Kickstarter Campaign & Paradigm Shift
When the Brew Journal Kickstarter campaign went live, I had no idea how that experience was going to change my perspective of life (and I believe other creators will agree with me). When you get funded, suddenly it’s not about the funding goal anymore; it’s about the person you become — a successful Kickstarter creator. Along with the “Funded with Kickstarter” tag, comes a big responsibility; you are now an inspiration for people around you.
Being on Kickstarter and having the opportunity to connect with thousands of people around the world who share the same interest (craft beer recipes in my case) is a feeling that’s hard to explain. Now, multiply that by 1000 because you are seeing something you created being backed by those same people. Kickstarter reminds us that we are humans and it brings a level of connectivity between creators and backers that is something truly unique.
If I had to summarize the 30 days the campaign was live I’d say: anxiously checking e-mails. The Brew Journal brought excitement to my life and the life of those around me. We were constantly checking the campaign’s progress and updating each other on it. “Can we make to our goal?”, “Can we make to 150%?”, “Omg! We have a backer from Australia!”. These are just a few little ways a Kickstarter campaign brings joy to your life.
I know it sounds cliché but “the joy is on the journey, not on the destination.” Once, the project is over on Kickstarter and you start figuring out this whole new world of opportunities right in front of you; it’s REALLY hard to settle for just for what’s given to you. The idea of what’s possible — and impossible — changes forever. The brick walls of your comfort zone have been broken.
When you create something, you are passionate about it, and people love it as much as you do; you realize that is possible to live your dream and you don’t have to work on somebody else’s dream in exchange for a paycheck anymore.
For dreamers like us, when someone asks “What’s the next idea?” it’s really hard not to go work full-time on it. With a well thought-out plan, any idea can come to fruition. It’s just like when a shark tastes blood; it just wants to keep killing (bad analogy, I know). Kickstarter gives people that taste and it changes the perspective of what you used to THINK it was impossible — everyone should give it a shot at least once. It amazed me how a vision turned into reality in 30 days (after you put the time and the effort into it).
Do what you can, where you are, with what you have and never be satisfied.
