Many of us here in the SPC and the BSFS have either looked at starting a crowdsourcing campaign or even ventured forth to do so. Whether you used Kickstarter, Indie Gogo or setup your own independent donation array, getting the ball rolling trying to raise funds is the easy part. The 'hard part' comes when you reach or exceed your funding goals and it comes time to 'swing into action' to produce that which people paid you for.

No matter what it is you raised money for, like it or not you've started a business. You're now on the hook with your 'investors', the IRS, the Securities Exchange Commission and your state government by which you will have to file your business with if you haven't already!

Granted, crowdsourcing is made to look like it's just takes, 'Hey kids! Let's raise some money and do this thing! Yeah!' But, that's not what's going to go down. Yes, you will need that high level of enthusiasm to get going and see the project through. However, you'll also need to have a number of things in place to deliver on your proposal.

Questions you'd best be able to answer before you get a dime are:

How will my project be created/manufactured?

How many units will I realistically be able to sell?

Who will supply the base materials to produce the final product?

How will I be able to deliver to investors/customers?

Do I have alternates in case someone in the creation/delivery chain falls short?

Have I properly budgeted for contingencies which may occur?

Am I up to speed on the rules and regulations of business and tax laws for the countries I plan to sell in?

What's the plan if things crap out or blow-up?

Any of these questions you don't have answers for need thorough investigation. You can look up the info on your own, but eventually you'll have to contact professionals who can advise you concerning specific areas in question.

Though it's not about publishing, this article "Life After Kickstarter: 5 Costly Lessons from a Kickstarter Backed Designer" spells out in clear detail some of the things you will encounter when it comes to producing and selling your final product in large numbers.

Life After Kickstarter: 5 Costly Lessons