Crowdfunding Academy

Join us in a conversation with Rose and Caroline as they share their remarkable journey from moving into an old house in Denver with limited outlets to inventing the Poplight wall light, landing on Shark Tank, and running a successful Kickstarter campaign. Discover their insightful tips on market research, prototyping, and the importance of building a community. Whether you're an aspiring ent...

Join us as we interview Brandon Rollins, Director of Marketing at Fulfillrite , a top U.S. fulfillment company specializing in shipping crowdfunding campaigns. Learn invaluable insights on the journey from idea to product, significant differences between e-commerce and crowdfunding fulfillment, and expert tips to avoid common shipping mistakes. Discover the complete process from factory to custome...

In this podcast episode we're talking to Frank Carlson, the founder of Pawly AI Cat Door. Frank shares his journey from conceptualizing an AI-enabled cat door that prevents cats from bringing prey into the house, to raising over $250,000 from almost 700 backers in his first crowdfunding campaign. Despite facing shipping delays and learning on the go, particularly in marketing and public relat...

Tim Chuon, a specialized board game photographer and videographer known for creating stunning visual content for popular games such as Scythe, Mythwind, Frosthaven, and Call of Duty, explains his journey into this niche field, detailing the process of making crowdfunding trailers and marketing assets for board games. He provides insights into the importance of high-quality visuals in crowdfunding...

Today's podcast features Rich Loxam, former teacher turned CEO and co-founder of Steamforged Games. Rich shares the remarkable journey of his company, from its humble beginnings with a successful Kickstarter campaign for Guild Ball to becoming a major player in the gaming industry with over 170,000 backers and $30 million raised across 19 projects. Rich discusses the challenges and triumphs o...

On today's episode, we're talking to Bryant Garvin, the head of marketing at Ozlo Sleep.  He discusses Ozlo's journey of launching a successful product on both Kickstarter and Indiegogo, which raised over $3.5 million combined. Bryant shares insights on the importance of a unique product, strategic marketing, and leveraging crowdfunding platforms for building community and gaining m...

In this podcast episode, George interviews AJ Porfirio, the founder of Van Ryder Games, who shares his journey from starting with a Kickstarter campaign in 2011 that raised $10,000 to building a multi-million dollar gaming business. AJ talks about the lessons learned from bootstrapping his way to success, generating over $6.5 million from crowdfunding, and now mentoring others through his Power Pu...

Jack Neville, the founder of Split Stone Games and creator of the board game 'Mycelia,' shares how he went from a graphic designer to a revered game publisher, raising over $550,000 on Kickstarter. He discusses his tried-and-true strategies, including building a responsive mailing list, utilising resources like Reddit for feedback, convention appearances for awareness, cost-effective sol...

This episode is a conversation with Viktor Peter, the founder of Mindclash Games. He discusses his journey in the crowdfunding industry, starting from his first campaign to the current one, Perseverance Castaway Chronicles. He touches upon topics such as the decision to quit his job, the importance of having the right product and target audience, and the switch from Kickstarter to Gamefound. Vikto...

This is the story of how Tiny Epic turned Michael Coe’s fortune around. While waiting tables, Michael Coe and his wife took out a loan against their car to go all-in on their tabletop venture and ended up creating one of the most successful franchises in crowdfunding history. He discusses crowdfunding strategies, the evolution of his business model, the impact of creative elements like a 'spi...

Listen to the Story of Battle Systems. Colin Young, the founder and main designer of Battle Systems, shares his journey from creating  terrain for war games to launching a successful Kickstarter campaign, raising over $2.5 million across eight crowdfunding campaigns. He discusses the challenges of running a business, the importance of community and mentorship, and the future plans for Battle Syste...

This episode features Andrew and Jeff from R2i Games, who uncover the intricacies of Kickstarter campaigns, board game design, and the evolving dynamics of community engagement. Discover why a French cheese-themed game stirred a particular reaction and how strategic planning can be a game-changer months before a Kickstarter launch. If you've ever been intrigued by the behind-the-scenes world...

 George sits down with Kevin, the spokesperson and trade show manager from Bezier Games --  who are the brilliant minds behind the wildly entertaining game, "Colossal Cat in the Box" & "Castles of Mad King Ludwig." Together, they unpack the secrets to hosting a successful and budget-friendly trade show experience. From cost-effective booth strategies, like using rented U-Ha...

In this episode, George sits down with Rita Orlov , the creative force behind games like The Emerald Flame , The Light in the Mist, and Threads of Fate. She's also the founder of her own board game and puzzle publishing house PostCurious . Rita recounts her journey from simply loving puzzles to becoming a game designer, sharing candid insights from her crowdfunding experiences and the highs a...

In this episode, George sits down for a chat with Peter, part of the marketing team behind Bird Buddy , the innovative smart bird feeder. Their two projects have raised over $11 million on Kickstarter.   The conversation dives deep into the world of digital marketing, from the unpredictable virality of TikTok to the reliable reach of platforms like Facebook and Google. But it's not all about...

Join us as gaming industry veteran Ronnie Renton shares his rich history in the world of tabletop gaming, the ins and outs of acquiring licenses, and the secrets to Kickstarter success. From Mantic Games’ origins to acquiring popular licenses like "The Walking Dead," Ronnie delves into the complex relationships between creators, licensors, and the community. In this enlightening conversa...

Matthew Meeple shares his extensive approach to the preparation for his long awaited Kickstarter campaign for his board game Ascendancy.  From organizing playtesting sessions to learning all about Facebook ads, Matthew takes you on his personal journey towards his Kickstarter launch, which had been five years in the making. He launched his campaign on Kickstarter this week and is finally able to s...

Žiga and Samo, the creators of the Eldfall Chronicles universe, talk about their impressive miniature gaming experience that has been taking the gaming community by storm. They discuss the meticulous attention to detail and quality they've invested into their products, carving out their unique niche in the highly competitive miniature wargaming market. The duo talks about the business side of...

In this episode, George interviews Teddy Giard, the founder of Teddy Giard Studios , who shares his expertise in successful crowdfunding campaigns. Teddy discusses his experience with launching Moon Walkers' AI-powered shoes on Kickstarter and securing a deal on Shark Tank while still a student. He reveals the strategies he used to generate organic reach and PR for the Moon Walkers campaign,...

In this episode, George interviews Brendan McCaskell, the studio head at Open Owl Studios , who has successfully launched multiple board games through crowdfunding campaigns. Brendan shares his journey from a modest $28,000 campaign to raising over $3 million combined for his games, including Stars of Akarios , Mythwind , and Stonesaga . Brendan explains that his passion for board games and the cr...

If you're involved in crowdfunding, you've probably heard of Jamey Stegmaier, the founder of Stonemaier Games , who has raised millions of dollars with successful campaigns on Kickstarter. But did you know that he's now stopped using Kickstarter for his projects? In this episode, we delve into Stegmaier's early beginnings in crowdfunding, how he learned from his mistakes and bu...

In this inspiring episode, we're diving into the remarkable journey of Dragori Games , a Brazilian team of eclectic professionals who dared to follow their passion and disrupt the gaming industry. Among them, a pediatrician, a lawyer, and other professionals, exemplify the power of self-study, resilience, and the willingness to learn on the go.  Their leap of faith into the unknown world of g...

In this engaging episode, we join Matthew Legault, a crucial team member behind the exciting new "Dead Cells: The Rogue-Lite Board Game." Inspired by the hit video game, this board game adaptation has already taken the gaming world by storm, raising nearly $1 million on Kickstarter. Matthew takes us behind the scenes of his role, illustrating the creative journey from experienced publish...

In today's episode, we are joined by Bruce Shapiro and Micah Roth from Sisyphus Industries , the minds behind the revolutionary kinetic art tables. From a chance meeting at a Makerspace in Minneapolis, these two innovators have come together to create an intriguing blend of art, design, and technology, raising over 3 million dollars through crowdfunding campaigns.  This episode explores the g...

In this episode of our podcast, we're thrilled to have Matt and Savannah, the creative minds behind the soon-to-be-launched Kickstarter game project, "Flock Together." They take us on a captivating journey, sharing their experiences as first-time publishers. Matt and Savannah dive into the nitty-gritty of creating and marketing a game, from learning the ropes as they go, to developi...