When it comes to crowdfunding, entrepreneur Susan Taing has it down to a science.
The founder of Bhold, a company that aims to solve all of your daily frustrations with your smartphone, just launched her second Kickstarter campaign. In less than a week she’s raised more than half of her goal of $5,000.
One of Taing’s friends mentioned to her how so many drivers clutch their steering wheel with one hand and their phone in the other. After some research, Taing discovered that this balancing act is a common (and dangerous) problem.
So Taing created the Bsteady, an anchor-shaped phone mount that hooks onto a car’s air vents. It holds any type of smartphone, letting you view the screen without being encumbered. It’s easily detachable, so you can take it with you on your out-of-town trips.
It’s just one part of her product line, which includes the Bheard, a cup-shaped “sound pod” that holds your smartphone and amplifies and enhances the sound. The Kickstarter campaign for that device raised more than $15,000.
What makes it unique?
For Taing, who used to work at Google, merging technology and design to create simple, innovative products is the key to her success.
“Whenever a product design starts to look like a familiar object, I run with that,” says Taing. “I really feel like if you make it fun and more like an object, then people are more likely to engage with it.”
What was the strategy?
To get the word out about her product, Taing’s strategy could not have been simpler: she asked her friends and colleagues to spread the word. The entrepreneur emailed any of her contracts that she thought might be interested in the product, especially those who have supported her in the past.
“Spending money on marketing defeats the purpose of funding,” she says. “It needs to be done organically. The most powerful thing is if my friends share the product, that gives the product more credibility.”
What are the rewards?
Backers who support the product on Kickstarter will receive a one-of-a-kind product that won’t be rendered obsolete after the next smartphone release. Pledge more than $58 and you’ll also receive a 3-D printed prototype of the Bhold in several unique colors.
Photo credit: Alyssa Kirsten Photography and Jun Oshima