Crowdfund 360 has expanded!
I would love to introduce our new Crowdfunding Campaign Officer to you all! After an intense 3 day training in London, Samantha is now working with us remotely and we want you to get to know her, because a) she is amazing and b) she might be your crowdfunding campaign manager at some point!
Welcome Samantha,
Thanks so much for joining the Crowdfund 360 team we want our followers to find out a bit more about you, if that’s ok?
So where are you right now?:
No worries, Jes. I am currently in Toulouse, South West France. I am in my friend’s lovely apartment on the 10th floor overlooking the rowing school on La Garonne.
Wow that sounds nice. You are a bit of a digital nomad, like me, but where is your favourite place in the world and why:
My favourite place in the whole world… being sat on the beach near to where I grew up in Lee-On-Solent, England. In spite of all my travels, this is the place where I can sit and think and feel utterly at home.
Ok, so focusing on crowdfunding, why you want to work in the crowdfunding world:
I love the variety of people and projects that choose to leverage the power of crowdfunding. It’s a great way to grow an audience, raise some money, and test out your project in an effective and challenging way.
An why in particular, Crowdfund 360:
The science, and the art of crowdfunding is often under thought-through and nowhere near as successful as it could be. I love helping people get their message and funding ask straight and watching the crowd light up and the bar start to fill.
At Crowdfund 360, as you know, we help start ups, social enterprises and charities. Which do you prefer to work with?
I like a mix of everything. My focus tends to be on value for money and clarity of purpose – why do you want people’s money, what are you going to do with it, and why should they choose you? So as long as the clients can answer these, I will be happy.
As you are joining our team it is really good for us, and the clients to know about your working style. Can you describe it in 3 words:
Audience. Valuable. Clear.
Explain your ideal client:
I love working with people who are really passionate about their project AND driven to put in all that extra energy it takes to get their project to the next stage. Working with their customer/ donor/ audience in mind and willing to learn as they go.
And what is your favourite crowdfunding campaign to date?
Skinners – the sock-shoes. I don’t know why I love these so much, but I do. I really want to want them in my life. Yet, in spite of the fact that I’ve visited their crowdfunding page about 400 their crowdfunding page, I’ve never actually backed the project…I should probably try to work out which step I falter at and make sure that I close that gap in all my future campaigns.
And what is the best reward you have seen on a crowdfunding campaign?
The best reward I saw was naming an acre of a new cocoa forest in your name. I love love love this idea – it really fits with the project and offers all of the feel good factor. See the whole campaign here.
And what is the silliest thing you ever saw from a crowdfunding campaign:
One of our own wonderful projects, but I just love it. Fish pun Friday from SafetyNet. Exactly what I need on a Friday!
Where you see Crowdfunding in 5 years time:
There is an on-going shift of localism, social entrepreneurship, and people who embrace the power of testing and innovating their work. Crowdfunding lends itself to all of these areas and more.
What is, for you, the most important top tip for anyone who wants to crowdfund?
Choose one message and one message only.
Thanks for your answers Samantha, we welcome you to the team and really look forward to working with you on your projects.
Finally…
Do you prefer dogs or cats?
Nope. I refuse to choose, they are both awesome creatures.
