Why High-Performing Founders Are Adding Crowdfunding to Their Playbook

If you’ve spent any time in business over the last few years, you’ve probably noticed a shift. The old playbooks don’t work quite the same anymore. Whether you’re in biotech, SaaS, consumer products, or healthcare, one truth has become universal: raising capital in 2025 is hard.

Unless you’re one of a tiny handful of companies blessed by a major VC firm, you’re likely feeling the squeeze.

And that’s exactly why business leaders are turning toward something that was once considered unconventional ... equity crowdfunding.

But here’s the thing: the companies turning to this strategy aren’t doing it because they “can’t” raise traditional money. Many of them can. They’re choosing crowdfunding because it aligns with how modern companies grow, connect, and build movements.

That theme came through powerfully in a recent conversation we had with Josh Resnikoff,  CEO and co-founder of TMA Precision Health, soon to be Sunstone Health, on The TAGLine Podcast.

Josh is a founder who has done everything the hard way: bootstrapped, built slowly, built honestly, built through grit. And this year, he launched a crowdfunding campaign that has already brought in nearly $1.5 million from everyday investors who believe in his mission.

Not because the pitch was flashy.

Not because he “hacked” the algorithm.

But because crowdfunding, when done right, isn’t a gimmick.

It’s community.

It’s transparency.

It’s storytelling.

And it’s a way to give the people who care most about your mission a real seat at the table.

A Founder’s Journey That Made Crowdfunding Make Sense

Before he ever thought about investors, Josh was a biomedical engineer working in research labs. His path shifted forever when his son was diagnosed with a rare genetic syndrome. Overnight, he went from scientist to caregiver, from inventor to advocate.

He experienced the medical system not as a professional, but as a father watching the system fail his child. That’s where TMA was born: from the belief that no patient should have to wander a medical maze to get to answers.

Josh didn’t “decide” to build a business; he was pulled into it. And that authenticity is exactly what made crowdfunding such a powerful fit.

When the market tightened and institutional money slowed, Josh could’ve taken the traditional VC route. In fact, he had interest from multiple investors and a lead investor already committed. The Reg D path was open.

But Josh kept coming back to one idea:

This company was built by community, so why wouldn’t the community get to be a part of it?

That’s why he opened up a significant portion of his round to retail investors on WeFunder. Same terms as VCs. Same valuation. No special carve-outs.

The results speak for themselves.

Why Crowdfunding Works Today When Traditional Fundraising Doesn’t

Crowdfunding is no longer the “cute” thing consumer products do before they go raise real money. It has become a legitimate path, and sometimes a superior one!

Here’s why it’s working:

1. Investors are tired of empty language. They want real people building real solutions.

The campaigns that resonate aren’t the ones shouting about market opportunities. They’re the ones telling a story that taps into frustration, purpose, or lived experience.

2. Communities want ownership, not applause.

Families in the rare disease space were already supporting TMA emotionally. Crowdfunding simply gave them a way to support financially, and potentially benefit from the upside.

3. Founders want to control their message.

Instead of rewriting their story to fit a VC thesis, Josh and his team got to tell the story they believed in, directly to the people who cared.

4. Crowdfunding forces clarity.

If you can’t communicate your mission to a retail investor in a way that resonates, you probably can’t communicate it to a customer either.

What Business Leaders Can Learn From This

Crowdfunding is not an easy button. It’s not a fast track. It’s certainly not a substitute for a bad product or a vague mission.

But when used correctly, it becomes something incredibly powerful: a marketing engine, a community-builder, a capital strategy, and a brand amplifier all at once!

Here are a few of the core lessons Josh shared that every business leader should consider:

1. Know what you’re great at,  and then get help for the rest.

Josh talks openly about learning to ask for help.
That’s why he brought on storytelling and marketing partners early: because authenticity is powerful, but clarity is essential.

2. Your network is not something you “build for fundraising.”

It’s something you cultivate for years by showing up, giving first, and treating people well.

3. People invest in people more than they invest in companies.

The sincerity of a founder matters. More than deck design. More than TAM slides. More than buzzwords.

4. The crowd is smarter than you think.

Investors can sniff out insincerity instantly. They don’t want hype,  they want humanity.

Crowdfunding Isn’t the Future. It’s Now.

What struck me most during the podcast was Josh’s complete lack of pretense. There was no hint of “strategy-speak.” It was raw, grounded, and honest. And that’s exactly why crowdfunding worked for him.

He built a movement before he built a campaign.

He built trust before he built the page.

And he built relationships before he tried to raise capital.

For business leaders today, that’s the blueprint.

Not “how to crowdfund.”

But how to lead in a new era where community, transparency, and humanity aren’t just marketing words, they’re the true engines of growth.

To hear more from our sit-down with Josh,  check out:  The Founder's Next Move: How to Scale and Secure Capital in a New Way