Crowdfunding Could Get You Paid
What Creative Online Entrepreneurs Need to Know
Creators Getting Paid is a resource designed to share all of the different approaches that online brand builders/entrepreneurs are using to fund their work. I’ve spoken with people who have won grants, built up successful resources, designed unique products and have crowdfunded their way to sustaining their work.
Today, I wanted to reflect a little more deeply on why so many creators turn to crowdfunding and why crowdfunding continues to increase in popularity. Finally, I’m going to share some of the components that I’ve observed are a part of designing and creating a successful crowdfunding campaign.
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Real Talk
If you’re a United States based creator building a business you may have noticed some changes to access to funding. Please note that my comments are typically addressed towards online entrepreneurs but in this case bricks and mortar businesses are likely experiencing or observing the same changes. We’re not going to talk about the elephant in the room (at least not directly)
Federal funding is going away
Access to grants that may have funded cultural projects is going away, changing or being funded more by private individuals or privately owned components. These changes take awhile for people to figure out where opportunities are to be found.
The economy is experiencing presssure that may be impacting how your community members and clientele decide to spend or support the work that you’re doing.
Let’s be clear, there’s still money out there. The flow of it may be shifting but it’s out there. You may be deciding as a digital entrepreneur designing a unique project that you feel won’t be funded-that a crowdfunding campaign may be a great way to pay for your project. By the way, this is for educational purposes only. No financial or legal advice is being given.
Crowdfunding Downsides
There absolutely are downsides to crowdfunding. Some are expected, others are unexpected. Here are few that I thought of.
It can feel a little overwhelming figuring out whether or not your project is a good fit for a crowdfunding campaign. Is it a compelling enough project in order to make the request?
Most people way underestimate the amount of time needed to host a successful campaign. Ideally, you’re setting aside at minimum 3 months to plan, organize, market, pitch, follow-up and fulfill whatever products, etc. that were part of your campaign. In fact, I recently spoke with author Nikki Payne about her participating in one of the most successful romance crowdfunding campaigns in history. The authors and their administrative support team are just shy of raising $1.5 million dollars. That they’re going to divide equally. This is amazing. However, they worked on that campaign for around 8-10 months before they began marketing the campaign. You can watch our conversation about it here.
Timing is everything-Sometimes the time is NOT right for a crowdfunding campaign, but it’s up to you to figure out what that means for the project that you’re working on and the campaign you’d like to launch. I’m working on a crowdfunding campaign concept and it’s clear to me that there’s a good time and bad time to launch campaign.
If you have any negative internalized money scripts, a crowdfunding campaign will trigger them. Examples below:
Crowdfunding is begging
You’re convinced that everyone in your audience or community is financially struggling-You might not realize that you think this way. Especially right now when things are freaking crazy (specifically referencing the US in my last comment)
You’re afraid to ask for what you really want because it feels scary(it can be)
The Success or perceived failure of a crowdfunding campaign can feel really personal.
Crowdfunding Upsides
There are a number of upsides to crowdfunding but I want to share a reality check before I share my crowdfunding upsides list. Community funding of unique, worthwhile projects is nothing new. Churches raised money for projects, Artists have been funded by supportive patrons, hospitals do funding drives (at least in America) and the list goes on. Crowdfunding is nothing new.
You can get funding from the people who support YOUR creative work
You set the terms of your campaign and the deliverables.
Creative Entrepreneurs can set real budgets for the work that they’re looking to build and create. If you want to host a television show like Anela Malik’s upcoming television series, fund a community initiative, pay for a podcasting series, or fund a piece of art-that your campaigns raises the funds for, that’s up to you.
You can build excitement, awareness and connection to the work that you’re doing because of your campaign.
You don’t have to give up pieces of your brand to other people as is the case in Venture Capital funding.
You decide which platform would make the most sense for your campaign. I’m a fan of platforms that allow you to cash out whatever you’ve earned versus a platform that requires you to hit your campaign earnings goal.
These campaigns allow you to design multi-tiered deliverables which incentivize contributors to contribute and allow people to support you in a way that they decide.
There are other upsides, but I want to get to the good stuff. The best practices that I’ve seen over and over again in successful crowdfunding campaigns.
One Other Thing
Taxes…
Depending on how successful your campaign is, there will be tax implications. Talk to whomever you work with on your taxes about that. I’m not a tax professional. I’m not giving financial advice.
Best Practices When Crowdfunding
I’ve noticed really successful campaigns having several key components in common. Here’s a list of some of the best practices that I’ve seen over and over again when discussing crowdfunding campaigns with creators.
Work through and design a plan and strategy before your campaign.\\
Warm up your community or have a community that you’re in conversation with, talk to, etc. Before you start a campaign.
Build a list-This is a non-negotiable part of a successful campaign.
Email Lists
Newsletters
Dedicated lists specific to your crowdfunding campaign.
A list that you sat down and put together of people that you think would support your work BUT AREN’T the ideal audience for your project. I was given a lot of money from those supporters when I raised $10,000 dollars 7 years ago for my Money on the Mountain event that I hosted in Denver.
What is a compelling offer? Seriously, ask yourself what’s in it for them? Your ideal supporter. That’s why the REWARDS section of a campaign are so vital to the success of a campaign. I would spend A LOT of time working on the rewards section of your crowdfunding campaigns. And make them relatively easy to fulfill.
How can your supporters or the community at large benefit from the end outcome of your campaign? You need to clearly share this in your crowdfunding talking points, copy and any other materials designed during your marketing outreach.
Be a part of something transformative
Learn about something new
Gain access to a tool, space, community or resource that otherwise would be developed or would take longer to develop without the campaign.
Help bring a beautiful piece of art, music, or book into the world
Why do I keep returning to crowdfunding? I think that we’re going to see more and creative entrepreneurs and bricks and mortar businesses embracing them as a way to fund their work without losing equity. I also think that people mistakingly think crowdfunding is easier than it is.
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Creators Getting Paid Holiday Sales Sprint
Week #5
Date: Sunday, November 2, 2025 “How to Set Up a Fantastic Holiday Collaboration”
Time: 5:00 pm MTN/7:00 pm EST
The Creators Getting Paid Holiday Sales Sprint
Previous Recordings
For the next 5 Sundays I’m going “live”to discuss different topics designed to help YOU (and me) prepare for the Holiday Sales Cycle. Below are the links to the first two discussions.
See you on Sunday!
Michelle :)
Great post! I wrote on a similar theme, specifically about equity crowd funding that might be of interest to you and other creators? https://open.substack.com/pub/businessoftv/p/equity-crowd-funding-an-investment?r=3bakqm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false