The Crowd Funding Services Handbook

Crowdsource funding is the new way to finance start-ups in a networked world Entrepreneurs, small business owners, investors, artisans, or those who merely have a good idea for a business venture have a new and attainable means of securing capital to grow their dreams. Gone are the days when the only options to raise funds for a new business were venture capitalists, angel investors, or Wall Street. Web-based crowdfunding services are now plentiful and offer a variety of options for the aspiring entrepreneur. However, these services are not typically as well-understood as the more traditional means of raising capital. In The Crowdsource Funding Services Handbook, author Jason R. Rich offers a step-by-step overview of the various crowdsource funding services available on the Web, as well as the necessary documentation required to launch a successful crowdfunding campaign. Contains details on how to evaluate and select the best online platform for crowdfunding efforts Provides details on creating a business plan to the specifications require to raise capital via crowdfunding Provides an overview of the financial projections that will be required for a crowdfunding initiative Proposes a specific approach to creating a "pitch video" to succeed with a crowdsource funding campaign The Crowdsource Funding Services Handbook is a thorough, well-developed resource for those seeking to raise capital to start a business or fund the development of an innovative idea. Author and crowdfunding expert Jason R. Rich provides this definitive, hands-on guide to raising capital in the new economy.

IPSs are expensive, and venture capital nearly impossible to attract. Crowdfunding is changing the game for private companies. Are you taking full advantage? Think Kickstarter® is just for artists and people who don’t really want to work for their success? Think again! In 2012 President Obama signed the JOBS act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups), empowering privately owned companies to raise capital from investors without going through the rigorous IPO and private placement processes. Your private company can now crowdfund your way to success! Now that the SEC has handed down the last regulations, the floodgates will open and companies will be free to compete for funding. Thankfully for you, small business and legal expert Cliff Ennico has followed the equity crowdfunding story since its inception and has translated the regulations into a clear set of dos and don’ts for entrepreneurs and small business others looking to get in early. In The Crowdfunding Handbook, burgeoning crowdfunders can learn how to: Decipher whether crowdfunding is their best bet Choose between funding platforms Pitch a project to the public Reach the most promising investors Figure out disclosure documents and report requirements The Crowdfunding Handbook reveals the tips and tools to helo you raise money for your small business or startup with equity funding portals.

Crowdfunding is a hot topic and this Handbook provides a service to the research community by codifying, discussing and examining research in this area. It will be a starting point for researchers seeking high quality research in this new and important area.

Learn the ins and outs of equity crowdfunding with this informative guide Equity Crowdfunding for Investors is a comprehensive, objective, and authoritative guide to the social and financial rewards of crowdfunding. Before now, angel investing – and the spectacular returns possible in this asset class – has been off-limits to all but the wealthiest Americans. Now equity crowdfunding portals allow the general public to buy shares in startups and fast-growing private companies for the first time in generations. This book provides the guidance individuals need to invest wisely, tempering the excitement of leading-edge technology, innovative business models, and exciting new brands with thorough, practical know-how – including investor limits and requirements, portfolio strategy, deal terms, and much more. Readers will learn the pros and cons of investing in equity crowdfunding so they can make an informed investment decision, as well as best practices for finding, researching, evaluating, and buying into potentially profitable startups. Digital components include tables, graphs, comparison charts, screen captures, checklists, and other tools that further enable readers to make suitable investment choices. Equity crowdfunding is a new, exciting, and evolving way for growing businesses to raise capital and for average investors to buy equity in those businesses. It has been hailed as a "game changer" in the private capital markets, particularly the angel investment asset class, which includes angel investing. This book shows readers how to take full advantage of this new avenue of investment, without being taken advantage of themselves. Make smarter investment decisions Avoid being ripped off Find the best information available Understand the SEC rules and limits Equity crowdfunding can produce huge returns. It also comes with huge risk. Some companies will succeed, but many will fail. Everyday investors can mitigate some risk and increase their chance of profit with the fundamental insight provided in Equity Crowdfunding for Investors.

A groundbreaking book on the growing trend of crowdfunding Crowdfunding has gained considerable traction over the last few years. By combining the Internet/social media with equity-based financing, it is poised to usher in a new asset class that will change how early stage and small business financing transactions are consummated. Author Steven Dresner, Founder and CEO of Dealflow.com, understands the nuances of how crowdfunding can help companies gain much needed access to capital, and now he shares those insights with you. Engaging and informative, this book will serve the needs of a global audience comprising entrepreneurs, financiers, and other professionals. It skillfully addresses the market dynamics that are catapulting crowdfunding into the mainstream and explores essential issues ranging from planning an online campaign, post-transaction management, and business planning to securities law and tax issues. Puts the business of crowdfunding in perspective with a look at the current marketplace, overview of important data, and legitimate concerns Examines effective techniques for communicating with the crowd Details equity-based financing and other sources such as debt instruments Contains contributions from a wide array of individuals involved in the worlds of finance, law and accounting, social media, marketing, as well as DealFlow Media's own staff Crowdfunding affords-start ups and other smaller businesses better access to capital via the Internet/social media. It also allows an investor of any size to back a business of their choosing. This new book will show you what this process entails and how it can benefit everyone involved.

More Than Money Jamey Stegmaier knows crowdfunding. He's a veteran of seven successful Kickstarter campaigns (and counting) that have raised over $3.2 million, and he's the proprietor of the widely read Kickstarter Lessons blog. In this book he offers a comprehensive guide to crowdfunding, demonstrating that it can be a powerful way for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses by building community and putting their customers first. This book includes over forty stories of inspiring successes and sobering disasters. Stegmaier uses these examples to demonstrate how to (and how not to) prepare for a campaign, grow a fan base, structure a pitch, find new backers, and execute many other crucially important “nuts and bolts” elements of a successful crowdfunding project. But Stegmaier emphasizes that the benefits of crowdfunding are much more about the “crowd” than the “funding.” He shows that if you treat your backers as people, not pocketbooks—communicate regularly and transparently with them, ask their opinions, attend to their needs—they'll become advocates as well as funders, exponentially increasing your project's chances of succeeding.

On April 5, 2012, President Barack Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, better known as the JOBS Act. The act is designed to “reopen American capital markets to small companies,” defined in the act as Emerging Growth Companies. This is one of the most significant legislative initiatives in finance since the Securities and Exchange Acts of 1933 and 1934, and it opens up funding to a slew of companies previously shut out of the capital markets. Here’s the good news: Small businesses and startups will be able to raise up to $1 million in equity (or debt) funding online via what are called Crowdfunding Platforms—online communities and websites. Imagine an eBay-like site that allows you to post your idea for a commercial venture online and then allows investors to purchase equity shares or stakes in it. As one journalist put it, it’s “social media meets venture capital.” How can you get in on the new funding opportunities? That’s what The JOBS Act: Crowdfunding for Small Businesses and Startups is all about. Investment expert William Michael Cunningham shows how the new law will enable you to use the internet to raise significant amounts of capital funding for your startup. After discussing briefly the development and implementation of the law, what it means, and how it will impact the business startup marketplace, he delivers the nuts and bolts of how to take advantage of the JOBS Act to access new sources of capital for your small business or startup. As you’ll see, the act has the power to unleash a new wave of innovation, increase employment, and set many more average entrepreneurs and investors on the road to wealth. Not just for entrepreneurs, The JOBS Act: Crowdfunding for Small Businesses and Startups will benefit investors, securities lawyers, community development specialists, educators, venture capitalists, and those offering services in the new crowdfunding arena. It is, simply, the most current and most comprehensive compendium of information on the law and its impact on this new market.

THE GROUNDBREAKING NEW METHOD FOR RAISING VENTURE CAPITAL THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORKS “The declaration of independence for our industry!” —MAT DELLORSO, WealthForge Inc. “The Crowdfunding Revolution should be on the mandatory reading list for everybody active in the industry or for everyone who’s planning to be.” —CROWDFUND NEWS “Kevin Lawton and Dan Marom have done a great job. . . . A must-read for everybody entering the field of crowdfunding!”—GIJSBERT KOREN, Smarter Money “We recommend this book highly to anyone who is fascinated by this new methodology for funding projects and endeavors. . . . A wonderful read.” —BRIAN MEECE, RocketHub “Read this book if you want to catch the next wave!” —FRED BRYANT, WealthForge Inc. “A must-read for anyone interested in the early stage funding process.” —MANDAR KULKARNI, pluggd.in “The Crowdfunding Revolution offers fundraising inspiration for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.” —BUSINESS2COMMUNITY “The Crowdfunding Revolution offers fundraising inspiration for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.” —SMALL BUSINESS TRENDS YOUR POOL OF INVESTORS JUST INCREASED BY 2 BILLION . . . Since the day the first human being approached a prospective investor, the province of capital allocation has been controlled by a small and entrenched minority. All this has changed. Now, the power of the Internet—particularly social media—enables anyone to connect with more investors in less time than it used to take to connect with one. The investing pool is open, everyone is in—and The Crowdfunding Revolution shows how to get to the forefront of the new world of venture financing. This groundbreaking guide explains how the explosive growth of connectivity is obviating human-to-human networks and centralized planning of capital allocation—and describes how crowdfunding can be used to tap into a “collective intelligence” for far superior results. Providing a wealth of information that will make your crowdfunding efforts more efficient and productive, the book is organized into three thematic sections: THE ROAD HERE: A thorough overview of what crowdfunding is—and how and why this radical new approach is replacing traditional means of venture financing THE CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN: Proven methods for marketing to the crowd, setting clear objectives, building a crowdfunding team, and communicating in a way that inspires action THE ROAD AHEAD: The crowdfunding ecosystem, intellectual property issues, mining collective IQ, new investment models, and regulations More than 2 billion people globally are now active online—and that number is guaranteed to grow at an extraordinary rate. The Crowdfunding Revolution explains all the ins and outs of raising investment capital by using social media and new technologies to draw small sums of money from an almost countless number of sources. Organic. Transparent. Decentralized. This is crowdfunding. This is the future. Read The Crowdfunding Revolution and become the first expert in your crowd on this radical new approach poised to supplant age-old venture financing methods.

Harness the power of the crowd to turn your dreams into reality! Crowdfunding is the newest way to fund projects and start businesses. You don't need to hit up family and friends, max out your credit cards, or get a second mortgage--there are perfect strangers out there who will help you fund your idea. You just have to know how to find them. The Everything Guide to Crowdfunding is a step-by-step handbook to harnessing the power of social media to raise funds. Inside, you'll find real-life case studies and techniques for creating a successful campaign, including: Gaining an online presence Tapping into the crowd Understanding the different crowdfunding platforms Designing a successful campaign plan Promoting your campaign with social media, search engine optimization, and affiliate marketing Dealing with donors after your campaign ends Almost 50 percent of crowdfunding ventures fail to get funded. With this guide, you will learn how to be in the 50 percent that succeed. Whatever your dream or business idea, there is no reason it can't become a reality with the power of crowdfunding.

If you're looking for a step-by-step launch framework for your upcoming Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign, this is the handbook for you! I'll teach you how to use crowdfunding to raise money online and bring your project to life. You see, we're at the beginning of a movement as transformative as the industrial revolution. Never before in history have authors, musicians, artists, and film producers been able to connect with massive online audiences and get funding for their creative work. The outdated media gatekeepers are quickly disappearing. You can now get funding directly from your fans and distribute your content online. If you're a creative type, this is the BEST time to be alive. But, it doesn't stop there. This major change has also given rise to six and seven-figure online businesses. As a fellow entrepreneur, I know that one of the most common excuses for not quitting your job and launching that startup company is because you don't have the money. Now, in a few short weeks, you can have all of the capital you need to launch and grow a thriving ecommerce business. It's no longer a crazy idea to pursue your passion. In fact, more and more millennials are doing just that. I should know, I'm one of them! When I first started blogging about Kickstarter in 2012, I had no idea that crowdfunding would become a multi-billion-dollar industry. I was just a Junior in college, writing a mini-thesis on how different variables affected fundraising success on Kickstarter (for you nerds out there, it was a logistic regression). Flash forward several years, and I'm now one of the top experts in the crowdfunding industry. I started the blog, CrowdCrux, which did over one million views in 2015. I set up a forum called KickstarterForum, which has attracted over six thousand members. I even launched a popular podcast called Crowdfunding Demystified, which has racked up more than 100 positive reviews in iTunes. Finally, I also put out training videos on YouTube and I am proud to say that the channel is experiencing rapid growth. That all sounds impressive, but actually, when I first stumbled on the website, Kickstarter, I didn't have a clue how it worked. It seemed super confusing and I had SO MANY questions. Since 2012, I've come to master the platform and discover the ins and outs of how crowdfunding really works. I've published many of my findings online and I've been being linked to by sites like CNN, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, and even The Wall Street Journal. In this guide, I'm going to share with you the step-by-step launch strategy for absolutely crushing it on Kickstarter. In no time at all, you'll be raising money for your startup or creative project. I'll make it super easy to copy and implement these tactics and strategies. I'll also share some Jedi Mind Tricks that most marketers don't know about. Before you know it, you'll be a crowdfunding expert! Now, I bet you're thinking... "boy this all sounds like a lot of work. Do I really have to learn all of this? I just want to get funding for my project." Truth be told, it is A LOT to master, which is why having the right teacher can make all of the difference. I'll make sure that you master this material as quickly as possible, so that you can stop fundraising and get back to doing what you love! Either way, whether you decide to run your own Kickstarter campaign, or outsource certain aspects, it pays to know what you're doing. I want to help you smash your Kickstarter goal and then I hope you come on my podcast as a crowdfunding success story. It's time to get serious about making that business you've been dreaming about a reality. It's finally time to get paid for your creative work. Let's get started!