What happens when a lifelong Magic: The Gathering player decides to fix the biggest headache in trading card collecting?

You get CardMill, a revolutionary scanner and sorter that just raised over $2 million on Kickstarter.

In this episode of Crowdfunding Demystified, host Salvador Briggman sits down with Jonathan Domanus, the creator behind CardMill, to unpack how he turned a homemade prototype into one of the hottest crowdfunding campaigns of the year.

You’ll discover:

• The marketing strategy that helped Jonathan attract 4,000+ backers

• The surprising role authenticity played in his success

• How he kept his community engaged leading up to launch

• What it feels like to smash a funding goal in just 24 minutes

If you’ve ever thought about launching your own campaign—or if you just love trading card games—you won’t want to miss this one.

• Book a coaching call

• Subscribe for Weekly Crowdfunding Tips

• Fulfillrite: Kickstarter and crowdfunding reward fulfillment services. They come highly recommended! Download their free shipping and fulfillment checklist

• CardMill™ - A TCG scanner and sorter for players/collectors on Kickstarter

• StarBatt Mini on Kickstarter

• CardMill Website

In this episode of Crowdfunding Demystified, you’ll hear from Alex, co-founder of StarBatt, who helped raise over $100K on Kickstarter for the StarBatt Mini, a modular portable power system.

Alex shares:

• How he went from a sales/marketing background to crowdfunding a hardware product

• The exact strategies his team used to attract backers fast

• Lessons from launching a campaign as a first-time creator

Whether you’re launching a hardware product, exploring Kickstarter, or just want to hear the inside story of an innovative portable power solution, this episode delivers practical insights.

• Book a coaching call
• Subscribe for Weekly Crowdfunding Tips
• Fulfillrite: Kickstarter and crowdfunding reward fulfillment services. They come highly recommended! Download their free shipping and fulfillment checklist
• FREE Kickstarter Course
• Kickstarter Launch Formula Audiobook
• StarBatt Mini on Kickstarter
• StarBatt Official Website
• Dan Martell's Buy Back Your Time

In this episode of Crowdfunding Demystified, you'll hear from Ryan Duitch, founder and CEO of Arro Finance, a groundbreaking fintech startup that’s raised over $900K on WeFunder. Arro helps underserved and first-time borrowers build credit using a behavior-based system powered by AI, gamification, and real financial education.

Ryan shares:

• Why did he leave the corporate world to build something more meaningful
• How he validated his idea through hundreds of interviews
• Tips for launching a WeFunder campaign (including why he kept it stealth at first)
• Why resilience and loving the problem are essential traits for any founder

Whether you’re building in fintech, planning a WeFunder campaign, or just looking for honest startup advice, you’ll take away real, actionable insights from this episode.

• Book a coaching call

• Subscribe for Weekly Crowdfunding Tips

• Fulfillrite: Kickstarter and crowdfunding reward fulfillment services. They come highly recommended! Download their free shipping and fulfillment checklist

• Free Equity Crowdfunding Course

• Equity Crowdfunding Explained

• Arro Finance on Wefunder

• Arro Finance Website

How do you launch a rugged, modular battery system and raise over $100,000 with your first product?

In this episode, we speak with Marco Vanella, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of MAAK Outdoor, the company behind the Scout Battery. Designed for off-grid professionals, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone who needs reliable power in the field, the Scout Battery is a smart, stackable energy solution that just completed a successful Kickstarter campaign.

We talk about:

• The origin story of Scout and how it solves real-world energy problems

• Marco’s background in industrial design and product development

• How MAAK overcame the challenges of launching a hardware product

• What worked in their campaign strategy — and what they’d do differently

If you're building a hardware product or launching something rugged and outdoorsy, this interview is packed with practical insight.

• Book a coaching call

• Subscribe for Weekly Crowdfunding Tips

• Fulfillrite: Kickstarter and crowdfunding reward fulfillment services. They come highly recommended! Download their free shipping and fulfillment checklist

• FREE Kickstarter Course

• Kickstarter Launch Formula Audiobook

• Scout Battery: Smart, Rugged, and Modular Power on Kickstarter

• MAAK Outdoor Website

In this episode, we chat with Jason Schneider, the founder of CaddieVision, a groundbreaking augmented reality golf headset that raised over $267,000 on Indiegogo.

🎯 What started as an idea during a great day on the course turned into a full-fledged product launch, backed by hundreds of passionate golfers.

Jason reveals:

• How he turned a personal golf story into a powerful product pitch

• His specific pre-launch funnel strategy (with real numbers)

• Why transparency + community was key to campaign growth

• How he plans to scale using equity crowdfunding next

Whether you're building a tech product, exploring equity crowdfunding, or just love golf, this is a masterclass in execution, transparency, and authentic founder storytelling.

• Book a coaching call

• Subscribe for Weekly Crowdfunding Tips

• Fulfillrite: Kickstarter and crowdfunding reward fulfillment services. They come highly recommended! Download their free shipping and fulfillment checklist

• FREE Kickstarter Course

• Kickstarter Launch Formula Audiobook

• CaddieVision on Indiegogo

• CaddieVision

We speak with Gianluca Gabrielli, co-founder of IAS Creative, a Rome-based design studio helping creators bring products to life with stunning 3D visuals and storytelling.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why 3D animation is the most powerful visual tool for validation

• How to create compelling product stories with zero inventory

• The difference between studio renders and lifestyle scenarios

• Why storytelling and branding must go hand-in-hand for crowdfunding success

• How AI is changing the way creators communicate with agencies

Perfect for creators in the pre-launch phase or anyone curious about visual strategy.

• Book a coaching call

• Subscribe for Weekly Crowdfunding Tips

• Fulfillrite: Kickstarter and crowdfunding reward fulfillment services. They come highly recommended! Download their free shipping and fulfillment checklist

• FREE Kickstarter Course

• Kickstarter Launch Formula Audiobook

• IAS Creative

• IAS Creative on Instagram

We talk with Mia from Keybird Instruments, who helped bring the Keybird L1 — a portable, wooden digital piano — to life on Kickstarter.

Their campaign raised over $87,867, attracting musicians and creators from around the world.

You’ll learn:

• Why frequent updates can keep campaign momentum high

• How Keybird adapted their messaging for unfamiliar markets

• What advice Mia gives to creatives launching their first product

• The power of authenticity in an oversaturated world

• Why networking with other creators is one of the best tools out there

If you're a creative founder or launching a product internationally, this episode is packed with thoughtful insights and lessons learned.

Resources and Tools Mentioned:

• Book a coaching call

• Subscribe for Weekly Crowdfunding Tips

• Fulfillrite: Kickstarter and crowdfunding reward fulfillment services. They come highly recommended! Download their free shipping and fulfillment checklist

• FREE Kickstarter Course

• Keybird L1 on Kickstarter

• Keybird Instruments

• Keybird on Instagram

We talk with Leslie and Ahmad, the founders of HappyLlamaTech, who created the SoCool Smart Pet Feeder — the first refrigerated feeder designed to keep your pet’s meals fresh, even when you're not home.

What began as a DIY solution quickly turned into a full-fledged Indiegogo campaign, raising over $196,000 from more than 400 backers—most of whom were first-time crowdfunders.

You’ll learn:

• How they went from 3D-printed prototypes to factory-ready manufacturing
• Why being on the ground in China was critical to ensuring quality
• The hidden challenges of injection molding and rapid iteration
• What they'd change if they had to launch again

If you're creating a physical product or tackling hardware as a first-time founder, this episode is filled with raw, honest advice.

Resources and Tools Mentioned:

• Book a coaching call
• Subscribe for Weekly Crowdfunding Tips
• Fulfillrite: Kickstarter and crowdfunding reward fulfillment services. They come highly recommended! Download their free shipping and fulfillment checklist
• FREE Kickstarter Course
• SoCool on Indiegogo
• Happy Llama Tech

We talk with Luke Beno, an engineer and founder of Tundra Labs, who created one of the most advanced VR tracking tools ever to hit Kickstarter.

What started as an internal tool to fix gaps in Valve’s system turned into the Tundra Tracker — a compact, modular device that raised over $1.3 million from passionate backers.

You’ll learn:

• Why community demand fueled the tracker’s rapid evolution

• The risks and rewards of relying on viral momentum

• How they approached stretch goals and fulfillment

• What he wishes he did differently during the campaign

If you're building a high-tech product or launching to a niche audience, this episode is packed with insight.

• Book a coaching call

• Subscribe for Weekly Crowdfunding Tips

• Fulfillrite: Kickstarter and crowdfunding reward fulfillment services. They come highly recommended! Download their free shipping and fulfillment checklist

• The 67 Day Rule bookasa

• FREE Kickstarter Course

• Tundra Tracker on Kickstarter

• Tundra Labs

• Thinking, Fast and Slow book by Daniel Kahneman

We talk with Matthew Guest, a first-time startup founder and intensive care doctor from Melbourne, who co-created one of the most buzzworthy cold plunge products to hit Indiegogo.

What started as a text message turned into a fully patented, thermoelectric-powered portable ice bath that’s shaking up the world of cold therapy.

You’ll learn:

• Why warm climates inspired their portable cold plunge tech

• How they chose thermoelectric over refrigerant cooling

• The emotional rollercoaster leading up to launch

• Why pricing and product iteration are critical during crowdfunding

If you're thinking about crowdfunding your own physical product, this interview is a must-watch.

• Book a coaching call

• Subscribe for Weekly Crowdfunding Tips

• Fulfillrite: Kickstarter and crowdfunding reward fulfillment services. They come highly recommended! Download their free shipping and fulfillment checklist

• FREE Kickstarter Course

• The 67 Day Rule book

• Snowcap: Biohackers’ Cold Plunge, Made Convenient on Indiegogo

• Clear Water Wellness

• Snowcap on Instagram