“I always tell this to other veterans looking to start their own venture: there is no one more perfect for the job because we are so good around structure and chaos. A lot of people are good at one but not the other, but we’re good at both.” -Michael Kim, USMA ’10
Michael Kim graduated from West Point in 2010 and is the Co-Founder of KPOP Foods. KPOP’s mission is to bring people together and uplift spirits by sharing Korean food and flavors with America. Mike recently completed a successful Kickstarter campaign raising over $37,000 for his business.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How to get a Kickstarter campaign funded in record time
- A proven pre-launch strategy that will attract lots of backers
- How to find a manufacturer for your products
- How to find a co-packer to ship your products so you can scale your business
Resources mentioned in the episode:
- Mike’s Kickstarter Research Guide
- Mike’s Kickstarter Game Plan
- Mike’s Guide to Kickstarter Best & Worst Practices
Words of Wisdom
Mike used Kickstarter to validate his business idea and get his first customers before investing money in his first production run. Essentially, he was able to take orders for his product before his product was created! Now that he has 4000 bottles of chili sauce sold, he is in a much better position to launch his business.
Connect with Michael Kim
And check out Mike’s video on his website! It is hilarious. This is the video he used for his Kickstarter campaign.
If you found this episode valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague. If you are a Service Academy graduate and want to take your business to the next level, you can join our supportive community and get started today.
Show Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Shopify is an e-commerce platform where you can sell online, on social media, or in person. I use Shopify for my online store to sell StrengthsFinder coffee mugs and love it!
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Special thanks to Mike for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01
