Why We Built Launch Studio
We created Launch Studio to support designers, creative studios and startups who make physical products. The Kickstarter Masterclass, our first course, empowers creators to successfully launch products using crowdfunding. It brings together step-by-step guidance on how to plan, develop and run campaigns, with powerful tools that help creators put into practice the strategies and tactics we cover.
The idea for Launch Studio was conceived last summer during a few Hangout sessions with my co-founder, Daniel Mascarenhas. I met Daniel in 2014. At the time, I was working on the design and technology outreach team at Kickstarter, and he was preparing to launch the first product of a design company that he had recently co-founded. We quickly realized that we shared a deep passion for the creative work that takes shape at the intersection of design and entrepreneurship, coupled with a strong belief that crowdfunding provides a unique springboard for this type of work.
Launching products through Kickstarter takes a lot of work but can be well worth the effort. Done right, it enables creators to build a solid long-term foundation for their practice or business — establishing direct connections with customers or fans, funding initial production, validating and sizing-up demand, market testing their messaging, and gaining exposure. Done recklessly, it can generate liability that can be risky, especially for small creators or business.
Most independent entrepreneurs and designers still don’t understand the amount of work required to launch a product on Kickstarter. Thorough preparation is essential for getting funded, but even more so for producing and shipping a product. Failure to ship is an existential risk for creators and casts a long shadow on the entire ecosystem.
There is a lot of content online about how to launch products through crowdfunding but we couldn’t find any resource that was comprehensive, trustworthy, and engaging. Most online content features shortlists of superficial tips, is narrowly based on a single creator’s experience, or was created as a marketing lead magnet for marketing agencies. High-quality content does exist, but it’s spread out in bits and pieces and it’s hard to know who you can trust. Creator’s best bet is to pick up one of a handful of quality books about crowdfunding.
That’s why we decided to create an online masterclass that empowers creators with proven tools, strategies, and tactics. We use videos to teach creators what to do, and why to do it; templates to walk creators through how to do it; and online communities to bring creators together to assist each other.
We are uniquely positioned to bring this vision to life. Together, we have over 12 years of experience working in this space — we’ve helped hundreds of creators successfully launch products through crowdfunding. Most importantly, we were able to bring together the right people to help us develop this course. I’ll introduce you to our outstanding team of instructors in my next post. Stay tuned.
The Kickstarter Masterclass is up and running. Sign-up here for a free preview of the course. You’ll get access to some of our students' favorite lessons. We’ll cover how to craft a compelling narrative, how to assess if your product is ready, and how to engage press and influencers.
