I was genuinely enthusiastic to invest. I believe in your product. I would’ve even taken on more risk than I normally would for it.
But there are too many red flags--the refusal to release any 2022 financials, the highly questionable and inflated 2021 valuation, the low revenue and high reported losses in the 2021 valuation, the failure to attract institutional investors last year, etc. Substack has refused to answer any of the questions others have posed about these issues--and there are many, many of these unanswered questions on the Wefunder Q&A. No professional investor would ever make an investment without these questions answered--you’d be laughed out of the room. It makes it seem like you guys are trying to take advantage of low-information investors by giving them a bad deal. I just can’t bring myself to take part anymore.
I understand your view, Samuel as an investor you are right of course, but for me this is not a market investment. I believe this to be a 'contributor-partnership' along the lines of a co-operative. I think this will come to the fore when our 'fantasy money' structure transmogrifies into a new local economic system as centralised mega-governments discombobulate into a phase transition which occurs when complexity collapses. https://austrianpeter.substack.com/p/the-financial-jigsaw-part-2-localisation?s=w
I would be curious to know founders' stipulations when company goes public or is sold...how the culture, design, and freedom currently inherent in Substack will be continued for writers who are making it grow now, or will it be left to the fates to please investors/buyers. Any comment?
Yes Erin, it can always be corrupted - it is up to the founders and their ability to resist the overtures of VCs and the predator Banksters. I am always prepared to back a worthy cause and have done so all my life. I don't always profit, but that's not the point for me, and I do allow for the frailty of my fellow man when confronted with material gains - I am prepared to forgive.
As the ex CEO of a French oil company observed: "Anyone can be bought, it's just a question of price". No entirely true however, there have been a few very special people who have mastered their greed. Here's one example - Gandhi:
"His non-violent resistance helped end British rule in India and has influenced modern civil disobedience movements across the globe. Widely referred to as Mahatma, meaning great soul or saint in Sanskrit, Gandhi helped India reach independence through a philosophy of non-violent non-cooperation:
Proud to have invested. As a creator who has been burned by social media one too many times, I couldn’t be happier to see someone offer a viable alternative to the current shit-show we call the creator economy.
I tried to invest from Ontario, Canada and failed, thanks to the regulatory status up here. We need to be protected from US crowdfunding, apparently? Sad about that.
I asked this on the announcement and didn’t get an answer. Are you going to offer any perks for writers who invest? I just don’t see any reason to invest besides warm fuzzies--the return on investment is really really hard to imagine
Well I just invested in something for the first time in my life. I’m 40. I love this platform. It’s given me a lot. What’s $100? Why not? For 15 years I worked my ass off trying to get my books published traditionally. No agent. No publisher. Then I discover Substack. I’m making money, real money, from my writing, for the first time in my life.
I am interested in investing but not clear how an investor recoups his investment or receives future dividends. Will it be possible to sell my ‘shares’ in the future? How would that be done?
Hi Peter, thanks for the question! There will be no returns until a liquidity event, which is either a future acquisition or IPO, when you’re able to sell your shares at a price that is hopefully higher (but no promises). There is some more good info under “Stock, No Dividends” here: https://help.wefunder.com/returns/304312-how-do-i-earn-a-return
Substack is the first company I’ve invested in. I’m all in with you guys.
me too! ✨🌟💖🙏🕊️
Yup. Ditto.
Hell yeah! I want to say a big hello to all my new business partners!!!!
I invested and I barely have any subscribers but I believe in what Substack can be.
I was genuinely enthusiastic to invest. I believe in your product. I would’ve even taken on more risk than I normally would for it.
But there are too many red flags--the refusal to release any 2022 financials, the highly questionable and inflated 2021 valuation, the low revenue and high reported losses in the 2021 valuation, the failure to attract institutional investors last year, etc. Substack has refused to answer any of the questions others have posed about these issues--and there are many, many of these unanswered questions on the Wefunder Q&A. No professional investor would ever make an investment without these questions answered--you’d be laughed out of the room. It makes it seem like you guys are trying to take advantage of low-information investors by giving them a bad deal. I just can’t bring myself to take part anymore.
I understand your view, Samuel as an investor you are right of course, but for me this is not a market investment. I believe this to be a 'contributor-partnership' along the lines of a co-operative. I think this will come to the fore when our 'fantasy money' structure transmogrifies into a new local economic system as centralised mega-governments discombobulate into a phase transition which occurs when complexity collapses. https://austrianpeter.substack.com/p/the-financial-jigsaw-part-2-localisation?s=w
And Charles Hugh Smith agrees: http://charleshughsmith.blogspot.com/2022/05/what-happens-when-complexity-unravels.html
But perhaps we will be proven wrong and everything will work out fine - Wall Street thinks so!
1 yr after crowdfund seems this is a bigger q no?
I would be curious to know founders' stipulations when company goes public or is sold...how the culture, design, and freedom currently inherent in Substack will be continued for writers who are making it grow now, or will it be left to the fates to please investors/buyers. Any comment?
Good questions.
Yes Erin, it can always be corrupted - it is up to the founders and their ability to resist the overtures of VCs and the predator Banksters. I am always prepared to back a worthy cause and have done so all my life. I don't always profit, but that's not the point for me, and I do allow for the frailty of my fellow man when confronted with material gains - I am prepared to forgive.
As the ex CEO of a French oil company observed: "Anyone can be bought, it's just a question of price". No entirely true however, there have been a few very special people who have mastered their greed. Here's one example - Gandhi:
"His non-violent resistance helped end British rule in India and has influenced modern civil disobedience movements across the globe. Widely referred to as Mahatma, meaning great soul or saint in Sanskrit, Gandhi helped India reach independence through a philosophy of non-violent non-cooperation:
https://austrianpeter.substack.com/p/the-financial-jigsaw-part-2-special-36e?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Very good question
Happy to invest. Substack feels like my second home now, and my neighborhood is building up.
Proud to have invested. As a creator who has been burned by social media one too many times, I couldn’t be happier to see someone offer a viable alternative to the current shit-show we call the creator economy.
👌👌
Thank you for building this great community
Thrilled for y'all and glad to throw down into the pot. Let's do this thing.
I tried to invest from Ontario, Canada and failed, thanks to the regulatory status up here. We need to be protected from US crowdfunding, apparently? Sad about that.
Wow. Hang in there, Canada.
I’m excited to have invested. Substack is the future.
👌👌
I asked this on the announcement and didn’t get an answer. Are you going to offer any perks for writers who invest? I just don’t see any reason to invest besides warm fuzzies--the return on investment is really really hard to imagine
Warm fuzzies were a strong motivator but you’re right. I would like to know this as well.
Hi Dawson! Thanks for this feedback. At this time, we’re not offering any additional perks to writers who invest.
Thrilled to back a special company. Keep protecting free speech and empowering creatives! For my fellow investors - please consider co signing my open letter on our shared future of discourse here: https://substack.com/profile/64905469-yuri-bezmenov/note/c-14787883
❤️❤️👌👌
Well I just invested in something for the first time in my life. I’m 40. I love this platform. It’s given me a lot. What’s $100? Why not? For 15 years I worked my ass off trying to get my books published traditionally. No agent. No publisher. Then I discover Substack. I’m making money, real money, from my writing, for the first time in my life.
GODAMN right I invested.
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
Substack is the only private company I have ever invested in 👍🏼
Woot woot me too
I am interested in investing but not clear how an investor recoups his investment or receives future dividends. Will it be possible to sell my ‘shares’ in the future? How would that be done?
Any help with these questions? Anyone?
Hi Peter, thanks for the question! There will be no returns until a liquidity event, which is either a future acquisition or IPO, when you’re able to sell your shares at a price that is hopefully higher (but no promises). There is some more good info under “Stock, No Dividends” here: https://help.wefunder.com/returns/304312-how-do-i-earn-a-return