In Issue 6 our fashion pages feature L for Lazarus, a start-up brand whose objective is to produce stylish, versatile pieces with longevity. I’ve already fallen for the Lola Échapeau . It’s simply stunning.
The entrepreneur behind the brand, Nicolette Lazarus, is now ready to take things to the next level and needs investment. Like most small businesses today getting money from a high street bank is nigh on impossible in spite of all the Government stimulation!
Here’s where the wisdom of the crowd (funding) comes in. If you believe in an idea, a product, a person or simply wish to see small businesses flourish in an economy that’s dogged by ‘austerity’, and dominated by multi-national corporations, put your money where your heart is. In most pitches investments start from as little as $10/£10, less than you would spend on a pair of jeans, but the return on investment is priceless.
Nicolette is using IndieGogo as her funding platform but my research unearthed many others that cater for all genres.
The original crowdfunding platform where musical artists pitch for financial backing to fund their projects/albums/development. Typical pitches are around $50k with successful acts like Public Enemy raising $50k and others like Kalika raising £3k.
Launching soon after Sellaband and catering for everything from charitable causes to innovative entrepreneurship, successful pitches like Dear White People have attracted $40k and Lets Give Karen -The bus monitor- H Klein A Vacation! over $600k.
… badged as ’funding platform for creative projects’ allows you to pitch ideas like 99% Invisible, a radio show which has raised $52k, or Matter, a journalism venture that has exceed it’s original pitch of $50k by attracting over $140k of investment.
Formed in 2008 and launched in 2011 , CrowdCube attracts investors who aren’t afraid to put their money where their hearts are! 9 months after their launch a pitch hosted on their platform attracted support to the tune of £1 Million and most of their present day pitches hover at the £100k+ mark.
Successfully funded projects include The Rap Guide to Evolution and Fused Magazine. On average, after a quick perusal, successful projects come in around the low thousands (£1k – £3k) and pitches cover everything from ‘community’ projects to ‘arts and entertainment’.
Another platform for creative projects with categories from ‘Comics’, through ‘music’ to ‘Green’. Pitches aren’t as heady as the hundreds of thousands seen on Kickstarter but the small investments seem to get backers bidding on projects they believe in.
Seemingly new on the scene and with few pitches to shout about but the creator insinuates that his high standards and experience in the field of technology will set this platform out from its competitors!
There are multiple others, like Enterprise Den, We Fund, Please Fund us, PeopleFundit and Funding Circle, to choose from. Whether you’re looking for somewhere innovative to invest your money, or simply want that feeling of ’awesomeness’ when you know you’ve been a part of something, big Crowd Funding is the sort of mob rule that ‘rules’.
If you love fashion check out L for Lazarus. You will be impressed and inspired.
Get involved.
Nice article – but one critical thing i think you left out: on many business crowd-funding projects, it’s not charity or something you’re just giving your money to. you actually get things back, genuinely good incentives. on the l for lazarus crowd-funding project here, for example, you can buy products that you may well thought of buying anyway, but here you get other limited edition items thrown in as well. everyone’s a winner!