Start with a Bang, Advisor Hunting, and How to Contribute

Hey all, Peat here! This is the first Dead Ledger Letter and the very beginning of our adventure together. I’m absolutely thrilled that you’re here for the ride.

For the next few weeks, the Letter will focus on bootstrapping: the process of forming a viable non-profit, the mechanics of amplifying our giving power, experimenting with different ways to give and raise money, and sharing the ins and outs as we build and learn together.

Cheers!

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Starting With A Bang!

We’re seven days old, we’ve raised $9,500 in pledges, we’re a registered public benefit company, and our 501(c)(3) charity designation is in progress. As soon as our EIN arrives we’ll nail down bank account and payment vendor — after that, we can start collecting donations and putting our money to work! 🎉

We currently have a few relief projects in progress with the general themes of on-the-street surprise loan payments, consumer debt buying and forgiveness, creative partnerships with awesome people, and … parties. Parties? Parties!

I’ll expand more on those projects in the coming weeks as we learn more and do small scale testing and validation.

Advisors, Advisors, Advisors!

As one of my excellent friends said: “It’s time to talk with some real adults.”

I want your help finding lawyers, accountants, and other experts who can help us chart out and validate the projects we’re working on. For this project to thrive, we need advisors who can help with:

• Regulatory and industry experience with consumer debt buying, servicing, and collection. The consumer debt industry is a hive of scum and villainy. We must proceed with caution.

• Media licensing and contracts, particularly with regard to collaborating with artists, revenue sharing, and intellectual property.

• Media production, specifically coaching me on the mechanics of editing and creating compelling social media content.

Are you that person? Do you know that person? Please make a friendly personal introduction to [email protected] ❤️

Want to Contribute?

I’d love to have your financial support with our first round of debt relief experiments!

Our current contributors have pledged between $500 and $2,000 each — and I don’t get access to any of that money until we’re a tax-exempt charity, and the board has identified and agreed on specific projects to fund.

There’s zero risk to pledging, so if you’re interested in getting in early and having a vote on how your donation will be put to work, send me an email or text me at 503-701-4135.

In the meantime, I’m putting my money where my mouth is and providing all of the initial funding to get this thing off the ground.

Thank you for your support and interest. Please forward this email to your friends, family, and colleagues who have student loans, or share my seething frustration with the student loan industry! 🔥