Crowdfunding has become an extremely popular way to gain financial support for projects- whether they be new business ideas or even a means to pay for travel. Listen in as Fred and Jeremy discuss different crowdfunding platforms and interview Shannon Whitehead: founder of Factory45, one of the masterminds behind the Versalette, and someone who crushed the crowdfunding game before it gained popularity.

In This Episode

• 00:35 Two episodes/week
• 01:15 Where's Jeremy?
• 04:57 Tortuga updates
• 05:50 Kickstarter, Crowdfunding, and Travel
• 06:27 How crowdfunding works
• 08:33 Different crowdfunding platforms
• 11:12 Why are we talking about this?
• 12:37 Potential problems with crowdfunding campaigns
• 13:31 Can you really start a business through crowdfunding?
• 14:54 Our guest - Shannon Whitehead
• 15:51 The elephant in the room: Minaal
• 19:14 Future of travel - industry and essence
• 21:44 Would we ever do a Kickstarter campaign?
• 23:44 Current Kickstarter travel projects
• 25:10 Meet Shannon Whitehead from Factory45
• 27:48 How Shannon decided on Kickstarter
• 28:35 The inspiration for the Versalette
• 30:44 Shannon's location independent time in Brazil
• 33:19 Catching the travel bug young
• 35:22 The downsides/perks to using Kickstarter
• 36:56 Shannon's advice for those who are getting started
• 37:58 Shannon's new project - Factory45
• 40:17 The end of {r}evolution apparel
• 41:55 How living in different cities helps Tortuga's business
• 42:57 Shannon's next adventures
• 45:36 Advice on traveling light for ladies
• 49:29 Word to the Wise

People On This Episode

• Jeremy Michael Cohen
• Fred Perrotta
• Shannon Whitehead

Where's Jeremy?

Jeremy was recording from this awesome studio 

Links from This Episode

• Reply All - Gimlet Media podcast; "A show about the internet"
• StartUp - Another Gimlet Media podcast about businesses that are just starting up
• How to Name Your Company - StartUp podcast episode
• Jeremy's Blog - A post about his favorite podcast episode
• KickStarter, Indiegogo, Seed&Spark, GoFundMe, CircleUp - Different platforms for crowdfunding
• Interview with Diego Saez-Gil - A very successful crowdfunding startup for smart luggage
• Minaal - Travel backpack company that got started on Kickstarter
• HOBOROLL - Compartmentalized compression bag that got a big boost on Kickstarter
• Lugabug Child Travel Chair, SeatSnoozer, Tooletries - Travel related crowdfunding projects
• Factory45 - Shannon's newest project helping sustainable apparel companies get started
• Versalette - Product created by Shannon and Kristen, co-founders of {r}evolution apparel
• Seamly - Where you can still purchase the Versalette
• Florianópolis - Beautiful place in Brazil where Shannon stayed for a home exchange

Word to the Wise

• Jeremy: Scannable from Evernote - Awesome app for effortless scanning and uploading of documents
• Fred: The Martian by Andy Weir - Weir's first novel about an astronaut stranded on Mars; relies on his wit and ingenuity to find a way to survive.

Win a $100 Tortuga Backpacks Gift Card

Every month we give away a $100 gift card to someone who subscribes to and reviews the podcast. Subscriptions, ratings, and reviews are helpful for getting the show ranked and discovered by other travelers. We appreciate your help spreading the word about Power Trip.

1. Subscribe via iTunes, Stitcher, or your podcatcher of choice with our RSS feed.
2. Leave a review in iTunes.
3. Fill out this form after you've done both for a chance to win a gift card.

Feedback and Questions

If you have any feedback about the show or questions for us to answer on the air, email: podcast at tortuga backpacks dotcom.