Art of the Kickstart

What does it take to develop and launch a consumable product? What are the unique challenges with an ingestible product? My guest today is innovator and entrepreneur, Chris Tolles. Chris co-founded Sundots with Emilia Javorsky MD, MPH, a physician-scientist focused on developing new tools to improve health and well being. Sundots are the world’s first gummy for sun protection and provide an innovative solution to prevent sun damage to your skin. In our conversation, Chris touches on the intricate process of developing an ingestible product, challenges he and his team have faced along the way, how they identified their target audience, advice for startup entrepreneurs, and much more! You don’t want to miss a minute of this engaging and informative episode featuring Chris! Developing an ingestible product. As if launching a new product wasn’t hard enough, try making it a consumable product! Far and away, there are more challenges, difficulties and hurdles when it comes to producing and marketing an ingestible product like Sundots. On this episode, you’ll hear from Chris Tolles as he goes through the process of developing his product, Sundots. Much of the product development process centered around safety tests, procuring pure, quality ingredients, and passing ethical standards. Sundots are based on the active ingredient polypodium leucotomos, a fern extract from Ecuador backed by 30+ years of research for sun protective properties, including blinded human clinical trials conducted by Harvard. To hear more about the development process with Sundots, make sure to listen to this episode! Pre-campaign efforts that led to early success. How does a profitable brand lay the groundwork for success and capitalize on it before and during a crowdfunding campaign? What lessons can you learn that you can apply to your startup? On this episode, you’ll hear from Chris Tolles as he shares how Sundots was able to stay in contact with their backers as well as learn from early testers and build on their feedback. For Chris and his team, it came down to not only making sure that the product resonated with consumers but that the storytelling aspect made a connection as well. Learn more about Sundots and how they’ve been able to get a product off of the ground that speaks to consumers pain points on this exciting episode! Why a subscription service is so attractive. As a business leader and entrepreneur, you are constantly on the lookout for ways to make your product stand out from the competition. What is the best way to accomplish this goal? On this episode, you’ll hear from innovator Chris Tolles as he explains how Sundots stands out with their subscription model. Because Chris and his team have worked so hard on creating a high-quality product, they wanted to find a way to make their awesome product part of everyday life for their consumers. This led Chris to market his product with a subscription service model where customers pay for a month, three months, six months or a full year’s worth of products. Listen to this episode as Chris expands on this concept and how it helped Sundots stand out! The key to success? Real benefits! Everyone wants to know what the “key” is to launch a successful and thriving product. Is there a secret key strategy that will make one product sell better than others? Yes, but it’s not so secret. Create products that resonate with people! One of the best ways to do this is by creating products that end up producing real benefits. While creating consumable products has its own set of challenges, a great way to midgate some of these challenges is by crafting an effective message about their benefits. On this episode, Chris Tolles talks about the benefits of Sundots and how he and his team were able to communicate that message to their customers. You don’t want to miss this fascinating episode! Key Takeaways

What will it take to get your new startup off the ground? How can you take advantage of amazing resources like crowdfunding for product validation? My guest today is professional athlete and innovator, Nate Lawrie. In our conversation, Nate opens up about what led him to create a startup around foam rollers, how he got his product up and running, why he went to Romania to get his product manufactured, what it was like to appear on Shark Tank and much more. You don’t want to miss a minute of this exciting and informative episode! Using what you know can make a huge difference. Have you ever wondered where some of the most innovative and exciting new products on the market come from? Everyone has a different approach when it comes to product research but sometimes it can be as simple as improving upon something you use every day. This was precisely the case for Nate Lawrie as he came up with the idea of improving an everyday item in his life, foam rollers. While the development process wasn’t easy, Nate’s credibility really shines through as a powerful asset on his journey of building a stable and thriving brand. To hear more about Nate’s journey creating the Brazyn roller, make sure to listen to this episode! How crowdfunding can help you with product validation. When it comes to consumer products, it can be tough to gauge what level of interest the general public will have. This is the very reason why many startup entrepreneurs are looking to crowdfunding to help with product validation. On this episode, Nate Lawrie explains why he started a campaign on Kickstarter and how it helped him with his product validation process. Nate says that his experience with crowdfunding was largely positive because it provided the influx of cash he needed to offset production costs, and he was able to accurately gauge market demand for his product. Make sure to listen to this episode as Nate expands on this important topic and much more! Why travel to Romania for manufacturing? As a new startup entrepreneur, it may sound a little out of left field to hear that Nate Lawrie had his product manufactured in Romania. Usually, such a move is something that experienced and connected business leaders make. So what was it that led Nate to Romania for product manufacturing? As it turns out, it was a family connection. Nate’s wife is originally from the country of Romania and her father runs a manufacturing facility there. Like any good entrepreneur, Nate was able to use his network to successfully launch his product. What can you learn from his story? Find out on this episode! Is the Shark Tank experience really worth it? Imagine getting the opportunity for your brand to be featured on Shark Tank, sounds like a dream come true right? What would you do to get that opportunity? How do you think you’d fare? On this episode, Nate Lawrie provides his inside look at how the Shark Tank experience played out and offers some advice for entrepreneurs who may have hopes of appearing on the show. Nate says that the best part of the Shark Tank experience was getting his brand on such a massive platform. The nice boost in sales was positive as well. To hear more about Nate’s Shark Tank experience, make sure to listen to this episode! Key Takeaways [1:05] Nate Lawrie joins the podcast and talks about why he loves using foam rollers. [4:00] What was the process of creating the Brazyn roller? [5:30] The biggest challenge during the development process. [7:30] Nate talks about finding supplies and materials for the Brazyn roller. [9:20] Why did Nate and his team choose the crowdfunding route? [12:30] What was Nate’s experience appearing on Shark Tank like? [16:30] Advice for entrepreneurs who want to appear on Shark Tank. [17:30] Nate enters the Launch Round.

It may sound obvious, but one of the most important aspects of getting a crowdfunding product off the ground is keeping your crowdfunding backers in the loop! Too many businesses fail to get off the ground because they neglect this vital step. Today we have returning guest, Philip Winter. Philip is the CEO and Co-Founder of Nebia, the Nebia shower launched on Kickstarter in August 2015 and raised over $3M in one month. In our conversation, Philip gives an update on how the Nebia shower head has fared since the campaign ended, why they focused early on keeping their crowdfunding backers in the loop, lessons they’ve learned along the way and much more! You don’t want to miss a minute of this fascinating episode featuring Philip! Why testing your product with as many people as possible is critical. If you want to set your new product up for success, it’s critical that you get it into the hands of as many people as possible before you begin to market it to customers. While this may seem like a no-brainer, Philip Winter has seen many sellers neglect this step and come to regret it. He and his team take a lot of pride in the fact that they were able to test their product and refine it before they sent it off to their crowdfunding backers. To hear more about this process and how Philip and his team crowdfunded and fulfilled a stellar product, the Nebia shower, make sure to listen to this episode! If you want your product to take off, you’ve got to do your homework! Let’s face it, very few people have the patience to research and take the time to study what causes a product to succeed. Philip Winter and his team at Nebia decided to go against the grain and do the hard thing, they went to work interviewing and studying successful crowdfunding products. Walking away from all of their research, Philip and his team went to work building hype before the campaign, getting a good base of people who were willing to support the product early and figuring out what makes for an attractive and engaging product video. Don’t miss this episode as Philip expands on this topic and much more! Communicating with crowdfunding backers can make all the difference. Many successful crowdfunding campaigns aren't prepared for their success and the period that follows after a crowdfunding campaign ends. That’s why it is so important to take the time to learn from the startups that do it right and focus on communicating effectively with their crowdfunding backers every step of the way. Philip Winter and his team at Nebia went to work within the first few months after their campaign ended and dedicated themselves to giving their backers an update at the end of every month, leading to 22 updates in total. Find out how this strategy played a pivotal role in Nebia’s success by listening to this informative episode! Why it’s helpful to raise capital before you start your crowdfunding campaign. One of the best ways to get your crowdfunding campaign off to a good start is by securing as much funding as possible before you start your campaign. As hard as that may be for many startup entrepreneurs, it can have a huge impact on the success rate of the campaign. On this episode, Philip Winter opens up about how he and his team at Nebia were able to reach out to friends and family for their initial funding before their successful campaign. Learn how this strategy impacted the way they were able to deliver to their crowdfunding backers and more on this episode!   Key Takeaways [1:05] Philip Winter joins the podcast to give an update about the Nebia Shower. [3:30] How did Philip and his team decide which features to include? [5:30] Suggestions on getting your crowdfunding product funded quickly. [7:00] Philip talks about Nebia’s campaign video and following up with backers.

How important is consumer trust when you are launching a new product? While some organizations may overlook this factor, the ones that find early success often work hard at securing consumer trust. My guest today is business leader and serial entrepreneur, Nishant Kapoor. With over a decade of experience in ecommerce and startups in the UK, India and Hong Kong, Nishant thrives in helping entrepreneurs and businesses build long-term, direct-to-consumer relationships using ecommerce and digital marketing. In our conversation, we discuss his recent success in helping to roll out the Quilo Fan, why consumer trust is so important, how Quilo was able to get fully funded on Kickstarter, lessons learned along the way, and much more! You don’t want to miss a minute of this engaging episode!   What it takes to secure consumer trust. One of the most important aspects of securing consumer trust is to deliver your product in the right timing. As many businesses have found out, this truth is often easier said than done. For Nishant Kapoor and his team at Quilo, delay wasn’t an option. They worked hard to get the Quilo Fan shipped and in the hands of their buyers as quickly as possible because their success depended on it. They knew that if the fan arrived in the winter or cooler months, their customers wouldn’t have the chance to use it and enjoy its amazing benefits. As difficult as the effort may have been to get the product into the hands of buyers so quickly, the result ended up paying huge dividends in consumer trust and positive word of mouth. To hear more about the role of consumer trust in Quilo’s story, make sure to listen to this episode! How to get fully funded on Kickstarter. What does it take to get a campaign fully funded on Kickstarter? Is it just dumb luck or are there strategic steps innovators and businesses can take to get their product in the best position to succeed? According to Nishant Kapoor, one of the most important things they did at Quilo was to reach out to influencers and bloggers asking them to promote their campaign, no matter the audience size. This strategy seemed to work out for Nishant and his team, they were able to get massive exposure and put out a quality product at just the right time to earn consumer trust. Make sure to listen to this episode as Nishant expands on this topic and more! The value of focusing on branding and audience early on. What are some of the common mistakes made by many innovators who are looking to bring a new tech product to the marketplace? While there may be many common mistakes with creating the product and testing it, Nishant Kapoor says that most mistakes are made when it comes to branding and considering who the target audience will be. In our conversation, Nishant was kind enough to open up about how Quilo was able to hone in on their target audience and execute a streamlined and focused branding approach. The idea of identifying and marketing to a target audience seems so simple but Nishant is convinced that too many innovators miss this critical step. Learn more from Nishant’s expert perspective on this informative episode! How scouring Amazon reviews can help you create an innovative product. Did you know that one of the best ways to research and identify a great product that will succeed in the marketplace is by scouring Amazon reviews? It’s true! The best part about this practice is that it doesn’t cost you a dime, you just have to be willing to put in the time and effort to conduct the research. Where else can innovators and entrepreneurs go to get honest and critical feedback on a wide range of products and categories? On this episode, you’ll hear from Nishant Kapoor as he shares how the team at Quilo was able to mine Amazon reviews on similar fans and use that info to create a product that has wide appeal. You don’t want to miss this inspiring and engaging episode! Key Takeaways

Can you imagine the complexities and challenges of rebranding a failed crowdfunding campaign? What does it look like to bring forth success from the ashes of failure? My guest today is entrepreneur and business leader, John Lauten. John has been tasked, along with a stellar leadership team, to revive and rebrand the failed crowdfunding campaign of Skully Inc. Now they are known as Skully Technologies, and they are moving forward with a mission to fulfill the orders of the defunct Skully Inc. This is not an easy task - John and his team have had their fair share of challenges along the way, as you can imagine. Hear all about the Skully story and how they are working hard at reviving this campaign for augmented reality motorcycle helmets on this exciting episode! The “Make It Right” Campaign How would you go about rebranding a failed crowdfunding campaign? Where would you start? Would you start giving out refunds to people who had given their money in good faith or is there a better option? This was the question that John Lauten and his team had to wrestle with as they took on the challenge of reviving the Skully Inc. brand. In our conversation, John and I discussed how they made a massive public relations push with their “Make It Right” campaign to honor the pre-orders made by the Indiegogo backers of the original Skully Inc. Even though they are not required to do so, the newly-rebranded Skully Technologies is committed to building up what they call “Skully Nation,” the community of Skully helmet enthusiasts. What can you learn from the “Make It Right” campaign? Learn more on this episode! Earning goodwill and changing the narrative. You can tell a lot about a person or organization when they are faced with making a decision that will benefit themselves or others. While many businesses wouldn’t have given a second thought about fulfilling orders they weren’t required to, Skully Technologies took a different route. On this episode, you’ll hear from John Lauten as he goes over why he and his team made the choice to honor pre-orders made during an Indiegogo campaign by the defunct Skully Inc. brand, and how this decision was received by the media and their tech industry peers. Rebranding and reviving a tarnished name isn’t the easiest road to travel, but for John and his team, it seems the payoff has been worth the challenge. If the product is truly innovative and great, people will show up. Business leaders across the globe are constantly looking for ways to build a loyal following. What is the secret sauce that keeps people loyal to a brand like Apple? At the end of the day, it all comes down to the quality of the product. On this episode, John Lauten describes why Skully followers are so excited about the Skully helmets and why that enthusiasm follows their brand even after a failed crowdfunding campaign. As John looks back at his efforts at rebranding the Skully image, he highlights the fact that if the product is innovative and great, people will continue to follow the brand. Discover additional insights and lessons from John’s experience with rebranding Skully on this engaging episode! Investors and leaders who understand the technology can make all the difference. One of the biggest takeaways from the story of Skully Technologies is that the brand was rescued by leaders and investors who understand technology. While that may seem like a small point, the truth is, too often businesses and brands are beholden to investors or leaders who are only concerned with the end results. On this episode, John Lauten opens up and shares how Ivan Contreras and Rafael Contreras caught the vision that Skully Inc. had ignited, and why they moved quickly to continue its groundbreaking momentum. Hear all about Skully Technologies and how it fits into Ivan and Rafael’s larger goal of investing in technology and innovation on this episode! Key Takeaways

What is the state of invention funding as we speed ahead into the digital age and beyond? Is there a new way for funding the great ideas that could change the course of the next 100 years? My guest today is Reid Creager, an entrepreneur, writer, and student of inventions and innovators. In our conversation, we explore how crowdfunding has impacted the inventing industry, the unique advantage of crowdfunding an invention, tips for creating a new product, the inventor’s best first step, and much more! I can’t wait for you to learn from Reid’s fascinating perspective. What is the best first step for any aspiring inventor? If you find yourself considering how to begin inventing a product, what would be your first step? Do you start with testing your idea with an audience? What about drawing up plans for invention funding? According to Reid Creager, before you get too far down the road, it’s important to conduct a patent search. Too often, well-intentioned inventors get started with an idea that has already been patented. Don’t waste your time and energy unnecessarily, heed the advice of invention experts and do a patent search! Reid also mentions that it is highly recommended to have a patent attorney perform a patent search on their end to cover all of your bases. Get more helpful insights into the world of inventions from Reid on this episode! Tips for creating a new product. What does it take to bring a new and innovative product to the marketplace? What are some of the best practices that will set your product or idea up for success right out of the gate? Reid Creager wants to help prospective innovators get all the tips they need to hit the ground running. In our conversation, Reid provides several tips innovators can use as they consider testing the waters with a new invention.   Does your invention fill a function or provide a service that people care about? Consult people whose opinions you can trust, don’t just rely on friends and family!   What are the chances that your product will get knocked off by others? Have you counted the cost? Are you prepared for the massive expense of inventing? Reid brings up some very helpful angles for prospective investors to consider before they venture too far down the road. Listen to this episode as Reid expands on these tips and much more! The unique advantage of crowdfunding an invention. There are so many great options available in the marketplace for invention funding, but which one is the best one for inventors to consider? Reid Creager says that it really depends on the individual and their priorities. While going the route of licensing a product, partnering with angel investors, or connecting with venture capitalists are all good options, Reid is a huge fan of exploring the crowdfunding route for invention funding. The two primary benefits to crowdfunding that Reid sees are the ability to monetize the invention without a lot of money up front and the ability to get an early indication to how the public will respond to the invention. Discover more unique advantages to crowdfunding an invention on this engaging episode featuring Reid! Inventing is not for wimps! What is the biggest lesson you can learn from years of interacting with amazing innovators and inventors? Reid Creager says that his biggest takeaway from interviewing inventors over the years is that inventing is not for wimps! He says that he was surprised early on as he was getting acquainted with the history of inventors that Mark Twain owned several patents. In fact, Twain went bankrupt because he was so obsessed with inventing that it consumed all of his time and resources. Beyond securing invention funding and dealing with the jealousy and criticism of others, the biggest lesson is that inventing is demanding. You have to count the cost both resource-wise and the personal toll.

There are many folks out there handing out crowdfunding tips like candy on Halloween. But how many of them really know what they're talking about? My guest today is Derek Miller, a guy who is one of the Kickstarter success stories who has earned the right to coach others on how to be successful in crowdfunding. The tips he gives for developing a successful crowdfunding campaign on this episode are worth their weight in gold. We talked about pre-campaign essentials, how to build trust during the campaign and the best investments you can make with limited funds to ensure your campaign is as successful as possible. You won't want to miss this conversation. Want a crowdfunding tip that truly helps? Here it is: Decide exactly who your audience is going to be - an agency? Companies? Niche hobbyists? Before you go too far into your planning for a crowdfunding campaign you need to know exactly who your ideal customers are going to be. Your product or creative endeavor may be a great thing, but who is really going to buy it? You can't guess at that, you need to know for certain. In this conversation, Derek Miller explains how there could be many different audiences for your campaign and why you need to do the homework required to figure out who the best audience is and optimize everything to get their attention. That's a crowdfunding tip that is truly helpful and will set you up for success. The most important thing a creator should do before launching a crowdfunding campaign When I asked Derek Miller for his number one tip for crowdfunding success he said that every campaign Creator needs to do one thing before they even think about setting up a crowdfunding campaign. Talk to your fans and audience. Make sure you have asked every question you can think of, then go back and ask more questions. You need to know exactly what the pain points are of the audience you were trying to market to so that you can cover all the bases and address the issues you haven't even thought of. That will enable you to test your product long before you put it on Kickstarter and optimize it in ways that really meet the needs of your audience. Derek has lots of great crowdfunding tips like this that he shares on this episode, so make sure you listen. Derek’s top crowdfunding tip: Don’t waste your money on things proven not to work. Stick with basics like building an email list There are many practical things you can do to make your crowdfunding campaign successful, but if you only had one thing to focus on, what should it be? Derek Miller says one of the most important things you can do is to capture the email addresses of people who are interested in what you have to promote so that you can directly communicate with them about your progress, the launch of your campaign and everything that comes after that. Having a captive audience that is interested in what you have to sell is the most vital thing to the success of any product launch, whether through crowdfunding or typical marketing channels. You don't want to miss any of the crowdfunding tips that Derek has to share, so make time to listen to this episode. The future of crowdfunding success will be dependent on one word: Trust. Work hard to establish a professional and trustworthy image before starting a campaign Derek Miller believes that the crowdfunding space is becoming more and more crowded, which in turn requires that campaigns be more professional and clear about the level of integrity behind their campaigns. In a word, it's about trust. The campaigns that are successful on Kickstarter and Indiegogo in the future will be the ones that effectively communicate trust to their audience. If you hope to be successful with your crowdfunding campaign, Derek Miller is a great resource for you to learn from and he shares many of his own lessons learned, including the mistakes in the successes, on this episode. Key Takeaways

Many creatives who decide to go the crowdfunding route in order to jumpstart their project underestimate one thing more than anything else: crowdfunding management. What does it entail? It's the things that go on behind the scenes or should happen in every campaign that enable products to be created in a quality and timely fashion, fulfilled without problems and shipped without a hitch. Most creatives don't know anything about organizing those kinds of details, which is why CrowdOx was created. This conversation features Chandler Copenhaver, a key player on the CrowdOx team who walks us through what the CrowdOx system does to help creatives get a handle on their crowdfunding management and successfully complete successful campaigns. Fulfilling orders from your crowdfunding campaign is an overwhelming experience for many creators Okay, you have successfully funded your first crowdfunding campaign. Now the real work begins. How are you going to organize all of the backer information, compute the unique shipping costs on each order, organize and distribute the rewards and ensure that nobody falls through the cracks? It takes a lot more than an Excel spreadsheet to make that happen. The team at CrowdOx has created a software solution that integrates seamlessly with both Kickstarter and Indiegogo so that you can pull together all your data and easily see the status on every pledge and fulfillment issue. Chandler Copenhaver is my guest on this episode of Art of the Kickstart, and explains how CrowdOx can help you create an incredible experience for the wonderful people who back your crowdfunding campaign. If you have a successful campaign, you’re going to need help with your crowdfunding management in order to keep your backers happy One of the complaints often heard about crowdfunding campaigns is that sometimes backers never receive what they expected. Other times they receive it, but much later than was promised. The reason for these kinds of glitches is simple: dealing with the details of fulfilling thousands of orders is not an easy task, especially if the person in charge of the crowdfunding campaign is not naturally an administratively-oriented person. CrowdOx is a supplement to any crowdfunding campaign that takes the confusion and frustration out of the crowdfunding management process. Find out how you can keep your backers happy by fulfilling every order on time, on this episode of Art of the Kickstart. What if you could easily offer your campaign backers add-on products or upsells? CrowdOx handles it seamlessly One of the coolest things Chandler Copenhaver described during this conversation was CrowdOx’s ability to offer supplementary products to backers during the product fulfillment process. Oftentimes, greater profit margins can be realized through add-on products than is possible through the primary product that backers supported. But it's not just about the profit, those backers receive a bonus that enables them to use the product more effectively, with greater ease or in ways they didn't think possible. Find out how CrowdOx can help you offer your campaign backers add-on products or upsells by listening to this episode. No creator wants to spend time figuring out the specifics of crowdfunding management, like shipping costs. That’s why CrowdOx was created Shipping costs can be one of the most confusing aspects of managing any crowdfunding campaign simply because the variables are almost limitless. Imagine the different things you have to consider when shipping a product to South Africa as compared to shipping it to Dallas, Texas and you'll get a feel for what I'm talking about. The CrowdOx system integrates with Indiegogo and Kickstarter to enable you to take the pain and hassle out of those kinds of shipping issues. You can get accurate estimated cost of shipping and fulfill your orders without a problem simply by using the tools they offer.

Whenever I think about someone who can teach the intricacies and best practices required for good SEO, nobody comes to mind faster than Rand Fishkin. I had the incredible opportunity to chat with him after he gave a talk at a conference I was attending recently - this episode is my recording of that conversation. In it, you'll find a wealth of information as Rand outlines the top tips you should apply for your SEO efforts in 2018. I also asked him about his experience scaling his company (MOZ) from nothing to over 120 employees, and he revealed that the human component of scaling was the hardest part. In his usual style, Rand delivers actionable advice that anyone can apply today. Don't miss this conversation. Rand Fishkin says there are 3 reasons SEO has rapidly changed in the last 5 to 10 years and gives advice about how to deal with it If you've been paying attention, you've noticed that the best practices for SEO have changed dramatically over the last five to ten years. Rand Fishkin says there are three primary reasons for that. It has to do with Google taking over the SEO market and consequently becoming the dominant force to determine what good SEO practices should be, along with the way the marketing world, in general, has grown up over that time frame. These are intriguing concepts to explore and ones that Rand explains, along with one more, in this conversation. One of the biggest challenges around scale is the human interaction involved and the tendency toward tribalism. How do you keep team members unified? It's not easy to grow a company, but it's even harder to grow it in a way that keeps the team cohesive and working toward the same goals. That's what Rand Fishkin explains about the difficulties of scaling MOZ from a startup that consisted of him and his mother to a company of over 120 employees. There are all kinds of dynamics that arise as the team expands, including tribalism, which Rand defines and highlights as one of the biggest challenges he faced as his company continued to grow. There are a handful of lessons you can learn from the stories Rand shares on this episode, so make the time to listen. SEO for 2018 is shifting away from being predominantly keyword-driven and more toward intention-driven Though keywords are still important when it comes to SEO in 2018, the reality is that Google is attempting to make its algorithms more and more intention-driven. What does that mean for best practices for SEO? It means that those doing SEO for their websites need to keep in mind that word selections, the crafting of web titles, and even the formatting of the content on the page needs to be done in a way that tries to discern the intention of the person searching and what would cause them to land on the pages you are designing. It's sort of like trying to figure out someone's motive without talking to them, but Rand says it is the way SEO in 2018 is headed. You can hear his explanation in this conversation, so I encourage you to take the 21 minutes required to hear it. Rand Fishkin says if you only have $1000 for marketing, focus on the convergence of these three things Most startups struggle when it comes to marketing simply because they have a limited budget that has to be divvied up among many priorities, all of which feel crucial to the growth of the business. Rand Fishkin says that marketing is one of the priorities that has to stay near the top of the list, but it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg at the beginning. In our conversation, Rand reveals the importance of three marketing decisions that founders or leadership teams can make that will enable them to make the most out of their limited marketing dollars. To give you a preview, here they are in bullet point form. * Focus on an area where you have passion and interest (video, visuals, audio). * Choose an area where you can provide unique value that nobody else is ...

My guest on this episode, Steve Blank says he very well could have been chosen "least likely to succeed" by his New York City High School classmates. Yet, his story is one of incredible success including leadership of 8 high tech companies, co-founding a business from his living room, heading two startups, and serving as a consultant and educator. His book, "Four Steps To The Epiphany" has been referred to by many as the beginning of the Lean Startup movement. In this conversation, Steve and I talk about what it means to be an entrepreneur, how Lean Startup methodology and crowdfunding are similar and different, and why it's important to build your business on facts, not beliefs. Many companies are confusing crowdfunding with learning - and it’s a horrible mistake Lean Startup methodology is based on the premise that a company doesn't have to have its products or services refined perfectly before making them available to customers or clients. Steve Blank says that many lean entrepreneurs who are using crowdfunding as their means to generate revenue are trying the same approach, iterating as they go - and it's a mistake. Steve says crowdfunding requires that most of your learning already be done so that you can provide a finished product to those who pledge support to your campaign. The Lean Startup approach, on the other hand, is built to facilitate learning all along the way. Steve says the confusion between the two has caused many to fail at their crowdfunding attempts and has some advice for how you can ensure it doesn't happen to you. Failure often comes from confusing a religious activity (I believe) with the facts customers reveal to you Most entrepreneurs are powerfully motivated by their belief in the product they are creating. Belief is a wonderful thing, some might even say essential. But Steve Blank asserts that belief is not enough to carry you all the way to success. You've got to be open to hearing the facts as they are revealed once your customers begin using and experiencing the product or service that you provide. Those facts are what give you the kind of information needed to make your offering truly beneficial to those who use it. All the belief in the world can't get you to that. Find out how Steve counsels startup founders and their teams to make the best use of the feedback they receive from customers, on this episode of Art of the Kickstart. Any failure you experience in business can be redeemed if you know how to do one thing with it - learn When I asked Steve what he thinks about the benefits of failure he was quick to say that failure sucks. It's never fun to fail when you have put so much energy and thought behind a product or new approach to a problem in the market. But he says that failure is not the end of the story if you are willing to learn what it has to teach you. Failure lessons are the most valuable lessons any entrepreneur can receive and it takes an honest, humble person to look at them objectively and actually learn from them. This conversation is packed with insights like that - from a guy who has become synonymous with business success. Be sure you take the time to listen. Key Takeaways * [1:09] Who is Steve Blank? * [4:07] How Lean Startup methodology relates to crowdfunding * [6:26] Why entrepreneurship is not a job, but rather a calling * [8:20] How startup failures can be redeemed - through learning * [10:53] Navigating the chaos between the “search” and “growth” phases of a company * [12:43] Entrepreneurship is a team sport and how the fact impacts success Links * BOOK: The Lean Startup * The Lean Startup Movement *

For this episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke with Ran Cory, campaign manager for the Yeehaw Wand. Check it out to learn more about finding your target audience before launching a Kickstarter project, how much time to spend preparing for your project and much more! Yeehaw Wand - Easily create any object out of thin air Key Crowdfunding Takeaways * How much time to devote to preparing for your Kickstarter campaign launch * How to get great press coverage for your campaign launch * Why your crowdfunding campaign needs to be newsworthy * How to determine your ideal target audience for a Kickstarter campaign * How seasonality and time of year, especially Black Friday and the holiday shopping season, can affect a crowdfunding campaign * Why A/B testing your crowdfunding video is important * Why it’s critical to find your audience before launching your crowdfunding campaign Links * Yeehaw Wand on Kickstarter * http://us.yeehaw3d.com/profile Sponsors Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by The Gadget Flow, a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. The Gadget Flow is the ultimate buyer's guide for cool luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Click here to learn more and list your product - use coupon code ATOKK16 for 20% off! Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data, raise additional funds with add-ons and manage orders for fulfillment, saving creators hundreds of hours. To learn more and get started, click here. Transcript View this episode's transcript Roy Morejon: Welcome to Art of the Kickstart, your source for crowdfunding campaign success. I’m your host Roy Morejon, president of Enventys Partners, the top full-service turnkey product development and crowdfunding marketing agency in the world. We have helped startups raise over a $100,000,000 for our clients since 2010. Each week, I’ll interview a crowdfunding success story, an inspirational entrepreneur, or a business expert in order to help you take your startup to the next level with crowdfunding. Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit and The Gadget Flow. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data, and manage orders for fulfillment by automating your operations and helping you print and ship faster. The Gadget Flow is a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. It is the ultimate buyer’s guide for luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Now, let’s get on with the show. Welcome to another edition of Art of the Kickstart. Today I am joined with Ran Cory. Ran is the campaign manager for the Yeehaw Wand. Ran, thank you so much for being on the show today. Ran Cory: My pleasure. Roy Morejon: So this is a really cool innovation that you’ve been able to run the project on. So the Yeehaw Wand can easily create an object basically out of thin air. Can you talk to our audience about where this creation was inspired from? Ran Cory: So, it all began with the first campaign. We did a special campaign, a 3D printer for kids, and we got a lot of emails from people that say, “We love the 3D printer, but we don’t know how to get 3D objects, and all the different software’s too complicated.

For this exciting episode of Art of the Kickstart, we’ve lined up a very special giveaway! But first, tune in to hear from the creators of the game Watch Ya’ Mouth about launching a game on Kickstarter, protecting your intellectual property, selling your product through Amazon Launchpad and much more. Watch Ya' Mouth - The Hilarious Mouthguard Party Game Key Crowdfunding Takeaways * What it looks like to develop a minimum viable product * How long it takes to set up a Kickstarter project * Why the timing of a Kickstarter campaign is important * How giving backers a chance to help influence the final product can help your campaign * How to handle inquiries from potential partners during your Kickstarter campaign * How to use Kickstarter to test your product and grow your fan base * Why speed to market matters when trying to protect yourself against counterfeits and knockoffs * How to use Amazon Launchpad after a successful Kickstarter campaign Links * Watch Ya’ Mouth on Kickstarter * wymgame.com * Amazon Launchpad * How to Win Friends and Influence People Connect With Watch Ya’ Mouth * Watch Ya’ Mouth on Facebook * Watch Ya’ Mouth on Twitter * Watch Ya’  Mouth on Instagram * Watch Ya’ Mouth on YouTube Giveaway ***This giveaway has closed. Congrats to our winners!*** In honor of the holiday season, we have an exciting giveaway lined up for you! Want to win your own Watch Ya’ Mouth game and NSFW expansion pack? Give us your email address below to sign up for our newsletter and enter for a chance to win! Want bonus entries? Head over to our Facebook page and tell us what card you’d like to see added to the next expansion pack! We’ll be randomly selecting five email addresses and five Facebook comments to win a prize! Deadline to enter is Monday, January 1 at 11:59pm EST. Official contest rules, terms and conditions can be found here. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:400px;} /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Enter to win a Watch Ya Mouth! NSFW Expansion Pack: Email Address (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Sponsors Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by The Gadget Flow, a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. The Gadget Flow is the ultimate buyer's guide for cool luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Click here to learn more and list your product - use coupon code ATOKK16 for 20% off! Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsore...

For this episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke with Cathy Cao about Vinci 2.0, a project that has raised over half a million dollars on Kickstarter so far. Tune in to hear more about how to make the most of your pre-launch marketing efforts, how to get great press coverage and much more. Vinci 2.0 - The World's First Standalone Smart Wireless Headphones Key Crowdfunding Takeaways * How to use your pre-launch period to build momentum and ensure you fully fund on launch day * Why email marketing is so important the day you launch your Kickstarter project * How to use samples to get press coverage * How to create a compelling Kickstarter video * How to test your campaign messaging before launching a crowdfunding project * How much time to spend preparing for a Kickstarter project * How to use backer feedback during your Kickstarter campaign Links * Vinci 2.0 on Kickstarter * Vinci on Kickstarter * The Lean Startup by Eric Ries Connect With Vinci 2.0 * Vinci Smart Hearable on Facebook * @VINCIHearable on Twitter Sponsors Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by The Gadget Flow, a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. The Gadget Flow is the ultimate buyer's guide for cool luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Click here to learn more and list your product - use coupon code ATOKK16 for 20% off! Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data, raise additional funds with add-ons and manage orders for fulfillment, saving creators hundreds of hours. To learn more and get started, click here. Transcript View this episode's transcript Roy Morejon: Welcome to Art of the Kickstart, your source for crowdfunding campaign success. I’m your host, Roy Morejon, President of Enventys Partners, the top full-service turnkey product development and crowdfunding marketing agency in the world. We have helped startups raise over $100 million for our clients, since 2010. Each week, I’ll interview a crowdfunding success story, an inspirational entrepreneur, or a business expert, in order to help you take your startup to the next level with crowdfunding. Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit and The Gadget Flow. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data, and manage orders for fulfillment by automating your operations and helping you print and ship faster. The Gadget Flow is a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. It is the ultimate buyer’s guide for luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Now, let’s get on with the show. Welcome to another edition of Art of the Kickstart. Today, I am honored to be joined with Cathy Cao, with Vinci 2.0. Cathy, thank you so much for joining us today. Cathy Cao: Thank you for having me, Roy, pleasure to be here. Roy Morejon: You guys just launched your second Kickstarter campaign for the Vinci 2.0, the world’s first standalone, smart, wireless headphones. Tell our audience where all of this started.

For this special episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke with John Vaskis, Head of Hardware, Technology and Design at Indiegogo. Tune in to hear John’s best tips for Indiegogo creators, including how to set a funding goal, how to set up Indiegogo perks and what to do to ensure your project’s success. Key Takeaways * What types of products raise the most money on Indiegogo * How creators should choose between fixed funding and flexible funding on Indiegogo * What a campaign creator should consider when setting their funding goal * What pre-campaign marketing strategies hardware campaign creators should be using * What information should be included on an Indiegogo campaign page * How to make a great Indiegogo campaign video * How Indiegogo campaign creators can use GIFs on their campaign page * Why high-quality images are an important part of a successful Indiegogo campaign * How many rewards a successful Indiegogo campaign typically has * How to use secret perks on Indiegogo * How to design your Indiegogo perks to entice potential backers * How to use Indiegogo’s referral system * How to use email marketing to make your crowdfunding campaign more successful * How important it is for crowdfunding creators to get press coverage * How to get your project featured in the Indiegogo newsletter * The metrics Indiegogo considers when ranking projects * What the top Indiegogo campaigns have in common * John’s best advice for Indiegogo project creators Links * Indiegogo.com * Meet the Pilot: Smart Earpiece Language Translator * Console Wars by Blake Harris Connect With Indiegogo and John Vaskis * @JohnVaskis on Twitter * Indiegogo on Facebook * @Indiegogo on Twitter * @Indiegogo on Instagram * Indiegogo on YouTube * Indiegogo on LinkedIn If you liked this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review in iTunes, Stitcher or anywhere else you listen to podcasts! Sponsors Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by The Gadget Flow, a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. The Gadget Flow is the ultimate buyer's guide for cool luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Click here to learn more and list your product - use coupon code ATOKK16 for 20% off! Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data, raise additional funds with add-ons and manage orders for fulfillment, saving creators hundreds of hours. To learn more and get started, click here.

For this exciting episode of Art of the Kickstart, we interviewed Vincent LoTempio, an intellectual property attorney who has worked with many exciting clients, including the inventor of the Selfie Stick. Tune in to learn more about different types of intellectual property, how inventors and crowdfunders can protect their intellectual property and much more. Key Takeaways * The difference between a utility patent, a design patent, a trademark and a copyright * Why an inventor should file for a patent or trademark * When an inventor or crowdfunder should file for a patent application * How project creators can protect their crowdfunding campaigns from knock offs * Why provisional patent applications are important for crowdfunders Links * LoTempioLaw.com * Benefits of IP Registration * Yahoo Patent Case Against Facebook * The Force by Don Winslow Connect With Vincent LoTempio * Vincent@LoTempiolaw.com Sponsors Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by The Gadget Flow, a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save, and buy awesome products. The Gadget Flow is the ultimate buyer's guide for cool luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Click here to learn more and list your product - use coupon code ATOKK16 for 20% off! Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data, raise additional funds with add-ons and manage orders for fulfillment, saving creators hundreds of hours. To learn more and get started, click here. Transcript View this episode's transcript Roy Morejon: Welcome to Art of the Kickstart, your source for crowdfunding campaign success. I’m your host Roy Morejon, president of Enventys Partners, the top full service turn-key product development and crowdfunding marketing agency in the world. We have helped startups raise over 100 million dollars for our clients since 2010. Each week I’ll interview a crowdfunding success story, an inspirational entrepreneur or a business expert in order to help you take your startup to the next level with crowdfunding. Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by BackerKit and The Gadget Flow. BackerKit makes software that crowdfunding project creators use to survey backers, organize data and manage orders for fulfillment by automating your operations and helping you print and ship faster. The Gadget Flow is a product discovery platform that helps you discover, save and buy awesome products. It is the ultimate buyer’s guide for luxury gadgets and creative gifts. Now let’s get on with the show. Welcome to another edition of Art of the Kickstart. Today I am joined with Vincent LoTempio. Vincent, thank you so much for joining us. Vincent LoTempio: Well, thank you for having me. I really enjoy this kind of thing. Roy Morejon: So, Vincent, you are an expert on intellectual property law, and you have a key focus on patent and trademark laws. Obviously this is super helpful to all of our entrepreneurs, our businesses, our start-ups,