Boosting Transparency in Crowdfunding: A Key to Unlocking Market Growth

Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions. When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.

Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.

Devin: What is your superpower?

Greg: Making complex concepts relatable.

Improving compliance with annual reporting requirements for crowdfunding campaigns could transform the market, creating a more transparent and effective system for investors and entrepreneurs alike. In today’s episode, Greg Burke, Assistant Professor of Accounting and Business Law at Loyola University Chicago, highlighted a key finding from his research: less than a third of crowdfunding issuers file their required annual reports on time, and fewer than half ever do.

Greg explained that this lack of compliance undermines investor trust and market legitimacy. “Investors are looking for regulation crowdfunding annual reports,” he said. “Sometimes they’re just not finding it. If investors are demanding it and they’re not getting it, it certainly may impact their investment decisions and the potential growth in this market.”

The consequences of this gap in transparency are significant. As Greg noted, compliance with annual reporting requirements provides investors with critical information to make better decisions. This transparency fosters trust, encourages repeat investments, and helps attract new capital to the space.

Greg’s research also uncovered ways to increase compliance. In a field experiment conducted with King’s Crowd, a marketing campaign emphasized the regulatory risks of failing to comply with reporting requirements. This simple approach increased compliance by 20%. “A simple email reminder tailored towards emphasizing regulatory risk can make a difference,” Greg said.

Platforms and intermediaries also play a critical role. Greg suggested that crowdfunding platforms could incorporate reporting support into their services, either by helping issuers directly or partnering with third-party providers. He noted that the process doesn’t have to be costly or complicated. “There are services out there that can provide these reports for less than a thousand dollars,” Greg explained.

By addressing this issue, we could unlock the full potential of regulated crowdfunding. Transparent reporting not only satisfies investor demand but also legitimizes the marketplace, opening doors for more diverse founders and innovative solutions to access much-needed capital.

Improving compliance with reporting requirements might seem like a small step, but it’s a foundational one. As Greg put it, “Any kind of movement in this space to increase reporting compliance only adds legitimacy to the space.”

tl;dr:

Greg Burke highlights low compliance with annual reporting requirements in the regulated crowdfunding market.

Improved compliance fosters investor trust and market growth, benefiting entrepreneurs and diverse founders.

Greg’s research shows emphasizing regulatory risks can increase reporting compliance by 20%.

Crowdfunding platforms and third-party services can simplify compliance for resource-constrained entrepreneurs.

Greg’s superpower is making complex topics relatable by tailoring messages to his audience’s needs.

How to Develop Making Complex Concepts Relatable As a Superpower

Greg’s superpower is making complex, seemingly dull topics engaging, relatable, and accessible. As Greg explained, “I think what I’ve come down to is making seemingly uninteresting, confusing, or unimportant things seem interesting, understandable, and relevant.” He emphasized that the key to this skill lies in understanding the audience, creating an engaging environment, and translating complicated ideas into relatable concepts.

Illustrative Story:Greg shared an example from his classroom, where he taught students about safeguarding assets, a topic that might seem boring at first glance. By comparing company practices to personal experiences—like hiding cash from a roommate—he made the concept tangible and easy to understand. Through relatable analogies, Greg transformed a dry academic topic into a conversation his students could connect with and apply.

Actionable Tips for Developing the Superpower:

Know Your Audience: Understand what matters to the people you’re speaking to and tailor your message.

Make It Relatable: Use analogies or examples drawn from everyday life to explain complex ideas.

Create an Open Environment: Foster a safe, genuine, and engaging space to encourage curiosity and interaction.

Observe and Adjust: Pay attention to how people respond to your explanations and refine your approach accordingly.

Be Brave: Don’t be afraid to try new ways of communicating, even if it doesn’t work perfectly the first time.

By following Greg’s example and advice, you can make “making complex concepts relatable” a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.

Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!

Guest Profile

Greg Burke (he/him):

Assistant Professor of Accounting and Business Law, Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University Chicago

About Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University Chicago: Loyola University Chicago’s business school educates responsible leaders through master’s, undergraduate, and executive education.

Website: gregory-burke.com

Other URL: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5463161

Biographical Information: Greg Burke, Ph.D., CPA, is an Assistant Professor of Accounting at the Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University Chicago, located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Greg earned his Ph.D. in Accounting from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, completing his doctoral studies with a two-year visit at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. He also holds an active CPA license in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Greg’s research focuses on financial accounting, with an emphasis on securities regulation and enforcement, financial reporting and disclosure, entrepreneurial finance, and corporate governance. He is particularly interested in the securities market created by Regulation Crowdfunding, where much of his current work is centered. His research primarily employs empirical-archival methods but also incorporates experimental, survey, and analytical approaches to address questions where archival data proves less effective.

With a deep passion for teaching, Greg has instructed undergraduate and graduate courses in financial and managerial accounting as well as basic mathematics. Additionally, he has trained new hire assurance associates at PwC and provided instruction to professionals at a start-up incubator. Before joining Loyola, Greg was a faculty member at Fairfield University, where he taught financial and managerial accounting. His professional background includes auditing at PwC in Boston, where he worked on asset management and employee benefit plan engagements. Greg also spent a year as a volunteer in Ecuador, reflecting his commitment to service and community.

Outside of academia, Greg enjoys outdoor activities, tackling DIY home improvement projects, and hunting for unbeatable sales. His diverse experiences and expertise make him a dynamic contributor to both the academic and professional accounting communities.

LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/gregory-burke

Support Our Sponsors

Our generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today’s advertisers include FundingHope, and Rancho Affordable Housing (Proactive). Learn more about advertising with us here to help us Power Up October.

Max-Impact Members

(We’re grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.)

Brian Christie, Brainsy | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Hiten Sonpal, RISE Robotics | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Mark Grimes, Networked Enterprise Development | Matthew Mead, Hempitecture | Michael Pratt, Qnetic | Dr. Nicole Paulk, Siren Biotechnology | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name Here

Upcoming SuperCrowd Event Calendar

If a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.

Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on October 28, 2025, at 1:30 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.

SuperCrowdHour, November 19, 2025, at 12:00 PM Eastern — Devin Thorpe, CEO and Founder of The Super Crowd, Inc., will lead a session on “Investing with a Self-Directed IRA.” In this session, Devin will explain how investors can use self-directed IRAs to participate in regulated investment crowdfunding while managing taxes and optimizing returns. He’ll break down when this strategy makes sense, how to choose the right custodian, and what fees, rules, and risks to watch for. With his trademark clarity and real-world experience, Devin will help you understand how to balance simplicity with smart tax planning—so you can invest confidently, align your portfolio with your values, and make your money work harder for both impact and income.

SuperGreen Live, January 22–24, 2026, livestreaming globally. Organized by Green2Gold and The Super Crowd, Inc., this three-day event will spotlight the intersection of impact crowdfunding, sustainable innovation, and climate solutions. Featuring expert-led panels, interactive workshops, and live pitch sessions, SuperGreen Live brings together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and activists to explore how capital and climate action can work hand in hand. With global livestreaming, VIP networking opportunities, and exclusive content, this event will empower participants to turn bold ideas into real impact. Don’t miss your chance to join tens of thousands of changemakers at the largest virtual sustainability event of the year.

Community Event Calendar

Successful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events.

Impact Accelerator Summit is a live, in-person event taking place in Austin, Texas, from October 23–25, 2025. This exclusive gathering brings together 100 heart-centered, conscious entrepreneurs generating $1M+ in revenue with 20–30 family offices and venture funds actively seeking to invest in world-changing businesses. Referred by Michael Dash, participants can expect an inspiring, high-impact experience focused on capital connection, growth, and global impact.

If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 10,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.

We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode.