…and another skill becomes a cheap commodity. Ouch.

Hi Charlie,

Thanks so much for writing about crowdSPRING. About 500,000 new businesses are started in the U.S. every month. Millions of new businesses are started around the world every year (half our buyers come from overseas). You are absolutely spot on - those start-up businesses could get some great creative work on crowdSPRING to get them going - at prices they set (and we offer legal contracts, full project management, and take care of paying creatives anywhere in the world). Just as iStockPhoto has helped bring about a change in the industry, we’d like to do the same. They’ve opened the door to millions upon millions of people who previously had no way to get noticed in the creative community.

The same goes for Threadless. It’s a community of creatives who love to create. They upload their submissions with a hope of being chosen but, at the end of the day, knowing full well that only one will be selected. They do it because they love to be creative. The do it because it’s fun. They do it because they like to be a part of a community.

We like to think that we’re following the path that these other models have blazed. Again, we know it won’t be for everyone. That’s OK. There is plenty of room for established professionals and really plenty of business. Most of them tell us that they won’t work with start-ups because start-ups can’t afford their fees. For every established creative professional who’s made it, there’s a groundswell of untapped creative talent around the world just looking for a way to express themselves and get noticed. This is who we built crowdSPRING for.

And you are right too…some of the designs aren’t ready for prime time. But some really are excellent, and we’re working hard to educate buyers (and creatives).

And there is also one great benefit for the creatives (we opened our doors only three weeks ago, and have nearly 2,000 creatives already). Many are able to find clients on crowdSPRING and work with those clients on other projects. Even after three weeks in business, there are a number of such examples - and we don’t mind that at all.

So, again, thanks very much for the write-up. And we truly hope your designer friends won’t hate you too much.

Best,

Ross

Ross,

Thanks so much for your comments! Seeing a CEO out participating in conversations online is a great sign in itself. 8-)

I didn’t realize you had just opened your doors 3 weeks ago, certainly the number of creatives registered and the actively bidding/working community on your site is pretty impressive. It certainly shows that there was/is a pent up supply and demand for your “connection” service.

I have to ask, did you get your logo/site via your network of creatives? 8-)

Thanks again!

Charlie

Charlie - we did get our logo and site the same way. Our logo was selected from 144 designs and we later found out was designed by a Canadian who worked as a night janitor. Our site was selected out of 337 entries, from 80 designers around the world. The site design was done by a graphic design student from the Netherlands. We eat our own dogfood. :)

Best,

Ross

Thanks Ross, That’s great to hear! Pretty amusing too, that the night janitor beat out professional designers. 8-)

I may have to sign up for some work on a side project soon.

Best of luck!
Charlie
Seven87.com