Yancey Strickler of Kickstarter #151

TWiST Episode #151 with Yancey Strickler of Kickstarter
If you’re a filmmaker, photographer, actor, chef or just about any other creative type, you’ve no doubt heard about the phenomenon that is Kickstarter, the largest creative crowd-funding site in the world. From the TWiST NYC studios, Jason interviews Kickstarter’s co-founder Yancey Strickler, who has a wealth of advice to give to would-be entrepreneurs andthose who want their own pet-project kickstarted.

For background on Yancey and Kickstarter, go to http://bit.ly/TwistKickstarter.

0:00-1:00 Welcome and introduction of guest, Yancey Strickler.

1:00-2:00 Thank you to Belgrave Trust for the studio and to Squarespace for sponsoring the show. (Remember to thank@squarespace!)

2:00-4:00 How did Kickstarter get its start?

10:00-12:00 What was the size of a project in the early days?

12:00-14:00 Would this idea have worked prior to social media?

14:00-15:00 What happens to that $900k?

15:00-19:00 So the middle man lost out on one of the most amazing products that could have been in the Apple store?

19:00-20:00 Who are the imitators that are doing this in Europe and giving equity?

20:00-21:00 How did the team over at USV come to invest?

21:00-22:00 How does Kickstarter make money?

22:00-23:00 Is that something unique to Amazon’s payment system?

23:00-24:30 $60 million has been pledged so far and how many projects?

24:30-25:30 But that project hasn’t gone that well, so what does that mean for Kickstarter?

25:30-26:30 How do you keep fraud or failure out of the system?

26:30-27:00 So people can say, I didn’t like the result, I’m charging back?

27:00-28:30 Why is the quality of projects on Kickstarter so high? (Watch the clip.)

28:30-29:00 Do people go to Kickstarter looking for a project to fund or do they go because someone emailed them?

29:00-30:00 GoToMeeting ad. Remember to thank @gotomeeting!

30:00-31:30 Ok, back to it: Do people go to Kickstarter looking for a project to fund or do they go because someone emailed them? (Watch the clip.)

31:30-32:30 How is this impacting different industries? Where are you having the biggest impact?

32:30-33:30 How many projects do you think you’ll have at Sundance next year?

33:30-34:00 So under-serviced demographics are getting the most traction?

34:00-35:15 Is there something fundamentally changing about culture consumption?

35:15-37:00 In a way it’s a triumph over the lowest common denominator of the arts?

37:00-37:45 So now the legends are coming?

37:45-41:00 As a first time entrepreneur, what’s been the hardest part?

41:00-42:30 A year ago how much were you doing per week?

42:30-43:00 Have people knocked off the idea yet in other countries?

43:00-44:30 Will it go down to the mom and pop level? You’re not snobs about the project?

44:30-45:45 Do you have any advice for people to get their project approved and get it on the front page? (Watch the clip.)

45:45-46:15 This has been an amazing interview and I cannot stop thinking about Kickstarter.

46:15-47:00 Thank you to our sponsors GoToMeeting and Squarespace, and to our TWiST List Executive Producers for joining me in the studio.

47:00-47:15 Remember to tune in Friday at 7pm PT for the special TWISTEES 2nd anniversary show. If you’re in the LA area, come join us in the studio: http://twist-2.eventbrite.com

Support This Week in Startups and independent media by joining our Producer Program at twistlist.co!

Multilingual? Translate this episode of TWiST into another language and email the transcript to translate@thisweekin.com

FOLLOW ON TWITTER
Jason: @jason
Yancey: @ystrickler

Special Thanks to the members of the TWiST List Producer Program!
Executive Producers

• Louis-Eric Simard
• Benjamin Gifford
• Jacek Artymiak
• Octavian Mihai
• Will Paoletto
• Geoffrey Clapp
• Eien Hyett
• Jeff Hoffer
• Kyle Lonzo
• Austin Miller
• Rashaun Sourles
• Robb Kunz
• Greg Berry
• Sean Lynch
• Mary Ann Halford
• Jim Joyce
• Morgan Howard
• Margaret Johns
• Kyle M. Brown
• Paul Cole
• Nick Duncan

Producers

• Eli Coler
• Ted Inoue
• Radek Rybicki
• Hunter Owens
• Christian Owens
• Ben Altieri
• Casey Wach
• Cam Collins
• Ildar Khakimov
• Matti Hallanoro
• Rodrigo Dauster
• Rodrigo Fuentes
• Anthony Ortenzi
• Daniel de la Cruz
• Michael Hofmann

Associate Producers

• Brad Pineau
• Kat Ganesan
• Nicholas Christian
• Mau Frontier
• Kyle Braatz
• Serena Ehrlich
• Nathan Hangen
• Lauri Hahne
• JD
• Trudy Baidoo
• Ian Gerstel
• Julian Hearn
• Alex Lotoczko
• James Kennedy
• Benoit Curdy
• Asher Nevins
• Mike Kaltschnee
• Paul Higgins
• Patrick Altman
• Turki Fahad

Supporters

• Ryan Hoover
• Michael Cranston
• Josiah Thomas
• João Fernandes
• Petrus Theron
• Michael Wild
• Adrian Grant
• Dale Emmons
• Kieran McGrady
• Tim de Jardine
• Alejandro Vasquez
• C. Dain Miller
• Joshua Opatz
• Milan Babuskov
• Chris Rowe
• Nelson Melo
• James Dawson
• Toddy Mladenov
• Daniel Torres