Video Fitness Forum  

Go Back   Video Fitness Forum > Video Fitness Reader Forum > General Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 06-08-13, 10:37 AM  
DawnP
VF Supporter
 
DawnP's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: California
Unhappy Latest instructor fundraising fad: Margaret Richards, BJ Gaddour

Has anyone else been disturbed by the latest fitness instructor fundraising fad using Indiegogo? Apparently it's an online donation program that may reward donors with gimmicky gifts.

I got emails from BJ Gaddour and Margaret Richards this past week.

Margaret Richards is trying to raise $15,000 by pre-selling a breast cancer survivor's workout DVD through this venue and she's donating part of the proceeds to a cancer survivor's network.

BJ Gaddour is trying to raise $100,000 to upgrade his online streaming video platform by selling a rubber wristband for $15, a downloadable workout for $25, or a T-shirt for $50.

I'm a little concerned that commercial fitness instructors have gotten away from direct presales to fund their projects or using traditional fundraising venues like venture capitalists who have ownership in the project.

Is this a popular way to raise funds these days? Are grade school soccer teams and Girl Scouts going this route too? I remember my daughter selling Poinsettias, grapefruits and such to support her high school trip to Honduras. The fundraising actually taught the kids marketing skills that helped them set up tooth-brushing campaigns or recycling programs when they were in-country.

What do you guys think?
__________________
Dawn P.
DawnP is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-13, 10:52 AM  
Sue B
VF Supporter
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Maryland
Yup, Indiegogo and Kickstarter are becoming popular ways of "crowdfunding" projects. The idea is that if enough people want something to be made, like a new gadget or film about a certain topic, you can kind of vote with your dollars to (help) make it happen. The app Zombies, Run got crowdfunded this way.

Beth Chamberlin tried to raise money to make another kettlebell DVD through Indiegogo. It failed, but according to her site, everyone who sent money got a refund.

Where things get dicey is if a project does meet the fundraising goal. There's no guarantee it will be made in a certain timeframe after that. It's like you're an investor rather than a buyer.
__________________
Move your body often, sometimes hard. Every bit counts.

Drop Two Sizes, Fit Body Blueprint, STRONG Eat. Lift. Thrive. and Revamp grad

DISCLOSURE: I have a professional relationship with a seller or producer of fitness videos or products. For details, please see my profile.
Sue B is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-13, 11:07 AM  
Messe
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
I'm not disturbed by it. If anything, it's a more honest approach than an open-ended presale. A couple of years ago, a small local food-based business (not quite a grocery store, not quite a restaurant) that wanted to move from selling at open-air markets to a brick-and-mortar establishment used Kickstarter and offered optional gifts/incentives for various levels of support. I was happy to make a contribution but chose not to take one of their gifts.
__________________
Martha

You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. — Maya Angelou
Messe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-13, 11:26 AM  
marmact
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: In a plank position
Quote:
Originally Posted by Messe View Post
I'm not disturbed by it. If anything, it's a more honest approach than an open-ended presale. A couple of years ago, a small local food-based business (not quite a grocery store, not quite a restaurant) that wanted to move from selling at open-air markets to a brick-and-mortar establishment used Kickstarter and offered optional gifts/incentives for various levels of support. I was happy to make a contribution but chose not to take one of their gifts.
I don't see how this source of funds is in any way "more honest" than other, more traditional ways to raise capital, such as presales (which, frankly, at least don't try to pretend to be anything except what they are).

This isn't directed at the person quoted, but I always find it interesting that people try to make Kickstarter and the like out to be some kind of grassroots-for-the-people thing, which I guess they COULD be, if we were talking about raising funds for breakthrough products or charitable concerns, but we're talking about straight commercial ventures. I figure if a commercial enterprise doesn't have and can't secure the funds necessary to operate their business, maybe there's a reason for that.
__________________
"We will dance on their chamois!" ~ Grunter von Agony, Hell Hath No Fury (The Sufferfest)
marmact is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-13, 06:04 PM  
videofit
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
I know nothing of Margaret's cancer DVD. I have bought her new two workout vintage DVD as part of a presale. I hope she gets enough people interested because I want it badly.
__________________
"Think for yourself, or others will think for you without thinking of you." Henry David Thoreau
videofit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-13, 07:26 PM  
lilmonkey2
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Northeast Ohio
Quote:
This isn't directed at the person quoted, but I always find it interesting that people try to make Kickstarter and the like out to be some kind of grassroots-for-the-people thing, which I guess they COULD be, if we were talking about raising funds for breakthrough products or charitable concerns, but we're talking about straight commercial ventures. I figure if a commercial enterprise doesn't have and can't secure the funds necessary to operate their business, maybe there's a reason for that.
Well, Kickstarter isn't necessarily about commercial ventures in the sense that someone has a product (i.e. a 'widget') they are trying to bring to the market and need capital to manufacture their widgets--Kickstarter is about providing funding to creative projects, things that independent artists might not otherwise be able to get funded. I love the idea of having a viable way for someone who may not otherwise have the connections or whatever it takes to get their movie made, book published or art created.

I don't like the sounds of the Indigogo campaign to help someone sell crap to so they can upgrade their website. I feel like that's using people in a way. Sell a legitimate product and run your business so that you can afford to do your own upgrades, you know?
lilmonkey2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-13, 07:38 PM  
Pippa
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Baltimore, MD
I've helped fund two Book Riot books through Kickstarter and have been happy to be a part of the process. These books never would have gotten funding to be published and they were(are) topics I was interested in so the whole process was a win-win for me. I get the book(s) I'm interested in, they get the money to write the book I'm interested in.

Both times they used Amazon Payments to process payments so I never felt like my information wasn't secure. My card wasn't charged until they reached their funding goal, so no goal met, no money charged to me.
__________________
~Pippa
Disclosure: I use to work for The Bar Method.
Pippa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-13, 07:43 PM  
BigBadBetty
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Quote:
Originally Posted by DawnP View Post
Is this a popular way to raise funds these days? Are grade school soccer teams and Girl Scouts going this route too? I remember my daughter selling Poinsettias, grapefruits and such to support her high school trip to Honduras. The fundraising actually taught the kids marketing skills that helped them set up tooth-brushing campaigns or recycling programs when they were in-country.

What do you guys think?
I hope so! I don't want most of the stuff that these groups sell. They usually get so little per sale.. I don't want a poinsettia, grapefruit, candles, wrapping paper, etc. I don't mind donating $5 which is often more than they get for selling one of these items.

I worked with a student employee that was selling cookie dough for a trip to Washington for a conference. The conference sounded like a great opportunity. The cookie dough was over $10. She would only get a few dollars from each sale to help offset her trip. I just donated $15. A couple of other employees did the same thing. No employee bought the cookie dough.

I "donated" money to Jessica Smith. I really like her workouts. The money is going to make more workouts. Jessica seems to be releasing workouts at a faster pace now.
BigBadBetty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-13, 07:52 PM  
Sue B
VF Supporter
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Maryland
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilmonkey2 View Post
I don't like the sounds of the Indigogo campaign to help someone sell crap to so they can upgrade their website. I feel like that's using people in a way. Sell a legitimate product and run your business so that you can afford to do your own upgrades, you know?
It's interesting though that he's raised almost ten times the amount that Margaret has.

I'd have to be a really, really, REALLY big fan of someone to give what pretty much amounts to a donation. It's hard for me to think of something I'd want to be made that badly. Maybe a sequel to Walk It Out - if they offered a perk like a Walk It Out T-shirt, I might bite.
__________________
Move your body often, sometimes hard. Every bit counts.

Drop Two Sizes, Fit Body Blueprint, STRONG Eat. Lift. Thrive. and Revamp grad

DISCLOSURE: I have a professional relationship with a seller or producer of fitness videos or products. For details, please see my profile.
Sue B is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
bj gaddour, margaret richard

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:14 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
© 2009 Video Fitness