Because I Have To...

Ok, so this is the post I've been dreading... Crowdfunding... I'm not good at it. As a new business, I'm broke. That's something that most consumers don't know about small businesses; you really need a nice chunk of capital in order to begin operations. I went to business school after receiving my degree in Fashion Design, and while they taught us all of the ins and outs of "business," they didn't really elaborate much on how to actually obtain the funds needed to start a company.

Luckily, we live in the digital world full of social media marketing and a larger sense of online community. So I decided to put together and launch a crowd-funding campaign to help me raise the start-up funds needed to get this show on the road. I've had several donations, which I am incredibly grateful and appreciative for, but in all honesty, it's HARD!! I wasn't aware that Facebook sucks in terms of actually reaching out to people. Maybe you have 572 friends, but I can guarantee that only about 15 of them actually see what you post. And, when you rely Heavily on the support of your social circle (whether it's full of close friends and family or distant acquaintances) it's critical that as many people see it as possible! Facebook's platform seems to be Pay-to-Play, so without "Boosting" my post, the same 5 people are the only ones Liking and Sharing. This is a BIG PROBLEM!

So, after realizing this, I transitioned over to Twitter. They are SO much better when it comes to actually connecting with others and getting your message out! Granted, I have no idea how many (if any) of the donations came from Twitter followers, but I have connected with many other professionals who are interested in what I'm doing. Some have helped by retweeting my link and some are interested in collaborating! (Remember that photo shoot I mentioned in the last post? Well, the photographer found me on Twitter!) 

Now, without further ado, I'm sharing my IndieGoGo fundraising campaign because I need help. I really need help. If there's someone out there that's interested in historical costuming, couture wedding gowns, or just supporting small businesses, please do me the giant favor of making a contribution today. There's less than 30 days left now, and I'm only 2% of the way to my goal. I really Really need your help! Click here to make a donation. 

Thanks for reading!