025: Raised over $163MM for Kickstarter & Indiegogo Products. So how did Zach Smith of Funded Today do it?

Background on Zach Smith & Funded Today:

Zach Smith is Co-Founder of the World's Largest Crowdfunding agency – Funded Today. He enjoys starting, running, managing, and selling businesses. Most importantly, he loves helping others turn their dreams, ideas, and inspirations into successful companies. He is the Co-Author of the upcoming book “Funded” and also the Co-Founder of “CrowdCon Virtual”, the world’s first and biggest virtual crowdfunding summit.

Mr. Smith is an experienced online internet consultant (Crowdfunding, specifically as it relates to Kickstarter, List Building and Email Marketing via Infusionsoft and AWeber, SEO, Media Buying and CPA). He takes pride in his excellent public speaking skills as an event presenter, moderator, and host. On top of all that, Zach is extremely driven and motivated to continue his success as an entrepreneur. He lives in South Ogden, Utah and he enjoys playing indoor soccer, basketball, table tennis, and working out.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

[0:55] Zach is the CEO and co-Founder of Funded Today, the world’s largest and most successful rewards-based crowd funding agency.
[1:27] They raise money for new inventors, entrepreneurs and business owners on sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
[1:57] As of this interview, they have raised $148,533,566.
[3:44] Zach was a consultant for e-commerce and digital base businesses. He got his degree in Accounting at Weber State University.
[4:08] He discovered the concept of how he could use Crowdfunding.
[4:37] Their first project was Roosport, an attachable magnetic pocket or running pocket. They designed the video and page, and after a couple of months they raised $115,000. That’s when everything started.
[8:37] “It really is who you know.”
[10:32] His business partner Thomas Alvord created a website called “Funded.Today”.
[11:36] They got well-known mostly because of word-of-mouth advertising.
[14:30] They have this so called “7 P's”, a criteria which will determine if a product will be successful or not.
[15:00] They take percentage at the back-end and very little upfront. They take 25%-35% rather than pay upfront ranges from $2,500-$5,000.
[16:00] “Learning how to let other people do what you used to do is the hardest thing to do as an entrepreneur especially if you’re self-funded and bootstrap…”
[23:35] These are his rules:
- Rule #1: Don’t be lazy.
- Rule #2: If you’re lazy, go work for somebody else.
- Rule #3: Do everything on your own.
- Rule #4: Document all of your processes.
[32:19] “Money isn’t the best way to motivate people. It makes people stay but it doesn’t make people love their job.”
[34:42] Zach believes in trying to be happy.
[38:48] “Don’t be committed to whatever you originally thought was a good idea…”

Fabulous 4 Questions:

📖 📚 Favorite Book(s)? Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow & David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell.
🙌😎 Favorite Amazon.com purchase? Ergohuman High Back Swivel Chair
🌱💸 Favorite Tool that's GROWN your Business? Skype
💭💡 BIGGEST Challenge keeping your Business from GROWING? Market size. The size is what it is so until crowdfunding grows more, we’re kind of capped, at least in terms of vertical growth.