Yoga instructor Rachel Brathen says she receives hundreds of emails every day asking her advice. So it was a no brainer for her and business partner Michael Baiocchi to launch a Kickstarter campaign for oneOeight, their upcoming website that will be packed with hundreds of videos about living a healthy lifestyle.
The campaign kicked off last week, it’s already more than doubled its original goal of $108,000. That’s enough to start the site and run it for a month.
Who’s behind it?
“This has been a longtime coming,” says Brathen, who has a popular blog and an impressive social media following. “Since the start of the social media madness, I’ve been trying to find a purpose for how to be authentic to the millions of followers, and oneOeight blossomed out of this need to respond to deeper questions.”
Baiocchi says he’s been wondering how to expand his passion for yoga beyond his Seattle-area Bala Yoga studios.
“I’m passionate about the business of yoga,” says Baiocchi, a WeWork South Lake Union member. “When Rachel and I met, she created a huge following behind her passion for yoga and shared everything about herself. We realized we could benefit from helping each other.”
What makes it unique?
The founders say the interactive website will bring instructors, nutritionists, counselors, therapists, and psychologists together with their subscribers. Once www.oneoeight.tv launches in early October, it will help members explore four main areas of wellness: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.
“Through our broad database of teachers, healers, studios and all things we as oneOeight love, we envision people will be able to type in their zip code and meet teachers face to face,” Brathen says. “Eventually, you wouldn’t have to go to Equinox for a membership because there would be a local oneOeight yoga studio in your neighborhood.”
What was the strategy?
The priority during the Kickstarter campaign isn’t just getting one-time backers, Brathen says. They also want to get supporters to subscribe to the website so that funds keep rolling in.
“It’s a subscription-based platform,” Brathen says. “By supporting us with a minimum of $15, you get first access to the site and one month free. Right now, we have a basic team with what we’ve been able to shoot and create. As soon as we launch, we’ll add more content.”
What are the best rewards?
For individual backers, rewards include a yoga mat for those who give $75 or more. A pledge of $150 or more gets access to exclusive videos. Those who donate $1,000 or more are offered private yoga instruction on paddleboards at sunset with Brathen. Want to go on a summer yoga retreat in the Caribbean? It goes to those who give at least $5,000.