Crowdfunding Nerds: Kickstarter Marketing, Business, & Beyond!

Ever wondered how trading card games (TCGs) are evolving in 2025? In episode 244 of Crowdfunding Nerds, Sean dives deep into the world of TCGs with guests Donnie Chase and Jacob Cecil. We tackle the hot issues of scalping, grading, and distribution, and explore how intellectual properties and marketing strategies are reshaping the industry. Jacob shares his journey from engaging high school studen...

Ever wondered how a DVD cover could revolutionize your ad copy? In this episode of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew and Sean dive into the art of crafting compelling ads, drawing inspiration from the unexpected world of DVD and Blu-ray covers. Discover how these tiny marketing masterpieces can teach us to captivate audiences with concise, engaging text. Join us as we reminisce about Blockbuster Video's...

Are you cultivating "true fans" or just collecting complainers? Join Andrew and Sean as they unravel the complex relationships between investors, consumers, true fans, and complainers, and how each group can make or break your business.   Ever wondered how to distinguish genuine supporters from those who might harm your community? We dive into Seth Godin’s intriguing email about "generous stans" v...

How does sound transform your tabletop RPG experience? In Episode 238 of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew and Sean are joined by Niki Wegscheider from TableTone, an app revolutionizing gaming audio. Dive into the world of adaptive audio that syncs with in-game events, creating a richer, more immersive experience. Discover how TableTone's dynamic soundscapes, crafted with a blend of organic sounds, eleva...

What happens when Kickstarter’s Head of Games steps into the Crowdfunding Nerds community for an AMA? Episode 237 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast is here to spill the beans! Join your hosts, Andrew and Sean, as they dissect the lively discussion with Asher McClinahan, exploring the 79 comments and 35 to 50 questions that kept the community buzzing.   We dive deep into the art of pre-launch strat...

Ever wondered how the crowdfunding giants stack up against each other? In episode 236 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast, Andrew and Sean dive into the competitive dynamics of Kickstarter, GameFound, and BackerKit. How is Kickstarter's community engagement evolving under Asher McClanahan's leadership? And what does BackerKit's million-dollar equity crowdfunding move mean for the industry? We also e...

Ever wondered what it takes to launch a successful game on Kickstarter? In Episode 235 of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew and Sean sit down with Asher McClennahan, Kickstarter's head of games, to unravel the secrets behind a winning crowdfunding campaign. What are the "hygiene factors" you must nail on your campaign page? How can you leverage Kickstarter’s organic traffic to skyrocket your project’s vi...

Ever wondered what it takes to create iconic games like Crash Bandicoot or Jak and Daxter? How about founding your own game studio from scratch? Join us in Episode 233 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast as Andrew and Sean sit down with the legendary Bob Rafei, the creative mind behind Big Red Button Entertainment and former art director at Naughty Dog. Bob shares his fascinating journey from shapin...

Ever wondered what makes a board game crowdfunding campaign truly successful? In Episode 231 of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew and Sean sit down with Chris George from the World Series of Board Gaming and Room and Board YouTube channel to uncover the secrets! How do you attract the right backers while steering clear of those who might not enjoy your game? Chris dives into the art of evaluating campaig...

 Can you predict the unpredictable in business? How do poker strategies apply to managing unexpected challenges? Join hosts Andrew and Sean, along with guest Ryan Williams, as they explore these intriguing questions. In this episode, we dive into the delicate dance of skill, hard work, and luck in the gaming industry, highlighted by veteran insights from Bob Raffy. Ryan shares his firsthand experi...

Ever wondered if board gaming could be the next big spectator sport? In episode 230 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast, Andrew and Sean dive into the world of competitive board gaming with Chris George, the creative mind behind the Room and Board YouTube channel and a key player in the World Series of Board Gaming (WSBG). Chris shares his fascinating journey from acting to becoming a board game afi...

Ever wondered how to keep your audience hooked between game releases or the secret sauce to a successful crowdfunding relaunch? In Episode 230 of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew and Sean sit down with Ryan Williams, the mastermind behind Starclash, to tackle these burning questions. Ryan spills the beans on building a thriving community, sharing his journey with Starclash and the lessons learned from p...

Ever wondered what it takes to launch a successful Kickstarter campaign for a tabletop game? In episode 229 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast, Andrew and Sean dive into the secrets of Kickstarter success, inspired by Andrew's recent experience speaking at a Kickstarter webinar. Invited by Asher McClanahan, Kickstarter's Head of Games, Andrew shares the strategies that can make or break your campai...

Are you ready to level up your board game design skills? In this episode of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast, join hosts Donnie and Sean as they dive into the world of board game pitching with the talented Adam Porter, a seasoned designer from Wales. Ever wondered how to catch a publisher's eye at conventions like Essen Spiel or UK Games Expo? Adam spills the secrets on leveraging these events for s...

Ever wondered how tariffs shape the world of manufacturing and international trade? In Episode 227 of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew and Sean dive deep with Hersh Glueck, a supply chain expert with boots on the ground in China. How do tariffs impact Chinese manufacturers, and what ripple effects do they have on global trade?  Join us as Hersh sheds light on the ever-evolving tariff landscape, likening...

How do skyrocketing tariffs impact your crowdfunding project? Can you turn these challenges into opportunities? Join us, Andrew and Sean, as we dive deep into these pressing questions with our guest, Ryan Williams. In this episode, we dissect the recent tariff hike from 20% to 54% on Chinese goods and its profound impact on the board game industry. Discover how tariffs are calculated and why they...

Ever wondered how to keep your cool when your crowdfunding campaign is overshadowed by a big name like Blizzard Entertainment? In this episode of Crowdfunding Nerds, hosts Andrew and Sean dive deep into the emotional and strategic hurdles that creators face on their crowdfunding journey. We discuss the mindset needed to tackle demoralization and the unpredictability of success. Andrew shares his p...

Are you ready to dive into the world of crowdfunding with a twist of strategy and resilience? In Episode 224 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast, hosts Andrew and Sean team up with Ryan Williams, a fellow Nerd, to unpack the journey of his Kickstarter project, Starclash, inspired by the iconic StarCraft series. Ever wondered how to manage a Kickstarter campaign while juggling life's chaos or how to...

Episode 221 of Crowdfunding Nerds is here, and it's a game-changer! Ever wondered how alternate reality games (ARGs) can skyrocket a game's success? Or how a viral phrase like "the cake is a lie" came to be? Join us as we dive deep into the world of game development with the legendary Jeep Barnett, known for his work on the Portal series at Valve. Jeep shares his journey from video games to board...

Have you ever wondered how scammers craft their traps so convincingly? In this gripping episode of Crowdfunding Nerds, hosts Andrew Loewen and Sean take you on a harrowing journey through a sophisticated scam attempt that nearly cost Andrew $9,500 in Bitcoin!  Andrew recounts how the scammers, posing as law enforcement, manipulated real-life events, like a recent jury summons, to weave a believabl...

Did you know game specialization can level up your marketing? Join us for Episode 221 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast, where Andrew and Sean unravel the complexities of board game publishing and marketing. Sean shares insights from his recent lecture, guiding us through the three pathways for creators: self-publishing, partnering with a publisher, or a hybrid approach. Discover the pros and cons...

Are you ready to dive into the world of crowdfunding tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs)? In episode 220 of Crowdfunding Nerds, hosts Andrew and Sean are joined by Mark Diaz Truman, the CEO and co-founder of Magpie Games, to unravel the intricacies of this dynamic industry. Ever wondered how a Kickstarter project like "Fallen London" can raise over $700,000? Or how to stand out in a market dominat...

Ever wonder why some crowdfunding campaigns soar while others barely get off the ground? In this episode of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew and Sean unravel the secrets behind effective product demonstration for crowdfunding success. Andrew kicks things off by sharing his journey as a board game publisher and the hurdles he faced with Kickstarter. Can fresh eyes breathe new life into your marketing str...

Episode 218 of Crowdfunding Nerds is here, and we're diving deep into the world of crowdfunding platforms! Have you ever wondered how Kickstarter and GameFound stack up against each other? Or what goes on behind the scenes of our podcast? Join us  as we tackle these questions and more!  Andrew is determined to address your feedback and share insights from recent episodes featuring GameFound's CMO,...

Ever wondered how a simple email subject line can make or break your crowdfunding campaign? In this episode, Andrew and Sean unravel the secrets behind crafting compelling subject lines that boost open rates and ensure your emails land where they belong—in the inbox, not the spam folder. Join us as we introduce the Crowdfunding Nerds Academy, where we offer a treasure trove of courses, including o...