We have a bit of experience with crowdsourcing, and in particular, the Kickstarter platform that helped National Purebred Dog Day build its official website. When we met Rob and heard his Kickstarter story the other night, we knew it was worth sharing.
Rob has a really slick invention of particular interest to craft beer affectionados: The Hendrix Keg is a premium, portable, 64 and 128 oz keg that works like a growler, but keeps craft beer fresh using an adjustable CO2 regulator, the same cartridges some of us use in our seltzer water or whipped cream dispensers.
Like us, Rob started a Kickstarter campaign. In his case, it’s to bring the invention to market. He has raised a staggering $92,241 towards the $100,000 goal and has until December 17th to raise the rest. We like cool contraptions, and we like craft beers, but we loved how Rob grinned from ear to ear after we told him about our Kickstarter journey to give National Purebred Dog Day an official “home.” He later sent us a lovely note:
“It was great talking with you last night about my keg project and your journey to establish National Purebred Dog Day. As I told you the other night, I own a purebred Border Collie named, “Yam.” She has been my daily companion and co-worker since graduating from college and moving to our family farm in Dodge City, Kansas. As we grew together, I watched her learn to herd anything that moved on the farm, from chickens to cow. I learned so much about determination and being fearless in life as I watched her herding cows that outweighed her by a thousand pounds. Yam went with me everyday to the farm where we checked crops and baby calves together, no matter the weather. She was always eager to work by my side.
“In the last two years, I’ve moved away from the farm and back to where I grew up in Golden, Colorado to develop the Hendrix Keg. Yam is still my daily companion and is enjoying “retirement” from life as a working farm dog. She now sleeps next to my desk everyday as I design new parts for the keg.”
Us, again. We’re not entirely sure that Yam didn’t actually invent the keg, herself, since she is, after all, a wicked smart Border Collie, but we’ll take Rob at his word. Be sure to “meet” Rob and hear more about his invention here. You might even want to help Rob meet his goal.