Startups

Here’s What 5 Successful Entrepreneurs Said About Their Early Crowdfunding Days

  • 5 min Read
  • October 23, 2019

Author

Escalon

Table of Contents

If you’re raising money for your startup via one of the crowdfunding platforms, you can sometimes feel like you’ll never hit your goal. But you can take inspiration from five founders who got their start by crowdfunding. Here are some of their pearls of wisdom that can help drive your success.

1. Palmer Luckey: Oculus Rift



Oculus Rift was acquired by Facebook for $2 billion in 2014, but the firm may not have experienced such a successful exit if it hadn’t raised money via Kickstarter. Founder Palmer Luckey originally posted his project on Kickstarter in 2012 and far exceeded the $250,000 funding goal, ultimately raising over $2.4 million on the platform.

But the funding was only one piece of the puzzle, Luckey found – in actuality, crowdfunding didn’t solve all of the issues that his startup faced, and only got him ready to prepare for an even more challenging part of entrepreneurship.

“Launching pre-orders is relatively easy compared to shipping a product,” Luckey told the Redwood Falls Gazette in 2016. “So it’s not like ‘What a weight off your shoulders!’, when in reality, taking pre-orders is the point where you are finally making an actual, solid commitment to when you’re going to ship, and how much you’re going to ship for, and you can’t stumble between when you do that and when you’re supposed to ship. It’s actually not a weight off of my shoulders at all.”

2. Andrew Thomas: SkyBell



When Andrew Thomas initially decided to raise money for his IoT video doorbell firm SkyBell, he turned to Indiegogo and ended up raising over $600,000. Enough investors were interested in answering their doorbells from their smartphones that they flocked to the product and buzz began to spread, with journalists clamoring to review the products in well-known magazines and websites.

Thomas believes that the free PR was a huge benefit of using crowdfunding to bring in cash for his business, but not the only benefit.

“Crowdfunding is incredibly important because you can raise the money you need without giving up any equity in the company, unlike if you were to raise a seed round of investment from an outside investor,” he told Forbes. “Crowdfunding is both a funding vehicle and a go-to-market. The ability to do both of those things makes it a very powerful option for any founder.”

3. Max Temkin: Cards Against Humanity



If you’ve ever played Cards Against Humanity, you can testify to the creativity that the game relies upon for its booming success. But just a decade ago, the game was just a thought in the minds of eight friends, who decided to use Kickstarter to bring their game to fruition. In 2010, the group launched their crowdfunding campaign, seeking $4,000 over a two-month period, and ended up raising over $15,000.

During its campaign, the company asked for frequent reviews from those who received the product and made improvements along the way to ensure that it was market-ready by the time it was done fundraising, said co-founder Max Temkin.

Temkin offers the following advice for startups that are aiming to make their marks on the crowdfunding platform. “Be as audacious as possible and make it as excellent as possible,” he told Kickstarter during a case study about his business. “Make it the best possible version it can be … People want you to succeed, they’ll believe in your belief.”

4. Jack Pochop: The Floating Record Vertical Turntable



The vinyl record trend shows no signs of slowing, and you might think no new innovations can come out of the category. But The Floating Record Vertical Turntable proved that theory wrong, raising more than $1.5 million on Kickstarter in 2015.

Not only did the campaign bring awareness to the product at the time, but it spurred ongoing interest in the item and helped its staffers make retail connections so it could get into stores like West Elm, said Marketing Director Jack Pochop.

“You would think that you get your 15 minutes and it’s over,” Pochop told the Chicago Tribune. “But it never fails to surprise me how many other outlets I haven’t heard of that reach out to us even two years later to profile it for Christmas or something like that.”

5. Jake Kassan: MVMT



Trendy watch brand MVMT sold to Movado for $300 million last year, marking a stunning exit for its two founders, who were still in their twenties. But back when the company started, it was actually rejected by Kickstarter – not once, but twice. So in 2013, its founders posted the project on Indiegogo, seeking $15,000. The firm far surpassed that goal, bringing in over $219,000 in less than two months.

Co-founder Jake Kassan says the company found that Indigogo had nuances that he hadn’t expected, having been more familiar with Kickstarter’s structure at the time. Future entrepreneurs should be aware of the differences.

“On Kickstarter, you make the most of your money in the first few days, but on Indiegogo, you actually make the most at the end of your campaign, so go for longer campaigns and extend if possible,” he told Yotpo.

Talk to our team today to learn how Escalon can help take your company to the next level.

  • Expertise you can trust

    Our team is made up of seasoned professionals who bring years of industry experience to the table. You gain a trusted advisor who understands your business inside out.

  • Quality and consistency

    Say goodbye to the hassles of hiring, training and managing in-house finance teams. You will never have to worry about unexpected leave of absence or retraining new employees.

  • Scalability and Flexibility

    Whether you’re a small business or a global powerhouse, our solutions scale with your needs. We eliminate inefficiencies, reduce costs and help you focus on growing your business.

Contact Us Today!

Tap into the latest insights from experts in your industry

Accounting & Finance

M&A Readiness: How to Prepare Your Financials for a Successful Acquisition or Sale 

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) can dramatically alter a company’s trajectory—unlocking new markets, technologies, or customer bases. Yet, many deals stumble...

Read More
Accounting & Finance

Optimizing Working Capital: Strategies to Maximize Liquidity Without Raising Funds 

Working capital: The difference between your current assets and your current liabilities. It’s a key barometer of financial health.  While...

Read More
Accounting & Finance

Outsourcing vs. In-House: A Strategic Guide for Growing Companies

Expanding your team and capabilities is critical to sustaining growth—but the question often arises: Should you build an in-house department...

Read More
Accounting & Finance

The CFO’s Role in Driving Operational Efficiency in a Mid-Sized Company 

A Chief Financial Officer (CFO) isn’t just a numbers person anymore. Modern CFOs play a pivotal role in shaping strategy,...

Read More
Technology & Security

What Every $10M+ Business Should Know About Data Privacy Laws 

Once your annual revenue surpasses $10 million, you attract more attention from regulators, partners, and customers, especially regarding data privacy....

Read More
People Management & HR

The Cost of a Bad Hire: How to Improve Your Recruiting Process

Hiring is one of the most pivotal processes in any organization, particularly for a medium-sized business looking to scale. Yet...

Read More
People Management & HR

Key Insights from the 2025 CBIZ Not-for-Profit Pulse Survey 

At Escalon, we are committed to keeping our clients informed about the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities across the industries...

Read More
People Management & HR

Scaling Culture: How to Keep Employees Engaged as Your Business Grows

Growth in headcount brings exciting opportunities for a business, but it also poses a key challenge: How do you maintain...

Read More
Accounting & Finance

Managing Multi-State Compliance as Your Workforce Becomes More Distributed

Rapid expansion and remote work trends have empowered medium-sized businesses to hire talent nationwide. Yet with multi-state operations come multi-layered...

Read More