We’ve Raised $60M in New Funding

Could someone explain why Patreon needs to raise funding? I thought a service built with the express concept of collecting money (and a very popular service at that) wouldn't need external funding.

Also, in an unrelated point,

> I had been making YouTube videos with my band, Pomplamoose

Finally! I thought I was crazy for thinking it was the same guy. If you haven't listened to his band, you definitely should.

Re: We’ve Raised $60M in New Funding

#5

Post by raesene6 » Tue, Sep 19, 2017, 4:11 PM UTC

I like the patreon model, as it's let me support various creators whose content I like (Webcomics/Websites/Musicians) without having to endure web ads.

I get what this post is saying about wanting to add new features, but I can't help but be a little apprehensive about what taking this amount of external funding means for Patreon's future.

It doesn't strike me as a business that's likely to experience "hockey stick" growth, so there's a worry that they'll need to extract more money from existing creators to show the return on investment that their external investors are likely to seek...

Re: We’ve Raised $60M in New Funding

#6

Post by GauntletWizard » Tue, Sep 19, 2017, 4:11 PM UTC

k__ wrote: post #3

it's sad that content creators have to beg for money or litter their stuff with ads :/

Everyone has to sell. They're not "begging", they're offering a service: I keep doing art. That's a pretty good service to me.

Re: We’ve Raised $60M in New Funding

#7

Post by minimaxir » Tue, Sep 19, 2017, 4:12 PM UTC

k__ wrote: post #3

it's sad that content creators have to beg for money or litter their stuff with ads :/

Producing content is never free. (if not in monetary cost, then in time/opportunity cost)

It is not "begging" so to speak; if anything, it's a win-win.

Re: We’ve Raised $60M in New Funding

#8

Post by sheraz » Tue, Sep 19, 2017, 4:15 PM UTC

k__ wrote: post #3

it's sad that content creators have to beg for money or litter their stuff with ads :/

It's sad that you think it is begging. I think if it as patronage, something that is baked right into the name of the service.

begging implies some kind of charity. Patreon is enabling one exchange of value for another. Very different IMO.

Re: We’ve Raised $60M in New Funding

#9

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Sep 19, 2017, 4:16 PM UTC

k__ wrote: post #3

it's sad that content creators have to beg for money or litter their stuff with ads :/

[deleted]

Re: We’ve Raised $60M in New Funding

#10

Post by IshKebab » Tue, Sep 19, 2017, 4:17 PM UTC

alexroan wrote: post #2

Should've just set up a Patreon page for Patreon.

That's how Gratipay does it:

https://gratipay.com/Gratipay/

But they're only getting enough to pay for like, 1/10th of a developer...