Prompt Cast
The Birth and Growth of Kickstarter
TLDR Learn about the origins of Kickstarter, how the idea was developed in New Orleans and eventually launched in New York, attracting a diverse range of projects and emphasizing transparency and innovation in crowdfunding.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
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04:56
A young man with no stock market knowledge took on a day trading job in Manhattan, but eventually left to focus on music in New Orleans, where the idea of Kickstarter began to take shape.
09:28
A move back to New York from New Orleans led to the decision to pursue the idea of Kickstarter, eventually teaming up with future co-founders Yancey Strickler and Charles Adler.
13:48
The team spent years developing Kickstarter's blueprint before securing their first investor and launching the website.
18:06
The team stuck with developing Kickstarter because they believed in the idea of providing access to funds for projects that may not have traditional funding options available.
23:26
The process of launching Kickstarter was filled with ups and downs, but finding the right people, like Andy Beyo, and gradually building up projects led to a successful and steady start for the platform.
27:20
Kickstarter initially attracted a diverse range of projects, including films, school plays, albums, concerts, residencies, books, podcasts, and more, showcasing the depth of human creativity and imagination.
31:50
Kickstarter encourages creators to be transparent about their projects, emphasizing that it is not a store and providing context for backers to make informed decisions, ultimately enabling a platform for diverse and innovative projects to receive funding.
36:12
Kickstarter's co-founder Perry Chen emphasizes the importance of maintaining control over the company's direction and values, opting for a public benefit corporation model to balance shareholder interests with broader stakeholder concerns.
41:00
Crystal Gordon, an aerospace engineer from San Diego, created the Duvade, a unique tool to easily put a duvet back into its cover, facing challenges in getting it into brick and mortar stores.
45:41
The podcast episode "Kickstarter: Perry Chen" concludes with acknowledgements and promotions for other NPR podcasts.
Categories:
Business
