Crowdfunding and its wonders

For a while now we hear more and more news of new companies and products relying on crowdfunding to start their businesses. The idea is simple: raising many small amounts of money from a large group of people; and websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo are platforms that make the whole process even easier.

It is a way to get investments without having to pay the interest fees that come with bank loans, or giving up equity to your company. You just reward contributors with gifts or discounts in merchandise or services: it is about communities building things together, people feeling part of the business. And, most of all, it is merit based: you have to work really well on your product to convince people to donate money.

Entrepreneurs find the alternative so interesting and reliable that they are coming back to the platforms for seconds and thirds campaigns. While Kickstarter and Indiegogo are open to all kind of businesses, that is a specific platform that deals only with live entertainment. “Queremos” is a Brazilian-based website that crowdfunds concerts all over the country. Funded in 2010 by a couple of friends that were not pleased with the concert scenario in their hometown, the project has grown and produced over 36 successful concerts ever since.

The process is also simple, although a little bit different from the other websites mentioned before. You can get involved with Queremos as a fan, an artist or a producer, meaning you can go beyond funding: you can actually make the event happen. The response from the public has been more than positive, and the co-founders have appeared on TechCrunch, Ted and other media sites.

These businesses models are a perfect example of two great important things in the live entertainment world: engagement and reward. How artists engage with their fans, how the fans can be a part of the process and how they are rewarded… All of these play a very important part. But that is something for another post. 

Elizabeth Gilbert and creative work

Elizabeth Gilbert is the author of “Eat, Pray, Love”, a memoir that became an international bestseller. In 2009, she gave an inspiring TED Talk about the anguish that comes with any creative work and the fear of never been successful again.

“Yes, I am afraid”, she admits. Afraid of never writing another good book again, afraid of the worst possible feelings that might come with that. But she wonders why these fears and doubts always come with any creative work? Why do artists everywhere have a reputation of being unstable? Why do we have to pressure ourselves in a way that no other professionals do?

She goes back to ancient Greece and Rome; she mentions Africa and the works of Socrates, the dance feasts for God and which kind of relation people had with these moments, with these works. They used to believe that when someone did something impressive, unbelievable, amazing, it was a glimpse of God. It was something that came from outside of their minds, helping them complete the task, amazing viewers with their abilities.

Gilbert pleads that we go back to that, that we release ourselves from the anguish and discomfort of never being good enough again, of already having a great success and not being able to top that.

It is something simple that makes total sense: people deserve cheering even if they tried but could not complete it; if they gave their best and put all of themselves into their projects. It is important to see it as something that gives you fulfillment, not as something that has to be the most amazing thing ever done. When we are able to release ourselves from the pressure and rigidness, maybe we will do even better work. And that counts not only for artists, but for everyone that puts all of themselves into their passion.

Gilbert gives a simple, inspirational and funny speech, using examples from fellow authors and going back in history to support her point of view. She inserts smart jokes in her talk, and her narrative pattern is definitely “leading people into the future”. She wants change.