This was before Kickstarter. Before crowdfunding was even a word.

So I just started talking to people about my idea.

My passion must have been contagious—because people started giving.

I applied for every grant I could find.

But I needed more, and I needed it quicker.

I started asking strangers for support, WHICH WAS SCARY but my desire was stronger.

I reached out to friends and family which was somehow EVEN HARDER.

And I am not going to sugar coat it. Asking for money was hard.  Especially when it felt like asking for a favor.

And then something shifted.

I REALIZED PEOPLE WANTED TO GIVE.

I had the idea and was doing the hard work.

ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS SAY YES.

I wasn't begging. I was offering an invitation. A chance to be part of something meaningful. They weren't doing me a favor.

I was offering them a gift.

That changed everything.

Asking got easier. People wanted to help. It wasn't only cash, people started offering places to stay, meals, equipment.

They became part of the project.

For me, It wasn’t just about the money, I felt their support.

And THAT SUPPORT KEPT ME GOING and that film got made.

I went on to make several more films and raised millions of dollars. 

Over time, I started sharing this way of thinking and fundraising with other filmmakers. Then with artists and creators of all kinds.

It works. So I built a course to teach it.