What makes a
person decide to try crowdfunding? And what makes them decide to do
it by themselves? It's a huge task, especially to get it right.
There's a lot to consider: How to tell your story, the wording you'll
use, how to present your video, costings, rewards, promotions, and
press releases to name just a few.
When it's
just you, crowdfunding can take over your life and it becomes a
second job. And it's not just all the physical work that you have to
put in. With it comes the emotional toll and it can become crippling
when there's no one else to talk to about it.
Building a
crowdfunding page was, for me, much like writing a novel. You have an
idea and then, over months or years, you flesh that idea out. The
“where”, “why”, and “what”. Slowly you begin to build a
big picture that includes many intertwining paths. You carefully link
these paths until they become a motorway that (hopefully) races along
to your final destination.
I found that
putting it together was relatively easy. It was hitting that “Launch”
button that proved difficult. Crippled by self doubt and riddled with
a tendency to self sabotage, I spent many weeks debating whether to
launch the Kickstarter or not. Could I do it? Was it the right thing
to do? I have no team to defer to and no one in my close circle has
ever tried crowdfunding before. There was no one for me to turn to in
order to vent my stress and worries. I was on my own, a pioneer
staking my claim on a brave new world.
What's
baffling is that despite my limiting beliefs, I know that I can bring
this project to life. It's just getting over the crippling self doubt
that can be the problem. Fighting a battle with yourself while trying
to get a project funded is one of the hardest things I've ever
encountered and it's nearly driven me to give up.
But I can't
because I've come this far and, deep in my heart, I know that is the
right thing to be doing. Fighting through the fears and the stress is
just part of the process.
Don't let
your fears become you. Don't let them take over your life. No matter
what you're doing, take a deep breath and continue to fight through
them. Your fears don't make you. Don't let them overwhelm you.
Because you are more than that little voice in the back of your head.
You are more than the self doubt. Just keep fighting through it until
you come out the other side. You'll want to give up and you'll want
to cry. If that happens, give up for a while and let the tears fall.
But, once that's done, pick yourself up and and keep on going.
Because life is meant to be beautiful.
To those who
have taken the leap of faith with me and backed “Living Las Vegas”,
thank you. Your love and support means the world to me. If you'd like
to get involved, please do. We'd all love to have you along for the
journey. I promise you that it's going to be a great ride.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/raegee/living-las-vegas
