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Idea Of The Day - Build a Way for Fans to Pay Creators to Make Content

GM. This is Needs to Exist (aka NTE), delivering you startup idea that lets fans fund content.

Here’s what we’ve got for you today.

  • Daily Idea - Fans fund content

  • Prepaid Startup Machine

Fans fund your next creation

Inspired by this tweet

The One Liner

Let fans fund your next idea—with skin in the game.

The 140 character tweet (or X) version

Creators: Auction off the right to pick your next post, video, or pod. Mint a 1-of-1 NFT. Fan picks the topic. You create. They own it.

The Longer Story Version

The Problem
You’re a creator.
You’ve got attention. Talent. A growing fanbase.
But money? Eh.

Brand deals make you feel like a sellout.
Ads make your content worse.
Subs are solid—but only after you’ve gone big.

You want cash now, not after grinding for 3 years.

And your fans? They want to support you. But tipping is awkward. Merch is lame.
They don’t want to donate—they want a stake.

The Solution
Flip the model: Let your fans buy the right to shape your content.

Here’s the move:

  • Mint a “Content Request” NFT (one of one)

  • Set your boundaries (no OnlyFans unless that’s your thing)

  • Auction it off

  • Winner picks your next video, podcast episode, blog post, newsletter topic—whatever

  • You make it. They own the NFT forever

  • If your influence grows? The NFT’s value does too

It’s like if Patreon and Kickstarter had a smarter, hotter baby on the blockchain.

Who It’s For

  • Niche creators with cult audiences

  • Podcasters with diehard listeners

  • Writers who don’t want to chase virality

  • YouTubers ready to make the leap from “views” to “value”

  • Anyone who makes content worth paying for

Your superfans already want to back you. Give them a real way to do it.

How We’d Build It

  • NFT Infra: Use Zora or Foundation for easy minting + royalties

  • Smart Contracts: Plug in Thirdweb for pre-built “one-of-one auction” templates

  • Content delivery: Gated Notion, Dropbox, Substack, YouTube unlisted, or Paragraph.xyz with token gating

  • Fan Access: Use Lit Protocol or Guild.xyz to unlock exclusive access, comments, or future voting rights

  • Low-code setup: Orchestrate it all via Basin or Autocode

Bonus: Build a leaderboard of NFT holders like a “patron hall of fame” using Tally.xyz

Why It Needs to Exist
Because “pay to support” is dead.
We’re entering “pay to participate.”

People don’t just want to watch your journey—they want to be part of it.

This flips followers into co-creators. Gives you funding without compromise. And gives fans something to brag about as you grow.

Your next viral video? Could be commissioned.
Your next podcast episode? Funded before it drops.
Your next idea? Already paid for.

And whoever funded it? They own the proof.

This isn’t just monetization. It’s movement-building.
Let your fans bet on you. And win when you win.

Why waste time brainstorming when the next big thing is already waiting for you?

Build faster. Build smarter. Build something that needs to exist.

Monetize Before You Make It

A startup idea framework that prints money (before you build anything)

Most people start with this question:
“What should I build?”

Wrong question.

The better question is:
“What can I sell before I build it?”

Why?
Because money is the best validation. Not likes. Not vibes. Not retweets.
Cold hard pre-orders.

That’s the game.
And it works everywhere—not just for creators.

The “Prepaid” Startup Model

Here’s the idea:
You create something people want so badly, they’ll pay for it before it exists.

A few formats this can take:

  • Content → “Commission my next piece” (like we talked about)

  • Courses → “Reserve a seat in my cohort”

  • Software → “Join the waitlist, pay $20 to be first in line”

  • Marketplaces → “Pledge $X if we launch this niche version of Airbnb/Uber/etc.”

  • Communities → “Pay now to unlock lifetime access to a private space when it hits 100 members”

Instead of guessing what people want, get paid to find out.

Real-World Examples

  • Gumroad Presales – Creators launch with just a title + cover + promise.

  • BeOnDeck – Launched a course for founders before it existed, validated demand fast.

  • Michael Seibel’s YC Advice – “Get one person to pay you before you build a line of code.”

You don’t need funding. You need customers.

How to Use This as a Startup Idea Machine

Ask yourself these 3 questions:

  1. What is something valuable people want, but isn’t easy to find?

  2. Can I create a preview or prototype that shows I can deliver it?

  3. How can I get paid before I spend weeks building it?

Boom. You’ve got an idea worth chasing.

Even better? You’re validating and funding it at the same time.

Tools to Help You Do This (That Most Don’t Know)

If you’re reading this, you’re probably already aware of Stripe, Gumroad, and Notion.
But let’s go deeper:

  • Tally.so – Create beautiful, no-code pre-order forms with logic, upsells, and payment. Great for early validation.

  • Basin – Run mini-funnels with smart automations and payments—like if Airtable and Stripe had a baby.

  • Testimonial.to – Collect social proof for an idea you haven’t built yet. Build trust before launch.

  • Popsy – Instant websites that don’t feel “no-codey.” Look sharp from day one.

  • Unicorn Platform – Great for quickly launching paid landing pages, with Stripe baked in.

Bonus: Use Descript if you want to turn your pitch into a slick, AI-edited video in minutes.

Steal This Template

Here’s a plug-and-play tweet to test your “prepaid” idea:

I’m thinking about launching [X]. It’s for [Y type of person], and helps with [Z problem].
I’ll build it if 10 people pre-order at [$]. Want in?

Watch the replies. Watch the payments.
Now you’ve got a validated startup. No code. No waste.

Why This Works

Because the idea is the product.
And the best ideas are the ones people will literally buy into—before they even exist.

Try this once, and you’ll never launch another idea the old way again.

One More Meme