Crowdfunding Inner Wisdom
Crowdfunding Advisors, FundRazr Team
Colleen McGunnigle has been creating imagery that sings to the soul since 1989. As owner and creative director of Design by Muse, Colleen co-creates with coaches, healers and soul-centered entrepreneurs, by designing logos and web sites to help them shine their light.
Crowdfunding helped Colleen exceed her funding goal for her current creative project, Inner Wisdom Cards: Inspirational Card Deck. Colleen shared with us her promotional strategy, highlights of her experience and advice for other creatives searching for new ways to fund their projects.
What are you raising money for and why?
I am raising money to professionally print decks of inspirational cards. The entire card deck consists of 48 Inner Wisdom Cards plus 6 informational cards suggesting various ways you can use the deck for opening to guidance, healing life issues and energetically seeding the future. I share these in hopes that people will feel inspired, lifted and transformed.
Whenever I read something which inspires me, calls me to grow or lifts me in some way, it’s my nature to create something from it, to ground the message I received. When creating these cards, I experienced a pure, uplifting and healing energy that erases density and transmutes whatever is going on around me.
Why did you decide to turn to crowdfunding?
I decided to turn to crowdfunding after one friend suggested it to me to raise money for an ongoing medical condition I’m dancing with, then another suggested it as a way to make my impossible dream of these cards being printed possible. After the third person mentioned it, I thought, “Maybe I should listen!”
Prior, this project had felt out of reach since I’d need to come up with the money for the entire print run myself, then sell the cards to make up what I had put out. I was surprised to find I could do it in this way, which made it more than possible.
How did you promote your FundRazr campaign?
Initially I promoted my campaign on my Facebook page. I’m lucky enough to have a large and supportive group of amazing friends there, many of whom I have never met but we connect all the time to encourage and inspire each other.
I was so scared to hit “post” on my Facebook page because the amount I was attempting to raise had seemed so daunting and, being a brand new campaign which, uh, had NOT yet been announced, there were, of course, zero contributors. I felt scared that no one would be interested and I might be embarrassed to have these people come and see “zero contributors”.
When I finally announced it, people started ordering my inspirational cards. I mean literally right away! Within the first day I had raised half of the money I had needed! When I first posted my message and right away saw people coming on to support me, there were tears in my eyes. I just couldn’t believe it!
What was the highlight of your crowdfunding experience?
The big huge shiny highlight of my experience was the very first day I announced my campaign. In the end, I raised 157% of my goal and was able to order even more decks of cards to bless people with than I had ever even anticipated.
It was such a gift, to feel this support, and since my cards are meant to inspire, lift and transform others, it’s a gift that goes out to the world, exponentially. It really is very special.
What advice do you have for others who want to crowdfund?
Put it out there with your heart and soul! Do something that moves you and that you feel passionate about and let your enthusiasm radiate through your words. Expect nothing and open to everything. Allow people to surprise you. Enjoy your experience!
Visit Colleen’s FundRazr Campaign Here
