11 Takeaways from Kickstarter Founder, Perry Chen

In February, I left the National Farmers Union College Conference on Cooperatives challenged by William Nelson's closing remarks, "Get involved in things you can’t do alone." Last week, I announced my post-graduation plans, and unveiled the biggest project I've been a part of in my life. Just the other night, it all came together at late night lecture on campus.

Perry Chen, one of the founders of Kickstarter was at Iowa State. Perry told his entrepreneurial story and opened my eyes to a lot of things I didn't know about crowdfunding. Here are my top 11 takeaways from his talk:

1. For those of you who aren't familiar with crowdfunding, Kickstarter = (Funding + Democracy) + Sweet Incentives. Backers show their support for a project or idea by contributing their own money. In return, they feel great about helping something they like move forward, and may get a gift like a t-shirt or exclusive content.

2. Did you know the Statue of Liberty's pedestal was paid for by crowdfunding? Donations were solicited and in return, supporters received replicas of the statue in varying sizes based on their gift. I had no idea crowdfunding had been around so long!

3. The Oscars happened recently. Did you know an Oscar winning documentary was funded on Kickstarter? Kickstarter has helped hundreds of creative people get their work off the ground.

4. "We have the opportunities to try and fail that people have never had before." This statement really made me think. It's so true. I don't have to spend my whole day harvesting and preparing my meals or walking from place to place. My day isn't consumed with basic survival. I have time to think and try out my wild ideas. I need to stop taking this for granted.

5. The safe path and decisions... are not so safe. The crooked path of following your passion and taking risk for your ideas may reward more. I've known for a while that I wanted to follow my passions and do my own thing. Each time I began seriously considering it, I worried it wasn't a safe decision. What if my business was a flop? The work could stop coming in. I wouldn't be able to pay my rent. Then I realized, the what if game could go the other way too. Taking the safe path and accepting a salary with a large company may not be so safe. The company could be acquired. I could be laid off. Traveling to all 50 states blogging about agriculture is certainly a crooked path, but it's following my passion, and I'm already seeing the priceless rewards.

My friends at KinoSol got to hang out with Perry Chen.
They've been an awesome group of entrepreneurs to
brainstorm with over the last few years!
Photo credit: KinoSol

6. "Many companies have a mission, but many times it comes second to maximizing profit." This doesn't mean all companies work this way. As an Econ student, I'm perfectly aware that profit maximization and keeping shareholders happy is the driving goal for many organizations. Profit is necessary to be sustainable, but if it means sacrificing the mission statement, maybe things need to be reprioritized.

7. "The change with all this is not just funding, it's building community around your work." This is the part of crowdfunding I'm so excited about. Personally, I'm killing two birds with one stone if I can find people that are excited to follow #RootsRoadtrip and willing to help me raise funds to get around the country. I think having people engaged with the businesses around them strengthens the community.

8. "As you guys know, sometimes when you have a really special idea, it just won't go..." I love meeting other people who've had this experience. It's always reassuring to know you're not the only one that feels this nagging itch to run with an idea.

9. "We want to help each other bring our ...each others'... creative ideas to life." It's pretty cool to be a part of a community striving to achieve great things together, don't you think?

10. "Profit based decision making doesn't lead to the best art and culture." After studying Econ for the last four years, I understand the place of profit based decision making. It's a valuable tool, especially during the lean times. But life would be boring if we let profit maximization lead the way in every situation. Think of all the joys in life you'd miss if we eliminated them to save a buck or two.

11. There is no financial upside for backers on Kickstarter, and that is what opens the floodgates for support. It's about affinity. This is another reason I love crowdfunding! People are putting their money where their mouth is. People are opening their wallets because they believe in you and they genuinely want you to succeed. How encouraging is that?!

I'm super excited to release my own crowdfunding campaign this spring. This road trip isn't something I can do alone. I'm so thankful for the support I've received so far! Thanks for reading! 

I'm Feeling 22... A Year In Review

Yesterday was my birthday. It was fantastic! As I curled up in bed with a full stomach, after a delicious dinner date at The Cafe, I reflected on all the blessings of the last year. Now that I'm feeling 22, here's my year in review.

Like I said in my last blog post, if you're an Iowa State student and have
never experienced Hilton Magic, you're missing out!

January

Birthday/Basketball - My last birthday was full of fun and memories. My friend Joni and I dressed up as Legos to claim our 15 seconds of ESPN fame during an Iowa State Basketball game. The Cyclone victory at Hilton was one of the best ways I've ever celebrated a birthday. Getting "I SAW YOU ON TV!!!" snapchats all week was just icing on the cake.

SAEA Quiz Bowl in Atlanta, GA - At the beginning of 2015 I added Georgia to the list of states I've visited. Several Ag Business friends and I went down represent Iowa State in a quiz bowl competition. My team was eliminated pretty quickly, but I enjoyed my first Mellow Mushroom and exploring the big city with my friends. Looking back, Atlanta was my first step toward adulting in 2015 - I flew for the first time without my parents and learned to take major public transportation on my own.

February

NAMA Industry Tour in Milwaukee, WI - If you've been following my blog for long, you know industry tours are one of my favorite things. I just love meeting new people and learning what they do. While in Wisconsin I did a little beer tasting at New Glarus Brewing Co. and met some fantastic marketing folks from Bader Rutter and MorganMyers (including Sara).

I'm scheduled to go to the National Farmers Union College
Conference on Cooperatives again in 2016! I'm so excited!

National Farmers Union College Conference on Cooperatives in Minneapolis, MN - I go to a lot of meetings/conventions/conferences throughout the year, but this was certainly one of the best. My roommate Meghan and I drove up with a fellow Cyclone we barely knew, Travis, and the three of us came back laughing and joking as friends with many new connections across the country. While in the Minneapolis area we toured several businesses with a cooperative structure and enjoyed a museum about the flour milling industry.

Here's the reflection I wrote right after getting back, “I’m motivated by my passions and interest in the community and didn’t know how that perspective fit in the business world until this conference. It was great to hear other people with similar thoughts talk about their successful organizations. This experience certainly has made me consider the business structure I will look for in a future place of employment.”

March

Spring Break in Colorado - Spending spring break on a rowdy beach with a million other college students has never really appealed to me. I don't really like the idea of needing a vacation from my vacation, so last spring a group of friends and I roadtripped out to Colorado. Aside from a bit of car trouble in Kearney, Nebraska the break was perfect. We rented a gorgeous cabin out in the mountains, enjoyed shopping in Breckenridge, and fixed delicious family style meals. We spent hours playing games and watching movies. It was so refreshing! 

Ag Leadership Dinner - You may remember an old blog post about the Ag Leadership Dinner at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. I'm still inspired by the speeches I heard that night and would strongly encourage you to check out Jo Luck's definition of VISION here.

NAMA Casino Night - Our Iowa State National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) helps out at a local casino themed fundraiser every year by serving as blackjack dealers. It's such a fun excuse to break out that little black dress and put on a little make up. This year I drug my friend Ryan along and we had a blast! I'm looking forward to this years event for sure!

April

NAMA Nationals in Kansas City, MO - This is another conference that's at the top of my favorites list. I rode down with my Iowa State classmates and while they competed in the marketing plan competition, I hung out on the social media corps sharing the stories of the event on Facebook and Twitter. I'm so thankful I had this opportunity to network with so many in ag marketing communications. Watching the Best of NAMA awards presentation was so inspiring!

Here's the group from the AgEI Industry Tour! We have a lot of fun together
in the office and on the road.

AgEI Industry Tour in the Des Moines Area - Yep - another industry tour! By now you probably know the Ag Entrepreneurship Initiative has influenced me a lot. So, naturally spending a day touring entrepreneurial businesses with them was one of the highlights of the last year. I had my first ever wine tasting on this trip at Jasper Winery and got to see how fruits and vegetables are packaged at Capital City Fruit. Visiting La Quercia was really special to me because I knew it was something my Papa Tony would have enjoyed. Meeting new entrepreneurs never gets old!

May

Beck's Internship - Last May I packed up my little car and moved out to Atlanta, Indiana, just north of Indianapolis, to work as Beck's Hybrids' marketing intern. While I was there I lived in a big farmhouse with girls that soon became close friends. We had so much fun exploring the area and searching for bargains at Goodwill's half off Saturdays. You can read more about my work at Beck's in these blog posts:

May 18 - First Impressions of the Beck's Experience
May 26 - Love for Stories

June

Beck's Internship - Check out these blog posts to see what I was doing in my internship in June.

June 5 - Blessed with the Best
June 12 - The Road Less Traveled By
June 19 - Who I Am: A Father's Day Tribute
June 26 - What If and Why

July

Beck's Internship - You can read more about my internship in July in these blog posts:

July 10 - Adrenaline and Professional Development
July 17 - Does It Get Any Better Than This?
July 13- Photo Friday

Adrienne's Reception - Growing up Adrienne was our family's regular babysitter. She was a huge part of my childhood and has been one of my biggest role models. In 2015 she got married and I was lucky enough to get to take photos at her wedding reception. lt was a great excuse to make a trip back from Indiana and it was so special to catch up.

August

Senior Year Started - In August, the senior year that seemed so far away officially began. In the fall semester I took a full load of 18 credits, worked three jobs and participated in all my usual clubs. I was so busy, but it felt good to be back in a familiar routine surrounded by my closest friends.

Becknology Days - All summer long I heard how much there is take in at Becknology Days. Even though it meant another trip out to Indiana and skipping school I decided I had to see what everyone was talking about for myself. I was not disappointed! There were so many people, demonstrations, and learning opportunities. All three days I stayed pretty busy in the Country Store keeping clothing stocked and helping customers find the items they wanted. The last day I snuck away for a couple hours to hang out with my parents who came to check it all out. They were impressed too!

September

Aronia Berry Festival - If I had to choose a favorite time of year, fall would have to be it. Harvest is in full swing and there are so many gorgeous colors all around. It's the perfect season to head to a pumpkin patch... or the North American Aronia Berry Festival right here in Iowa. Last September, my roommate Locky and I drove out and spent the day at Sawmill Hollow Family Farm tasting ariona berry wine, BBQ sauce and dips. It was a fantastic event complete with an aronia berry stomp and many guest speakers. I can get Aronia Berry Cayennne Sauce from this farm at the Hy-Vee a few blocks away from my house. Many of my loved ones received it as a gift this past holiday season!

The Ag Business Industry Tours are always a good time!

Ag Business Fall Industry Tour in Kansas City, MO - On the Ag Business Club's most recent trip to Kansas City I learned about the federal reserve. Pictures weren't allowed, but we got to see millions of dollars being inspected, sorted and counted. I've never been around so much money in my life! Our trip also included stops at a Royals baseball game, Lansing Trade Group and Bayer Crop Sciences.

October

This was our team in Ireland! It was such an awesome group!

Ireland - October was the month of once in a lifetime opportunities. At the beginning of the month, I spent a week with two other Iowa State students touring across Ireland spreading the word of the Startup Gathering on social media. We covered events in 5 cities and caught a little bit of sightseeing along the way. You can read more about each day of this adventure in these blog posts:
Day 1 - Dublin
Day 2 - Waterford
Day 3 - Cork
Day 4 - Limerick
Day 5 - Galway

And if you every plan to visit Ireland yourself, you may be interested in this post from my trip:

10 Things About Ireland Nobody Told Me

Meeting Warren Buffett in Omaha, NE - Sometimes opportunities come around that you just can't pass up. Having lunch with Warren Buffet is certainly one of those things - even when it means being on campus at 4:00am - and you're not a morning person at all. 

November

Camila - For the last part of the fall semester, my five roommates and I were joined by our new friend, Camila from Brazil. In the two short months she stayed with us, we made so many fun memories together. Many nights were spent enjoying movies, wine, popcorn and conversation! I'm so glad she was able to stay with us and am crossing my fingers a visit to Brazil is in my future!

I'm so luck to have made so many new blogger
friends at #AgChat

Econ 495 & #AgChat Conference - Camila was able to travel to Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee with me and several other Iowa State AgEI students in November. (You may remember this Wordless Wednesday post from our trip.) The group traveled the region conducting research about poultry production and the impact of recent avian flu outbreaks. As travel always does, it opened my eyes to all sorts of new experiences. 

After the class trip ended with a fun weekend in Nashville, they left me behind to attend #AgChat Conference. The conference inspired me and was the last push of motivation I needed to tackle re-branding this blog. In just two days, my photography and writing improved. So many ladies generously shared their advice with me. It was also awesome to meet bloggers I've admired for years in real life. None of this would have been possible without Iowa Corn's generous sponsorship.

December

Holiday Parties - Getting together with family and friends one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. December was full of fun gatherings and the chance to catch up with friends that I see way too little. Our roomie gift exchange was a success and the perfect send off for Camila. Best of all, I was able to celebrate the reason for the season with my family!

Re-branding Started - I'd been debating about re-branding/moving/changing my blog for months, but #AgChat conference really motivated me to make a plan. Over Winter Break, it was time to put the plan in action. I wrote these two blog posts about my transition (3 Re-branding Changes I Made In 2016 and 7 Re-branding Changes I Made for 2016). Roots Journey is just that - a journey, and always a work in progress, but I am proud of the progress I've made so far. I'm looking forward to some exciting announcements in 2016!

January

Return to Beck's - For the last week of Winter Break, I road tripped out to Indiana to visit my friends at Beck's again. Celina, next year's marketing intern rode out with me so we could work together on a few projects together. It was a great week and it felt good to be productive, but the highlight was showing Celina all the local restaurants with my old roommate Rachel. It was a yummy trip for sure!

Last First Day of School - I had my last first day of school - for a very long time at least just a few weeks ago. It was such a weird feeling. I woke up that day with a bad attitude, but read this blog post and you'll see I got turned around. Now I'm excited to make the most of these last weeks!

Start AgSolver - The last big event of my 21st year was starting a new job. I'm blessed to have a position as a Social Marketing Specialist for the semester. It's only been a couple weeks, but I'm very impressed with the products and team I work with. The only drawback is my office is so close to my favorite Ames restaurant, The Cafe! It takes so much self control to not grab lunch there every day!

Ag Jobs A to Z: (Animal) Health

If you follow Roots on Facebook or Twitter, you know I recently took a trip to learn more about the poultry market with the Ag Entrepreneurship Initiative at Iowa State. Along the way, we met industry experts who generously shared their knowledge. Bill Pittenger was one of the kind people who took time out of their day to meet with our group of students.

Here's the group I traveled with to learn more about the poultry market outside Bill's office at the Missouri Department of Agriculture Animal Health Division. Back: Drew Dietz, Dan Schouvieller, Izak Christensen, Tyler Tracey, Camila Franz; Front: Shannon Hoyle, Jenna Lansing, Ellie Flickinger, Natalina Sents, Celize Christry. Photo credit: Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative (AgEI)

Photo credit: Bill Pittenger, Missouri Department of Agriculture

After hearing about Bill's involvement in the industry's response, prevention and elimination of avian influenza (avian flu), I knew I wanted to feature him as part of Ag Jobs A to Z. The communication, paperwork and coordination he organized is truly impressive. Hearing all the long hours and hard work he put in really made me stop and think about the people behind the food on my plate three times a day. It's thanks to caring farmers working with experts like Bill that America has such a safe food supply.

Thanks Bill for sharing your story and experiences with us!



1. Where did you go to school?
The Ohio State University

2. What inspired you to pursue a job in (animal) health?
I grew up raising a wide variety of animals and wanted to have a job working with animals.

3. How long have you been working in (animal) health?
I have been working for the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Animal Health Division for 15 months.

4. What skills are necessary for a career in (animal) health?
Careers in animal health may require a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Other careers require a Bachelors of Science degree in agriculture majoring in an animal science or related field.  Experiences working with animals and knowledge of animal husbandry, animal health, and regulations are helpful. 

5. How does your job fit into the agricultural industry? (Who do you work with? Who do you help? Who helps you?) 
My job title is Poultry Health Program Manager. I help oversee state and federal regulations dealing with the movement of poultry and other avian species and their products both intra-state and inter-state. I manage the National Poultry Improvement Plan for Missouri, which is a federal USDA program administered by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The NPIP is composed of various sub-parts through which poultry companies and individuals participate in testing programs that permit and expedite the movement of their birds and/or products. The Missouri Poultry Program works with all aspects of the Missouri poultry industry whether large or small. Our goal is to serve and protect the Missouri poultry industry by enforcing regulations that help prevent the entry and spread of avian diseases within the state. Thus, Missouri Department of Agriculture helps the poultry industry and the poultry industry helps the department by agreeing to participate in the above programs.

6. What career/internship opportunities are there with (animal) health?
The Missouri Department of Agriculture, Animal Health Division employs approximately 100 people in various programs including administrative, animal care facility act, meat and poultry inspection, poultry health, diagnostic laboratories, and district veterinarians. Internships are available.

Thanks again for sharing your story as an animal health expert, Bill! I'm thankful for people like you that help keep our food and farm animals safe!

Thanks for reading!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Wordless Wednesday: Iowa State AgEI Poultry Trip

Whew! This month has been busy! Over the last month, I've been in 10 states and 2 countries! I'm still in the middle of Ag Jobs A to Z so detailed posts about those trips will have to wait. Just to tease you, I'm sharing a few photos from last week's trip south. 

This semester, my Iowa State Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative (AgEI) classmates and I have been researching the poultry market. After several weeks of internet research and phone calls, we hit the road to meet with influencers ourselves. Last Tuesday we headed out bright and early in two Iowa State suburbans on our way to Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee. The trip was full of fun and networking opportunities! Here are a few photos of our adventure. Stay tuned for more! 

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

Photo Credit: Carly Cummings, Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative

This trip taught me so much about poultry and my teammates were a blast! I look forward to telling you more after Ag Jobs A to Z wraps up!

Thanks for reading!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Startup Ireland: Day 5 - Galway

Galway on Friday was the last day of big Startup Gathering events. The whirlwind of new foods, a different time zone, and lack of sleep caught up to me that morning. Since I wasn't feeling well, I missed several of the speakers and didn't explore the city as much as I had hoped. Thankfully, I bounced back quickly and was still able to experience some of the city.

They mayor of Galway spoke during the morning forum. Photo credit: Paul Condron

Like most of the other cities, the mayor came to speak about the importance of startups in their region. It was really cool to see so many important people make the Startup Gathering a priority and recognize the positive impact a good startup ecosystem could have on their area.

The rest of the morning forum proceeded as normal with breakouts, panels and keynote speakers. After those wrapped up, smaller events with a more industry specific focus took off around the city. Rachel, Clayton and I chose to attend the open house for an incubator office sponsored by Bank of Ireland that was recently completed. The space was beautiful and we all agreed we would love to work there. Here's a picture from a fun little side room that would be perfect for a conference call or locking yourself away form your devices to get work cranked out before a deadline.

Isn't this just the cutest little space? Photo credit: Rachel Kelly

The rest of the office was super hip bright orange and blue with nice big tables and huge presentation screens. I want an office like that some day!

In the evening, things wrapped up with a reception, just like all the other cities. The keynote speaker was a man who had recently sold his successful startup. He made two comments that really struck me.

• "Out of adversity there is always opportunity."

This quote hit me like a ton of bricks. It really is all about perspective.

• "There is absolutely no reason you can't start a business anywhere in the world."

This comment was made as he spoke about technology and all the doors recent advancements have opened. It really challenged me personally to learn more about the technology resources available to me. I need to learn, and use them effectively to achieve my goals. 

Galway was a great place to wrap up our tour of the country promoting the startup message. I feel so blessed to be a part of such an impressive conference and am thankful for all the new skills and connections I've gained. Stay tuned for a my final reflection on the whole trip coming soon. Thanks for reading!