It's a snowy day in New York and

it's a snowy day in New York City and

31 year old Jansi Strickler is on his way to what could

be the most important series of meetings in his life. The year is 2009 and Yancey and

his friends Perry Chan and Charles Adler have come up with a simple but they think powerful idea.

They want to use the internet to connect artists, filmmakers, musicians, and inventors with regular people who are willing to put up cash to back their projects.

They spent the last four years developing and honing their business plan.

They've got tons of enthusiasm.

What they don't have is money. So today they're making their

pitch to venture capital firms. Their palms are sweaty and their nerves are

raw as they enter a plush suite of offices.

They're ushered into a conference room that's bigger than their apartments.

They present their idea, summoning the passion that has animated them all these years. And the venture

capitalist reaction is, huh? Why would anyone give money to a total stranger?

But they don't give up. They make their

pitch at another firm and another. And they keep getting shown the door.

Until finally, somebody gets it.

And at 4.30 p.m. on April 28th, 2009, a company called Kickstarter

launches with a project called Drawing for Dollars.

An artist named Dark Pony offers to make a sketch for the highest bidder.

Three days later, the winning bid comes in,

a whopping 35 bucks.

...