Prior to this week, I had a very limited knowledge of Kickstarter. My only exposure to the platforms has been through my fiancé; a few of his friends from high school and college have started Kickstarter funds for various projects. However, beyond that limited exposure, this week’s assignment is something brand spankin’ new for me!
This week was clearly a HUGE week for Kickstarter! As of March 3rd, Kickstarter passed ONE BILLION dollars in pledges – pledges that 5.7 million people have made to the various projects housed on the platform. Those 5.7 million people hail from 224 different countries and territories in all seven continents!
While browsing through the site, there were a few ideas that caught my attention along the way. The first account that grabbed my eye was something called NailSnaps. I love painting my nails; however, truth be told, I’m pretty terrible at it! NailSnaps “lets you turn your photos into one-of-a-kind nail polish stickers you can apply yourself in minutes for custom art.” NailSnaps describes the process in three easy steps:
- Design – the free NailSnaps app lets you design exactly how you want your photo or image to appear on your nails
- Print – they will print and ship your high-quality nail polish stickers once you have completed your custom design
- Rock – easily apply you nail polish stickers in minutes, no dry time, not heat and no waiting (they will last about a week)
NailSnaps goal is to raise $47,381 to finalize their app and get their printing facility in Los Angeles up and running. Folks who pledge $20 or more will receive their choice of one or more of set of pre-designed prototype nail polish stickers.
Another interesting account I found was Sharon Wee Creations: Adorable Cakes for all Occasions. She is looking to create a “detailed guide to cake decorating with lots of cute, whimsical fondant covered projects.” By the looks of her account, she’s AWESOME!
According to her plan, the book will include eleven main projects and five smaller projects ranging in experience/difficulty levels from beginner to upper intermediate. The book will also contain templates, a guide to the appropriate tools to use and basic recipes.
Her book is completed and she is just seeking the necessary funds to take it from her computer to a physical book. She is also making a custom USB thumb drive featuring her “signature teddy bear.” She set her goal at $5,000 and has already surpassed that! As of today, with only two hours to go, she has 364 backers and $25,262!
I wish I had an interesting enough idea that I could put onto Kickstarter! I am definitely far from being creative or innovative enough to take advantage of all that Kickstarter has to offer. However, I’m more than happy to share my finances with folks that are imaginative and brave enough to put their ideas out there and seek assistance to make their dreams come true!
Questions to Ponder
- Have you ever used Kickstarter, or other crowdfunding platforms, on your own? If so, how was your experience and would you suggest it to other creative mind?
- Do you think that crowdfunding is an efficient and effective use of time? How else would you suggest folks acquire the necessary means to create their potential products?
Ta-ta for now!
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