Creative Fundraising on Kickstarter

Here's a dilemma many if us can relate to: I have an idea (a really, really good idea) that is going to make the world sound, look, smell, taste, be a better place. And it's going to take some exact dollar amount which is about exactly more than I have access to to get it started. A few more dollars here and there ain't gonna cut it. I need that exact dollar amount or this idea that could revolutionize the world just isn't going to happen... an usually, it doesn't.

But what if there was a way to get all of your friends, all of your family, and network, and neighbors, and strangers who follow you on Facebook, to all pledge a small amount toward your project, and only have to give it to you if it's going to be enough? And if it's not enough, well, maybe it wasn't such a good idea in the first place.

Enter Kickstarter. It's a funding platform that does just all of that. You tell your friends (through the site, preferrably in an adorable video) what you want to do, and what it's going to take to get it going. They, then, pledge their part. Crowd-sourced start-up funds.

We first heard of Kickstarter when founder Perry Chen spoke at All Day Buffet's Feast Salon this summer. It's quite an inspiring project: a platform enabling others to reach their goals.