When I first met Alice at a networking event in New York City, I was blown away by the prototype of what is now a breakout Kickstarter success, SolarPuff, which has raised $363,508 thus far from more than 5,000 backers.

SolarPuff is "a little lantern with a HUGE impact." It functions as a foldable solar-powered lantern that can be used to by backpackers, hikers, boating enthusiasts, and even to illuminate homes and gardens.

The great thing about this lantern is that it can expend as much light as it takes in. That means if you charge it for 8 hours in the sun, it will light a 10 x 10 room for 8-12 hours.

Not only does the lantern function as a great item to decorate your home, it's also a great product for developing areas that may not have access to the traditional electrical grid.

"Globally there are at least 1.6 billion people without reliable access to electricity. This lack of access to efficient energy becomes even more apparent in rural areas of developing countries where most lighting is fueled by kerosene, which is not only toxic but extremely expensive, creating a vicious cycle of poverty."

In this podcast interview, we talk about the extensive preparation that went into the launch of this campaign and how Alice and her partner Stacy Kelly had a dream, bootstrapped their business, and brought an amazing product into the world.

Get the podcast notes here: crowdcrux.com/podcast