How to leverage crowdfunding and the tools you need for success – Emily Best | Seed&Spark

Welcome to another episode of The Roadmap with your host, Lee Heisman. The Roadmap is a weekly ASBN exclusive that educates CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs on how one day they will scale their business and exit stage left. Joining us in the studio is Emily Best, the Founder and CEO of Seed&Spark and Film Forward, to discuss how companies can utilize crowdfunding to further push their creative projects. 

Emily began her production industry journey at 16 after sitting in a movie theater and watching the independent film, Gabbeh, directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf. She described her experience as the one film that forever altered how she viewed cinema’s significance and the importance of independent cinema. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Seed&spark is the number one crowdfunding company in the world for diverse storytelling. The company has raised over $52 million for over 3100 independent storytelling projects. 

2. Due to the widespread availability of technology and education, particularly on cell phones, barriers to entry into the industry are significantly lower today than they traditionally would have been. 

3. Best notes: the real barrier to entry today is the access to information you need to start making things. Furthermore, at the Hollywood scale, the barriers consist of networking and resources. 

4. According to the most recent data on diversity in Hollywood, women-led initiatives often receive five to ten percent less funding than projects managed by men. 

5. Best’s business strategy is centered on four crucial elements:

1. Seed&Spark has over 1,000 partners nationwide that offer free education on how to leverage crowdfunding and the tools you need for success to build a strong, sustainable career. 
2. Their crowdfunding platform aids in building and launching projects.
3. Every single project is subject to evaluation by industry experts. 
4. The patron funds are non-profit contributors that access the campaigns already on the crowdfunding page. 

6. For more information, head to seed&spark.com and filmforward.io

“Independent cinema altered how I viewed what storytelling could be.” – Emily Best