Here's some thoughts, before Patreon dies.
The fundamental idea, be a middleman processor of payments and a blog platform with levels of access, is good. I can't wait to see it implemented again, especially with a drive towards accepting micropayments ($1-$5) as a natural point of business, instead of a shameful fail.
It'll be nice when it's a non-profit, founded in a state friendly to various aspects of the business, with an office/records storage/meeting area where the monthly rent for the entire building is less than what it costs for an SF apartment right now.
I know people want to say that venture capitalists are good. People saying this are either venture capitalists or people who really hope if they shine the boots of venture capitalists, they'll venture a little capital that way. Venture capitalists also tend to be good keynotes.
I mean, not good keynotes like they'll make life better, but they tend to not read off notes and they tend to talk in that classy tech-bro "everything you know is wrong but luckily you have me now" that I'm pretty sick of at this point.
Patreon got $2.1 million from VC in 2013. $15 million in 2014. $30 million in 2016. $60 million in 2019. Techcrunch claims the total actual VC is $165. You can read techcrunch's slobbery article here: techcrunch.com/2019/07/16/pat…
Companies like Techcrunch have an interest in reporting this all as normal. It's not normal, unless you define "normal" as "a bunch of it has happened". But payment processor candy coatings like kickstarter and patreon are simple-enough ideas, "put salt on salmon" level.
Anyway, the first sets of VCs have likely been paid off for their efforts (hence the ever-growing rounds) and the new move into "Business Loans, but for Morons" that Patreon is trying is all an attempt to pay back a line of credit they never will.
So, when Patreon dies, I hope that someone neat has been working on a non-profit, associated with a credit union, is out there ready to turn an old warehouse into a nice office full of laptops and coffee that works with some really on-the-edge artists/creators to thrive.
Until then, use Patreon happily! I know I am. But I'm incredibly used, at this point, to sitting inside companies and events seeing how it's all going to crash down in flames, but taking note that the snacks were very good.
