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on October 28, 2011
Jesse Schmitt
Posted project update #1OWS Book
Post CommentToday is Friday and I know everyone had plans for their weekend, but in the northeast it's going to snow. So do yourself a favor, stay inside and out of danger and lend a friend a hand with his new book. This Kickstarter campaign will hopefully allow me to tell you just what is going on at Occupy Wall Street; firsthand. Have a great weekend!
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on October 27, 2011
Jesse Schmitt launched a project
On the Record: Occupy Wall Street by Jesse Schmitt
The Occupy Wall Street movement has gotten a lot of attention. But what are people really saying? Occupy Wall Street goes On the Record
Funding Unsuccessful (11/06/2011) -
on June 4, 2011
Jesse Schmitt
Posted project update #9Sleep Here Now: Decision Time
Post CommentHey People,
Well thank you so much to our newest backers Shawn and Christine. You all are so amazing; Katie & I are very grateful for the support you've given.
Sleep Here Now's Kickstarter reign is almost ended and we are still a quarter of the way to our goal. This was an update I sent out to every single person in my address book. I'd love it if you'd pass this along and help us get to our goal.
We can make it with your help! Thank you!!
Jesse & Katie
Hello!
It's Jesse Schmitt from Sleep Here Now. I wanted to let you know about something else we're doing; we could really use your help!
Katie and I are trying to get up to Alaska. We have put up our project on Kickstarter; check it outKickstarter is an independent fundraising platform and it's all or nothing; so we're really down to our last licks here. If we make it to our goal then we get funded; if we don't then no money is exchanged. Kickstarter is a partner with Amazon and they're totally legit.We've got 7 days and we need a lot more people on board. I'd love it if you'd pass this around to all your benevolent friends and see if we can't bring the bed and breakfasts from the Land of the Midnight Sun to Sleep Here Now!Thanks againJesse -
on May 19, 2011
Jesse Schmitt
Posted project update #8Sleep Here Now Marches On
Post CommentThe collaborative power of Kickstarter and something like Sleep Here Now make me absolutely thrilled to be welcoming in our newest supporters.
Lobenhaus Bed & Breakfast in Carlton OR is one of the many places Katie & I have visited in our travels. But when "Sharon Lobenstein" popped up as one of our newest contributors I had to do a double take.
I have a hard time associating the bed & breakfasts we've visited with this current project. Shari and Lobenhaus have already reaped the benefits of our visit with them. Yet still, they've donated to what we're doing now. That is amazing and humbling to me as it reminds me of the many persons we touch, if just for one day, with Sleep Here Now.
Thanks also to Esther & Alan, two more of our newest contributors.
If you'd like to watch the Lobenhaus video you may do so HERE.
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on May 18, 2011
Jesse Schmitt
Posted project update #7$25
Post CommentThe Sleep Here Now Alaska Project is closing in on pretty steep territory. We are still way far away from our goal and while we still have some time left, we still need a big push.
I began thinking about what a $25 donation would mean from people. How many $25 donations does it take to get to $4400? From where we are right now, 164.
That's a lot of people, I thought. Then I broke it down by the number of days we still have left. 24. And now it's just under 7.
7 people a day donating $25 would bring us to our goal.
$25 is a great donation amount to give. Not only do you get our indebted thanks, a Sleep Here Now sticker sent to you from Alaska and access to our Alaska blog, but you get the musical styling of Smittybeats and his Sleep Here Now arpeggio; sent to you exclusively from our as-yet-unavailable-on-iTunes collection.
So that's it. We don't have as many supporters as we would like right now, but we're grateful for every one of them. Moreover, if everyone who "liked" us on Facebook would pledge to donate $25 then we would be all the way there. Remember if we don't make it to our goal you don't risk any money.
So what do you say?
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on May 17, 2011
Jesse Schmitt
Posted project update #6Carmen's Story
Post CommentOne of Sleep Here Now Alaska's newest sponsors, Carmen, told me I could share her story for deciding what she would be donating:
"First off I am always willing to support friends in their adventures. Especially when I know that they are passionate about what they are doing. So it was never a question as to whether or not I would pledge to Sleep Here Now Alaska, but it was deciding how much I would pledge. Knowing quite well that Jesse and Katie wouldn't have any problem with me donating a dollar, that thought definitely crossed my mind. But instead I thought if we were to meet up here in Oklahoma or anywhere else I would definitely take them out to dinner. I wouldn't think twice about it. It would be easy for me to spend money on dinner with my friends which means that I DO have that money to spend on helping them reach their goals. So within my budget I found the amount of money I think I could spend on a nice dinner with my friends and instead pledged it to their project.
That's my story. Hope it helps!"
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on May 17, 2011
Jesse Schmitt
Posted project update #5My one pledge doesn't matter
Post CommentThank you everyone for all the amazing support we've gotten thus far on Sleep Here Now Alaska.
I love all the Facebook "likes" we keep getting! I'm very grateful to have so many wonderful friends and associates who've taken the time to watch our video.
One thing I keep hearing though is a little discouraging. "Things are tight; my one small contribution won't matter; I shouldn't pledge at all." Friends, if I could give one hundred dollars to one hundred people and they promised they would pledge, I would do it.
This Kickstarter is about us getting to Alaska, yes. I'd love it if we could do that and share our summer with you. However this is also about showing the networks, agents, the powers that be, the world at large; that you like Sleep Here Now. That you want to see more bed & breakfast reviews in remote and well-trafficked places.
If you could find it in you to pledge; just one dollar; that would be something for me and Katie to be proud of. Whether we make it to our goal or not.
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on May 17, 2011
Jesse Schmitt
Posted project update #4Newest Backers!
Post CommentWe have gotten an amazing response from Facebook friends who continue to show their support.
We also have a few new backers: Nick, Deb, and Carmen joined the fray since last we've posted here; thank you three!
Sleep Here Now Alaska is still not nearly funded yet though so let people know about it, tell your friends, and please, pledge! This is make or break time here for us!
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on May 17, 2011
Jesse Schmitt
Posted project update #3Pledge, Fundraiser, or What You Will
Post CommentThere has been a lot of cosmic dissonance from some potential supporters over exactly what Kickstarter is. Friends and strangers have said, "why should I fund your lifestyle?" That's fair enough.
I thought about this at some length and decided, my lifestyle would not change whether or not Kickstarter was around. What Kickstarter is offering the Sleep Here Now viewing community is the chance for us to cover Alaska and report back to you.
Some may say, "I'll never visit a bed & breakfast in Alaska, why would I support you?" That's fair also. But at the same time you'll never know which road life will take you down. If someone had said to me 10 years ago or 2 years ago, "You're going to be fundraising for a month and a half long trip to Alaska in 2011," I would have told them they're crazy. Yet, here we are.
If you like the Sleep Here Now program, if you like watching what we do, and if you want to see more of it; pledge. If you would be jazzed to see some of Alaska from our first person point of view, if you'd like some of our rewards we are offering to those who lend us a hand, help us with our fundraiser.
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on May 16, 2011
Jesse Schmitt
Posted project update #2Sleep Here Now Week #1
Post CommentHi folks,
we're really excited about all the outreach we've done this weekend; we're hoping for a totally amazing full week #1. We really want to bring as many people in on this as we can so please, if you have any friends or family and you're trying to tell them what Kickstarter is all about; it's not a dangerous service at all.
Amazon hosts the payments and everyone has bought something from Amazon over the past 15 years.
Thank you again to everyone who has contributed, everyone who has "liked" us on Facebook, everyone who has watched our videos, and everyone who has helped in other ways like Crystal, Julie, and Julia; three of my very talented writer friends at Associated Content. They have each written stories featuring mention of our work which can be found below
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8058391/the_sleep_here_now_alaska_project.html?cat=16
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8059667/supporting_travel.html?cat=16
Thank you!
Jesse & Katie
Jesse Schmitt
New York, NY
Back in NYC and on a search for the truth. I have traveled to all but two US states and have blogged, written, and videoed extensively. Love my life; love my wife; looking for answers.
