Break ups are hard and our failed Kickstarter campaign felt like a bad break up that was on display for the whole world to see. Emails were sent out about the break up, posts were shared on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. There was no hiding the fact that “things just didn’t work out.” That answer never was good enough for us, so we started reflecting on what we could have done differently.
We weren’t ready to give up on Kickstarter, so we decided to dust off our egos and give the relationship a second chance. Here’s why:
We believe in our product
We’ve poured our hearts and souls into GOVERRE and truly feel it’s a product that will revolutionize the way people enjoy wine outdoors. We all know wine lovers are a passionate group, as are those who enjoy leading an active lifestyle and spending time outdoors. We wanted to solve the problem of having to choose between the two. GOVERRE has changed the way we drink wine, and we think it can do the same for other wine and outdoor enthusiasts.
We didn’t want to leave money on the table
Who are we to walk away from the over $40,000 our original backers pledged? We took our time away from Kickstarter to reevaluate, crunch numbers and really prioritize. While we most definitely need the full $100,000 from the original campaign, we are willing to self-fund half of that investment in order to make GOVERRE a reality. We were not willing to sacrifice quality, durability or style in order to lower our costs, so we will just have to sacrifice other indulgences (working wine lunches will now be moved to the backyard).
We want to keep equity in our company
GOVERRE is our baby and we are ultra-protective of both our real-life and business babies. We have so much invested in this product that we aren’t ready to hand over a big chunk of equity and potentially risk the integrity of our brand. For the time being, we are willing to accept the risks and challenges that come with bootstrapping our business in order to see GOVERRE come to market the way we want it done.
We built a community that wants us to succeed
Kickstarter showed us that there is a passionate community of people who want (need) GOVERRE and want to see it come to market. The Kickstarter community gave us over 40,000 reasons not to give up. Every dollar pledged by a backer was a vote of confidence in GOVERRE. We want to continue to engage in this community that fosters creativity, ingenuity and entrepreneurship.
We felt we had more to give
Relationships are a two-way street and we realize we could have done more. We took for granted the fact that not everyone knows what Kickstarter is and how it works. This time we plan to do more to educate our target audience about this unique investment model. We knew people wouldn’t magically find our campaign, but we kind of hoped they might. This time we are taking the lead making a stronger effort to get the word out. We put everything in to getting GOVERRE to where it is today and that is what we plan to put into Kickstarter as well.
Overall we learned that, just like any relationship, you get out what you put in. After all, a second chance doesn’t mean anything if you learned nothing from the first one. Here we go again.
About GOVERRE
Created by Regan Kelaher and Shannon Zappala, GOVERRE is a chic, spill-proof, portable, stemless wine glass with a silicone sleeve and lid. With GOVERRE, it is now possible to bring your favorite glass of wine with you. GOVERRE is perfect for: backyard BBQ’s, boating, walks around the neighborhood, outdoor movies, street festivals, hikes, taking your dog for a walk, camping, the movies, art festivals, Broadway, parades, picnics, the salon, polo fields, the pool, film festivals. Just Pour. Seal. Pack. Enjoy.
Contacts:
Regan Kelaher & Shannon Zappala
goverregirls@gmail.com
