Are You Willing to be a Crowdfunder?

Our economy is in bad shape. Companies are laying people off. People can't afford things they used to be able to afford. Worried yet?

Even as a 23-year-old I see this around me. Friends not being able to find a job and parents constantly scared about their job security has become a common trend.

Our wonderful solutions: Tax the rich. Cut taxes on small businesses. Start killing off our population. Maybe.

In today's society more people are starting their own businesses. While this can be effective, it is extremely challenging to get the proper funding to start-up a company, manage resources, hire people and try to succeed. This is where crowdfunding comes in. You may have heard about the concept of people donating money to start-ups to support their business vision. Kickstarter.com has become a popular site for people who are interested in this concept. Since these donors are prohibited by the law to receive equity for their efforts, they can only receive small gifts such as concert tickets, DVDs and clothes.

A new bill gaining support through Washington, the Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act, may have dramatic impact on crowdfunding. While this bill does not allow cash to be given back to donors, it will allow companies to provide small stock options for people investing in them. Not only does this have the potential to explode as an idea, it can also spur innovation and help the economy. With start-up businesses succeeding, more jobs are offered, new technologies are developed and the economy grows.

How would you feel if you could be a stake-holder in Facebook, Groupon or any other company that has massively grown within the last decade? Are you willing to make some donations?

Read more about kickstarter.com and crowdfunding.