Intro

This chapter explores equity crowdfunding as a viable alternative for startups seeking funding outside of traditional venture capital. It also emphasizes the significance of direct-to-consumer marketing and data-driven strategies in enhancing fundraising efforts and recovering lost revenue.

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Episode notes

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In this episode, Trung Pham, founder of RYSE, shares how he turned paid ad funnels — usually used to drive DTC sales — into a reliable growth engine for equity crowdfunding, raising over $10 million to fuel smart-home hardware innovation.

Join Ryse's Round! https://invest.helloryse.com/

🎯 Why Listen:

Equity Crowdfunding Meets DTC: Learn how Trung structured investor acquisition just like customer acquisition — using Meta, Google, newsletters, and conversion-optimized funnels.

Patent Strategy at Work: Discover how RYSE leverages Amazon’s APEX program to automatically take down copycat products.

Smart Brand Architecture: Hear how RYSE plans to monetize knockoff competitors with a lower-priced TikTok-focused sister brand.

Manufacturing Flexibility: Learn how Trung is using geographic production flexibility to hedge against rising tariffs.

Key Concepts Covered:

How to apply ad-driven sales mechanics to investor outreach

What Reg A and Reg CF allow founders to do that VC doesn’t

How to structure tiered investment incentives to drive larger check sizes

Why your IP and distribution channels are your real moat

The difference between marketing high-ticket smart devices and traditional DTC goods

Perfect for:

DTC founders, bootstrappers, eCommerce marketers, hardware entrepreneurs, and operators looking to raise capital without giving up control.

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Timestamps

00:00 – Solving the $2K problem: How Ryse was born

02:00 – R&D challenges and building novel IP from scratch

05:00 – From crowdfunding to ecommerce: Scaling a smart home brand

07:00 – Equity crowdfunding as a DTC growth strategy

11:00 – Creative ad strategy for investors and customers

14:00 – Cost to acquire investment vs. product sales

15:00 – Patent protection and using Amazon's APEX program

19:00 – TikTok strategy and launching a lower-cost sub-brand

22:00 – Managing tariff risk by diversifying manufacturing

24:00 – Building for acquisition: Ryse's smart home vision

26:00 – Trung’s advice for hardware founders and DTC equity raises