Crowdfunding Nerds: Kickstarter Marketing, Business, & Beyond!

Ready to dive into the world of crowdfunding with a twist? In Episode 216 of Crowdfunding Nerds, Sean and Andrew, unravel the mysteries of Gamefound's new advertising platform, AdFound. Could this be the game-changer creators have been waiting for, or is it just another player in the crowdfunding arena?  We dissect AdFound’s competitive edge—offering a mere 5% fee on conversions compared to Backer...

Curious about the next big thing in crowdfunding? Join us on Crowdfunding Nerds as Andrew and Sean dive into a fascinating conversation with Alex Radcliffe, Gamefound's CMO, who spills the beans on Gamefound's explosive growth and ambitious goals for 2025.  From its humble beginnings as a pledge manager to raking in over $85 million in 2024, Gamefound is making waves. But can it dethrone Kickstart...

Ever wondered how to turn your contractor relationships into thriving partnerships? In Episode 214 of Crowdfunding Nerds, join Andrew and Sean as they dive deep into the art of managing contractor relationships with finesse!   How do you ensure fair treatment and open communication with your contractors? What’s the secret to setting boundaries without stifling creativity? Andrew and Sean share per...

Dive into Episode 213 of Crowdfunding Nerds with Andrew, Sean, and Donnie Chase as we tackle a crucial question: How do you handle negative feedback without letting it derail your creative process?   Join us as Donnie opens up about his decade-long game development journey, sharing his fears about public reception and the fine line between constructive criticism and negativity. Andrew sheds light...

Are you ready to dive into the secrets of a successful crowdfunding campaign? In this episode of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew and Sean unravel the mysteries of timing your campaign launch. Is September really the golden month? And why does March have an edge? Discover how tax refunds and fresh paychecks can boost your backer count!   We also explore Kickstarter's latest blog post on optimal launch t...

Episode 211 of Crowdfunding Nerds is here, and it's packed with insights and predictions! Ever wondered how accurate our 2024 forecasts were? Or what the future holds for crowdfunding in 2025? Join us as we take a deep dive into our past predictions and unveil our new ones for the year ahead. We kick things off by revisiting my bold 2024 predictions, like the surge in hobby-level gaming and the ec...

Ever wonder how to keep your creative flame burning when the spark starts to fade? Episode 210 of Crowdfunding Nerds is here to light the way! Join Sean and special guest Donnie Chase as they dive deep into the art of maintaining motivation and overcoming creative blocks, especially in long-term projects. Donnie, a member of the Crowdfunding Nerds team, shares his enlightening journey with his nov...

Ever wondered how to crack the code of selling board games on Amazon? Episode 209 of Crowdfunding Nerds has you covered! Join hosts Andrew and Sean as they chat with Henry Nguyen-Locke from Avant Games, who brings his e-commerce wizardry to the table.  Henry dives deep into Amazon's unique marketplace, revealing why light, fun, family games are the golden ticket. Discover how Amazon's search-first...

Curious about the secret sauce behind a successful Kickstarter campaign? In Episode 208 of the Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew and Sean are joined by Andy Mangham, developer of the game Spring Sign, for an insider's look at Kickstarter magic! Andy, who works at The End Games in Virginia, reveals how he leveraged his local game store community to smash his $18,000 funding goal, raising over $25,836 from...

Ever wondered how to balance creative vision with critical feedback? Or when to pivot away from a project that’s draining your soul? Dive into Episode 207 of Crowdfunding Nerds, where Andrew and Sean chat with Girish Manuel, the mastermind behind the animated series, Micah's Super Vlog. Girish takes us on his decade-long journey from a small passion project to a streaming hit on Minnow. Discover t...

Are you ready to unlock the secrets of a successful Kickstarter campaign? Join Andrew and Sean as they dive deep into the art of crafting a compelling Kickstarter page. With over 200 campaigns and $26 million raised, they know a thing or two about crowdfunding magic!   Ever wondered why a second set of eyes is crucial for your campaign? Or how to balance your budget between graphic design and crow...

Ever wondered how the political winds in the US could ripple through the crowdfunding world? Join us on this episode of Crowdfunding Nerds as we dive into the potential impacts of a Trump-led Republican win on our beloved industry. We're not here to debate politics but to explore how election outcomes might affect crowdfunding, board games, and publishing. We kick things off by examining the globa...

Ever wondered how stepping away from your daily grind can actually boost your productivity? In this episode of the Crowdfunding Nerds, Sean is back from a crucial three-week hiatus, and he and Andrew dive deep into the transformative power of rest and hobbies. Sean shares his journey of supporting his wife post-childbirth, shedding light on the beauty of being present for family. We chat about our...

Ever wondered what it takes to launch a successful board game on Kickstarter? In episode 203 of Crowdfunding Nerds, I dive deep into this topic with Paul Bedford, the creative mind behind Hard Fun Games. Paul is currently working on an exciting project called "Hunted by a God," and we're here to unpack the secrets to crowdfunding success. We kick off by discussing the crucial 90-day pre-launch mar...

Are you ready to dive into the vibrant world of board game conventions? In Episode 202 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast, hosts Andrew and Sean team up with Galen McCown from Galen Games to unravel the secrets of thriving at major events like Gen Con!    Join us as Galen recounts his 2024 Gen Con adventure, where he joined forces with Breeze Grigas from Zephyr Workshop, showcasing his games "Super...

Ever wondered why Kickstarter still reigns supreme in the world of crowdfunding? Or how platforms like GameFound and BackerKit are struggling to keep up? Join me on Episode 201 of crowdfunding Nerds as I chat with Konstantinos Manos, stepping in for Sean, who’s out celebrating the birth of his fourth child!   Konstantinos, a powerhouse in the tabletop gaming industry, brings his expertise from Ves...

Ever wondered what it takes to launch a successful Kickstarter campaign in today's ever-changing economic climate? Join us on the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast as Andrew and Sean dive deep into the evolution of their Deliverance board game campaigns. From dissecting the differences between their original and current campaigns to leveraging Kickstarter's platform advancements, we explore how to adapt...

Have you ever wondered whether to launch an expansion or a standalone game on Kickstarter? How can bundling products maximize your campaign's success? Join us in Episode 199 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast, where Andrew dives into these questions with Chip Cole, the mastermind behind Squatchy Games and Deliverance.   We kick off by breaking down the crucial differences between expansions and sta...

Ever wondered how to juggle work, family, and a looming Kickstarter launch without losing your sanity? Or how to make your campaign stand out in the crowded crowdfunding space? In Episode 198 of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew and Sean dive deep into these questions and more as they prepare for the launch of the Deliverance expansion. Join us as Andrew shares his personal journey, from setting boundari...

Ever wondered how board games make their way onto digital platforms like Board Game Arena (BGA)? Or what it takes to balance new game content without making the old stuff obsolete? This week, Andrew and Sean sit down with web developer and board game aficionado, Kneight Reinagel, to dive deep into the world of BGA development!   In this episode, we explore Kneight’s journey from self-taught progra...

Hey Nerds! Ever wondered when the perfect time to launch your Kickstarter campaign is? Or how to grow your audience before diving into crowdfunding? In this episode, Sean and Donnie tackle these burning questions and more!   With Andrew tied up in other commitments, Sean kicks off the episode by sharing insights from his recent client consultations. Together with Donnie, they explore the pros and...

What happens when crowdfunding meets savvy financial planning? Can you really fund a project without diving into debt or giving up equity? In this episode, we’re joined by financial whiz Khoa Hoang to unravel these mysteries and more!   With over 14 years of experience, Khoa dives into the fascinating world of investments, retirement planning, and the often-overlooked synergy between crowdfunding...

Are you ready to take your crowdfunding campaign to the next level? In Episode 194 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast, we dive deep into the art of spending big on advertising. How do you avoid the "black hole" of wasted ad spend? What’s the secret to making every dollar count?   Join us as Sean kicks off with the pitfalls of advertising and the elusive impression fallacy. We break down budget stra...

Have you ever wondered why some board game enthusiasts hesitate to back Kickstarter projects? Or how financial constraints and delayed gratification play into their decision-making? Join Sean and Jacob in Episode 193 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast as they dive deep into these questions with special guest Brent, the mastermind behind the YouTube channel "Cloudy with a Chance of Meeples" and the...

Ever wondered how to keep backers engaged during the dreaded mid-campaign slump? Or how to handle the heartbreak of canceled pledges? Join us on this episode of Crowdfunding Nerds as we chat with Mike Ibeji of  Gun Tower Games  about the rollercoaster ride of crowdfunding his game, Pandora Celeste. Mike dives into the creation of Gun Tower Games and the innovative design of Pandora Celeste, a sci-...