Planning Notes introduces the planning process behind everything Wadizcreates, following the five Ws and one H.
If you’re curious about the thought process behind creating impact, be sure to check this out! Planning Notes, filled to the brim with thoughtful consideration and sincerity—we’re writing it down right now✍
Did you know thatWadizoffers “Classes”? These aren’t crowdfunding projects—they’re workshops hosted Wadizon topics like “How to Run a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign”! SinceWadiz early days, we’ve been consistently offering funding-related courses for makers. The curriculum and faculty are so solid that we could even call it a “school.”
Why is Wadiz, a crowdfunding platform and a new type of consumer and distribution platform, creating an educational program?
(You probably won’t find this on other distribution platforms.)
That storyWadiz School .
“Hello, makers! I’m Mungchi, the School Manager in charge of planning and operations Wadiz!”
– Mungchi’s signature greeting to makers before each Wadiz School session.
Let me get straight to the point! Why is Wadiz, a crowdfunding platform, hosting these courses?
(We’re so serious about it that we even run a dedicated Wadiz School page.)
It’s because it’s a crowdfunding platform. Funding is a completely different concept from “sales” in e-commerce. Many aspiring makers face psychological barriers and difficulties in preparation. Wadizis a world where ‘a world where anyone can take on a challenge. We’re not just going beyond just helping with fundraising; we’re putting a lot of effort. As part of this effort, we offer various online and offline training programs so that prospective makers can take on Wadiz funding campaigns without hesitation.
Every month, we hold “Beginner School,” an educational program for those new to crowdfunding. Last January, the number of individual applicants for Beginner School surpassed 1,000. The fact that so many people are dreaming of new challenges, eager to succeed, and looking for guidance is exactly why Wadizcontinues to run this program.
Wadiz School Page
What topics are covered in the course? Please tell us about the course.
The courses can be broadly divided into three categories: Beginner Courses, category-specific Project Reward Courses, and courses covering the essentials of crowdfunding preparation (such as reward design, storywriting, and marketing).
Beginner School is Wadiz School’s signature course. It is a comprehensive introductory course that covers what Wadiz funding is, how to prepare for Wadiz, the procedures involved, and the services offered.
Category School shares the unique characteristics and expertise specific to certain categories, such as tech, beauty, and food. We primarily work with veteran producers who specialize in those categories.
The "Funding Preparation by Category" series includes a Marketing and Promotion School that covers storywriting—a task many creators find challenging—as well as the advertising services available Wadiz.
Beginner School / Beauty Funding School / Storywriting School
We alsohold in-person events! One of our main events isWadiz Day.” We travel to every corner of the country to meet aspiring makers in person and explain Wadizcrowdfunding. In short, it’s a Wadiz information session. So far, we’ve visited Busan, Daegu, Gangnam, and most recently, Daejeon.
There are so many different schools! Are there any schools or students that stand out in your memory?
Earlier this year, we launched a new program. We selected just 20 teams of makers who were in the early stages of preparing for a crowdfunding campaign—a small, elite group—and offered them a one-time consulting session with Wadiz SD (Success Director) along with a discount on Wadiz advertising services. It was an exciting and ambitious endeavor, but since we had no track record, we were on edge, unsure how the makers would react.
One applicant in particular stands out in my memory. They sent a handwritten letter to our team’s email address, saying they really wanted to be selected. Reading that passionate letter motivated me even more. “There are makers out there full of a spirit of adventure and passion, and I’m doing this work for people like them.” It made me feel proud of my job.
I guess the school offers more than just lectures. Are there any special benefits?
While this varies by school, we generally provide a free copy of the Wadiz funding guidebook, *The Essentials of Funding*.
The “Funding Planner” practical workshop, which ran until mid-year, was a series covering everything from preparing application documents and designing rewards (Week 1) to crafting your story (Week 2) and promotional marketing (Week 3). This workshop was incredibly popular. One of the reasons for its popularity was that we provided a “toolkit.” We’re constantly thinking of ways to provide makers with information and support across various areas.
(If you’re interested in the Funding Planner! Search for “Funding Planner” in Wadiz. We’ve turned the content into a resource for makers who couldn’t attend the lectures.)
👉 Go to Maker Center
So, do you design the Wadiz School courses from start to finish yourself?
Over 90% of Wadiz School’s classes are live sessions. I’ll explain based on that!
We plan our workshops on a monthly basis. Aside from the regular monthly Beginner Workshops, we analyze seasons, trends, and data to select topics for new workshops. Once a topic is chosen, we search for and book suitable speakers—who may be Wadiz employees or successful makers. We discuss the confirmed speaker, schedule, and course outline, then design the recruitment page to be posted on Wadiz School page. This is my favorite part of the job! It involves introducing the course to makers in an engaging way and attracting applicants. We share news about the courses with makers through various channels, including social media, text messages, and direct messages.
Listening to you, it seems like you put a lot of effort into choosing topics. Are there any topics you’ve selected based on requests from makers or aspiring makers?
We’ve received many questions at the School, such as “How do I handle taxes?” and “Does Wadizprotect intellectual property rights?” I really empathize with the concerns and worries of our makers. So, we invited a patent attorney and a CPA to conduct a workshop on intellectual property protection procedures and tax filing methods for running funding projects.
Expert Workshop
We also get a lot of questions about sample production and choosing a factory! I figured this is the kind of advice only experienced makerscan offer. So, we invited a successful maker to host a talk show in an interview format.
I’m just Wadiz employee, so I don’t know much about the know-how and knowledge that our makers have built up through their own hard work. I learned a lot myself by attending the expert-led workshops alongside them. Itreallydrove home the point that“you really do need to ask the experts for specialized knowledge!” The response from the workshop viewers was also very positive.
What kind of makers typically apply for and participate in Wadiz School?
Makers and aspiring makers alike participate in the school, but there are particularly many aspiring makers. The class with the highest number of participants is the Beginner School, which covers the basics of crowdfunding. I designed the School with two groups in mind: “those interested inWadiz crowdfunding but hesitant because it seems difficult,” and “those currently preparing for a campaign who want to learn the know-how to achieve satisfactory results.” Each class attracts anywhere from 200 to over 1,000 participants! It makes me feel very proud to know that I’m helping so many people.
How do you select your instructors? With so many early-stage makers, I imagine you’re facing quite a challenge in selecting your teaching staff.
When you meet makers in person, you realize there’s a strong desire to consult with Wadiz. There are people who are a perfect fit Wadiz—namely, our Project Directors (PDs). We primarily recruit Project Directors for each category. These PDs work closely with makers to ensure their projects succeed. Even when I attend their lectures, there are moments when I think, “Wow, they’re covering even these details!”
Beauty Funding School by Wadiz Beauty Producer
You mentioned earlier that you run the school both online and in person. Having experienced it firsthand, what are the pros and cons?
For our online courses, we often conduct them via live stream. This is great because creators can participate from anywhere, and they can ask questions and get answers immediately whenever they have a query. For those who find it difficult to attend during the live stream, we also provide video content covering each stage of the project preparation process on our YouTube channel,Wadiz.”
In-person information sessions offer a level of realism and immersion that online sessions simply can’t match. Above all, seeing other makers and aspiring makers in attendance gives you a real sense of community—you realize just how many aspiring makers are preparingWadiz funding projects. One of the School’s key roles is to provide opportunities for you to embrace your identity as Wadiz and to help you build a network.
I heard you’re hosting Wadiz Maker Day to reach aspiring makers across the country, though I understand that in the early days, the events were mainly held at your Pangyo headquarters.
When we held the event in Pangyo, we provided a VOD for those who couldn’t attend in person. But as I mentioned earlier, there’s a unique sense of immersion and pride that comes from attending a live lecture. I wanted to share that experience with as many people as possible. After all, creating an environment where anyone can take on a challenge is part of Wadizvision!
When I go out into the field to meet the makers in person, I can truly feel their sparkling eyes, the way they quickly jot down notes during the lecture, and the eagerness with which they come up to ask questions afterward. It’s an energy that online classes simply can’t capture. Thanks to that, I’m motivated to work even harder preparing for the next session.
Next, I’d love to meet makers in Gwangju and Incheon. One of the unique charms of in-person information sessions is seeing how participants from different regions react and the variety of age groups—I’m really looking forward to meeting all the makers I’ll get to meet in the future 🙂
Maker Day held in Daejeon on September 5, 2023
What is Wadiz School's vision?
Not just a place aspiring makers briefly stop by to find information on crowdfunding projects, but a space they return to time and again—from preparing to launch their business, to taking on crowdfunding projects, and beyond a place they keep coming back toI hope this becomes a place where aspiring entrepreneurs and makers a platform for providing educational contentAfter all, that is what Wadiz School is all about. I believe that if makers can overcome the psychological barriers to crowdfunding, that would be the ideal vision for Wadiz.
I design the Wadiz School by exploring where makers currently stand in their crowdfunding journey and what concerns they may have. I put myself in their shoes to ensure the program doesn’t feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a maker who has just launched a project, one currently undergoing the project review process, or one with a launch just around the corner, I want Wadiz School” to help you lighten your mental load and give you the courage to take the next step.
View the entire Planning Notes series 👇
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