cassiemarketos

I'm afraid there isn't one!

Don't even know what that is!

It was relatively fast! I remember it being a matter of months -- six maybe?

Honestly, I think less about the future of crowdfunding, and more about the future of companies like Kickstarter (in context of their recent choice to become a public benefit corporation and other community-and-civic-minded choices they've made as a business). Setting that precedent, holding themselves accountable to their community, and enabling other communities to follow in their footsteps is VERY important, I think. That's what I'm thinking about lately.

Thank you so much! An exceedingly kind insight -- although, without any humility whatsoever, I have to insist that the success of Kickstarter was due to many factors and the work of many wonderful people (including the founders). :)

I enjoy the distinction you make between "sustaining" -- I like to say "nurturing" -- a community and growing one. It is important to think about that.

Thank you for reading!

Thank you so much for the kind words! That's a very generous response and I appreciate you sharing.

Kickstarter does feel like a completely different life, but that's only because of how much I was able to grow while I was there. That's a good thing, I think!

My equity did not completely vest, no. Close, but no!

Glad to hear it was helpful!

Yes, definitely. You have to carve out time for yourself, very deliberately, and be conscious about minimizing the amount of stimulation and distractions you are letting in. Spend time alone, go for long walks with your phone off, let your mind wander. Devote mental time to the things that scare you and trouble you -- really, really lean into them. (Another friend once said to me: "Embrace the struggle." Also a helpful mantra.) Therapy, if it's an option, can be great self maintenance. So is daily meditation, even if just for ten minutes. (It helps you get into the habit of unplugging.)

The work of focusing on your "feelings" is interesting because, often, it's actually the opposite of "focus." It's more like letting yourself drift freely and, in doing so, mapping your interior sea. :)

(Not to get tooooo hippy BS about it. Ha.)

I've said this before and I will say it again. A long time ago, a friend gave me a piece of advice, re: making career choices: "Don't think about what you want to do, think about how you want to feel."

So much about making the "right choice" is about understanding and being responsive to your emotional intuition -- not a category of feeling that you often hear celebrated in (speaking frankly) bro-heavy tech spaces.

I still pay attention to how an opportunity makes me feel: excited? afraid? leery?

Then I work backwards to: Why? (Sometimes, being a little afraid can be a good sign, haha -- it means something will challenge you.)

And I pay close attention to the people I would be working for: how do they communicate? who do they respect? how do they picture the future?

I also think about my own end goals. What am I looking for? Do I just need a paycheck? (That happens sometimes.) Is there a specific skill I'm trying to master? Will a role be a stepping stone toward a bigger picture, long term goal?

It's a confluence of factors, and there's no science on how to balance them against each other. Again: that emotional intuition will guide you. (Keep it well honed.)

Oof, long answer. Does that help at all? Feel like I might have gone off deep into left field with this one. :)

Not to my knowledge, but I wish. Sounds like a great gift.

That's wonderful. Thank you. :)

He's wonderful! He left awhile after me, and perhaps our motivations were similar, but we still talk occasionally and I think very highly of him. Genuinely great person.

The endlessly-recycling-itself-positive feedback loop of receiving both actual money and spiritual/emotional validation from your community in order to pursue your creative ambitions. If you want to make a movie, and you've wanted to make this movie for your whole life, can you imagine then receiving a flood of money, love, and support from the people around you? Even if you don't make ultimately make your goal, that experience can be transformative.

Thank you I think this comment is rad!

I always wish I had better stories for this, haha. Kickstarted picked up traction so surprisingly quickly, that we really just ended up being in the position of fielding all the incoming vs having to go out and convince folks. There was plenty of lovely zaniness in the early days -- many fond memories -- but I can't recall any stunts we pulled to try and attract new projects. :)

I'm not sure if I believe it should be!

The moment I didn't have to explain what we did anymore -- to anybody. Which happened remarkably fast. People would say "What do you do?" and I would say "Kickstarter!" and I would see their eyes just light up. It was very cool and exciting.

Of course! Many things were much easier to manage in the early days, when there were just a few of us, and we functioned like a family: there was lots of time for conversations, Feelings, and talking things through. That naturally ebbs once a company begins to pick up steam. I will say, though, Kickstarter's core spirit was (and has been) remarkably consistent, and I think that's because of the consistency of vision from the top.

Totally depends on what type of person you are. Are you incredibly self-motivated and comfortable setting/pursuing your own goals? Do you have a wide skillset and/or if you don't know how to do something, are you willing and eager to figure it out? Then get in at the beginning, because that temperament will take you far. If you are more comfortable with structure, experienced management, and a clearly defined role -- enter at a later stage, when more administrative structure is likely to be in place. Just my two cents!

Very good question. Speaking honestly, I had no awareness of that at the time I started. I was super young and very naive about the idea of equity -- I accepted what they offered me without reading the fine print or exploring the implications at all. I am fortunate that the founders of Kickstarter are incredible upstanding men and really looked out for me, but (for the record) I do not recommend this tactic for any other first hires. :) It is incredibly important to do your research, dot your i's, cross your t's, etc.

Met one of the co-founders through a friend. We had a lot in common and, that first night we met, had a great conversation. A couple years later, he proposed to me the idea of working for a company he was trying to launch. (Aka: Kickstarter.)

Hi! This is Cassie. If you have questions/thoughts/recipes/doodles, I'm here to field all. (Pro-tip on the recipe front: peanut butter cookies are my #1, always seeking innovations.)