations, and the role of 'performance branding' in scaling businesses.

Moreover, he highlights the utility of advertising on different platforms, engaging with the audience, and the importance of a well-defined value proposition. The podcast concludes with Bryant emphasizing product differentiation as crucial for crowdfunding success and the challenges and solutions in utilizing platforms like Indiegogo.

Find Ozlo's website here, their Kickstarter campaign here and their Indiegogo campaign here.

This episode was brought to you by George from YG Crowdfunding.

In this podcast episode, George interviews AJ Porfirio, the founder of Van Ryder Games, who shares his journey from starting with a Kickstarter campaign in 2011 that raised $10,000 to building a multi-million dollar gaming business.

AJ talks about the lessons learned from bootstrapping his way to success, generating over $6.5 million from crowdfunding, and now mentoring others through his Power Publishing Program.

AJ delves into the importance of critical thinking in game pricing, strategic financial planning, and the significance of creating unique, standout products. The discussion also covers AJ's venture into publishing graphic novel adventures, the financial intricacies of Kickstarter campaigns, and the approach to creating evergreen game titles.

AJ emphasizes the necessity of innovation and the potential pitfalls of mismanagement in the board game industry, providing insights for aspiring game creators and entrepreneurs.

Check out his website here, his latest Kickstarter here, and more about his Power Publishing Program here. 

This episode was brought to you by George from YG Crowdfunding.

Jack Neville, the founder of Split Stone Games and creator of the board game 'Mycelia,' shares how he went from a graphic designer to a revered game publisher, raising over $550,000 on Kickstarter.

He discusses his tried-and-true strategies, including building a responsive mailing list, utilising resources like Reddit for feedback, convention appearances for awareness, cost-effective solutions (thank you Chip & Kitty), and why you should always create a premium version of your product. Jack also reveals his plans for potential expansion of 'Mycelia' and the development of a new game with a nature theme (spoiler alert: not Rocks).

Check out Jack's website here, his Kickstarter page here and late pledge here. Check out our YouTube channel for the accompanying video. 

This episode was brought to you by George from YG Crowdfunding.

This episode is a conversation with Viktor Peter, the founder of Mindclash Games. He discusses his journey in the crowdfunding industry, starting from his first campaign to the current one, Perseverance Castaway Chronicles. He touches upon topics such as the decision to quit his job, the importance of having the right product and target audience, and the switch from Kickstarter to Gamefound.

Viktor also talks about the game design process, the significance of theme and visual appeal, and the challenges of running a business in the crowdfunding and retail spaces.

Check out his website here and his latest Gamefound campaign here. 

This episode was brought to you by George from YG Crowdfunding.

This is the story of how Tiny Epic turned Michael Coe’s fortune around. While waiting tables, Michael Coe and his wife took out a loan against their car to go all-in on their tabletop venture and ended up creating one of the most successful franchises in crowdfunding history.

He discusses crowdfunding strategies, the evolution of his business model, the impact of creative elements like a 'spinner' in games, and the importance of pre-launch marketing for Kickstarter projects.

Michael also stresses the significance of delivering on promises, maintaining a small but tight-knit team, and continually pushing the envelope in small box gaming.

Check out Gamelyn's website here and his most recent Kickstarter here.

This episode was brought to you by George from YG Crowdfunding.