Zach Smith
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EPISODE 001
Zach Smith Raising Successful Crowdfunding Campaigns For Startups
Zach Smith is a serial entrepreneur, having never had a “real” job his entire life. He’s always starting, selling, running, and managing businesses. Zach loves helping others turn their dreams, ideas, and inspirations into successful companies.
With John Henry of Cofound Harlem, and Harlem Capital Partners
He is the co founder of Funded Today, a full service marketing agency that has helped raise over 240 million dollars for crowdfunding campaigns. His company is known as “the guys who come in and raise you a bunch of money after you’ve done everything that you can do on your own.”
Zach was in the marketing business when clients ran out of money and proposed crowdfunding. He was able to raise $115,000.00 for an attachable, magnetic running wallet in 35 days. From that client, his crowdfunding business was born. Since then he has helped with pre launch campaigns and pioneering the approach of direct marketing.
Funded Today is one of the fastest growing private companies in the country. It’s raised nearly $200,000,000 for crowdfunding campaigns in just the last four years alone. It’s a success story about how a thriving, multi-million dollar company was started by two guys just out of college who didn’t have any money,
Zach has been featured in numerous publications including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, TechCrunch, Mashable, Entrepreneur, Forbes, and The Huffington Post. Zach Smith is newly married to the beautiful and talented opera singer, Courtney Bergen, and resides in the glorious city of Ogden, Utah.
I love the fact that sometimes I can put on a wardrobe that is completely products that we helped bring to life. That gives me more joy than almost anything.
-Zach Smith
(HIGHLIGHT QUOTE TO SHARE)
In this episode you’ll learn:
- 4:26
- What inspired Zach to start his first crowdfunding campaign
- 7:41
- Which entrepreneurs should or shouldn’t use crowdfunding.
- 12:57
- How Funded Today pioneered the approach of direct marketing.
- 23:11
- What makes an effective marketing video.
- 26:23
- What Zach loves about pre launch campaigns.
- 31:31
- The difference between Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
- 40:26
Transcript
Dan Lok: Welcome to another episode of Dan Lok show. Today we are in actually New York City, and I’m with John Henry. Now John not only is an entrepreneur, but also a real estate investor as well as owns a venture capital company.
John Henry: That’s right.
Dan Lok: Now before we even talk about John’s story, I want to talk a little bit about this space.
John Henry: Let’s talk about it.
Dan Lok: Let’s talk about this space. Like what makes this space, co-working space, so special?
John Henry: First things first, thank you for having me on.
Dan Lok: Welcome man, welcome.
John Henry: Appreciate you. And look, what makes this space special is this is the proof right here. Like you’re on a one day trip, you came, you interviewed with Faiza, this content, that content lined up. We connected and it’s central in the city, a lotta energy here, there’s six floors.
Dan Lok: You can feel the entrepreneurial spirit.
John Henry: That’s right.
Dan Lok: The minute you walk in you can feel the hustling.
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