{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Product Growth Stories","title":"$400M in Crowdfunding Revenue: Why Your Platform Won't Bring You the Crowd","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/e7dec354\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1369,"description":"$400M raised across 200,000 projects — and it started with a lacrosse team's fee collection.\n\nFeaturing Daryl Hatton, CEO of Connection Point, the company behind FundRazr, Crowdfunder, and CocoPay.\n\nDaryl shares how he went from a Nasdaq IPO in '99 to building a crowdfunding platform that processes hundreds of millions — and why most campaign creators fail because they expect the platform to bring the crowd. He breaks down the \"build, buy, or borrow your crowd\" framework for launching successful campaigns, how AI is changing storytelling for fundraisers, and why SaaS founders need to manage costs aggressively heading into a rough 2026 economy.\n\n🚀 Why platforms won't bring you a crowd — you must bring your own\n💡 Build, buy, or borrow: three paths to campaign traffic\n🤖 AI for storytelling, not replacement — plus the moral hazard nobody talks about\n💸 How optional tipping saves 8-9% vs. traditional platform fees\n🛡️ Survival advice for SaaS founders: react early, conserve cash\n\n⏱️ Timestamps:\n00:00 What is Connection Point and its brands\n01:50 From Nasdaq IPO to crowdfunding\n03:00 Following customers into personal charity\n04:00 Facebook API shutdown nearly killed the business\n05:00 PayPal partnership and the pivotal rebuild\n06:00 The Christmas card that changed everything\n07:00 Revenue model and growth without a big budget\n09:30 Why you can't rely on platform traffic\n13:00 CocoPay and the future of collaborative payments\n14:00 How AI improves crowdfunding storytelling\n16:00 The moral hazard of AI that platforms ignore\n17:30 Build, buy, or borrow your crowd\n20:30 Advice for SaaS founders heading into 2026\n\n🔥 Want to build qualified pipeline through conversations, not cold outreach? 👉 https://www.rapidproductgrowth.com\n\n🔗 Website: https://www.rapidproductgrowth.com\n🔗 Jean-Michel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanmichelthink/\n\n\n#SaaS #Crowdfunding #B2BMarketing #ProductGrowthStories #RapidProductGrowth","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/X4IT14P2xMDfcTDbs7hsQIK9BMr3b8jaJAuqZx6l-bo/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9iZmU0/OWYxNGQxM2EzNTA3/YmFiMzNiNDBjM2Qw/YTU1Yy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}