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The Entrepreneur’s Essentials #8: Bootstrap or VC?

Austin Startup

Although bootstrapping is still an approach in Austin, a lot has changed since I wrote my original challenge to the Bootstrap Austin group back in 2005. Bootstrap Austin, started by Bijoy Goswami. The original Bootstrap Austin was truly special and Bijoy did an amazing job bringing together some terrific entrepreneurs.

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Building Bootstrapping into Business Models

The Entrepreneurial Mind

The point is that some modest tweaks to the business model may bring costs way down and still meet the need of the market. Once the bootstrapped launch of the play center is cash flow positive, all kinds of options for growing and expanding emerge. And did the bootstrapping limit their ability to grow, as it often commonly assumed?

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Why Bootstrapping Was Best For Us

Austin Startup

And we did it by bootstrapping our company. In 2008, I was working on Tonido , a private file access, sync and share solution that essentially turned any private computer into a cloud server. For an entrepreneur starting out with a clear vision, if your business can generate cash off the bat, you have the option to bootstrap.

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Strategy Roundtable For Entrepreneurs: Exciting Companies Lined Up For Microsoft Startup Grant Finals

ReadWriteStart

For the uninitiated, Zoho introduced a CRM system that was one-tenth the price of Salesforce.com and penetrated the lower end of the market using an Indian cost structure. They charge $9, $29 and $59 per agent per month and I am eager to see bootstrapped, scrappy Freshdesk morph their pricing structure to aggressively compete with them.

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Strategy Roundtable For Entrepreneurs: VCs Are Not Always Right

ReadWriteStart

Having turned down all overtures for investment, Zoho continues merrily on in its bootstrapping path. Prashant is focusing his market validation process on mid-market companies - 2-3 years old, and somewhat stable. From 2008 to 2010, Mitra was a columnist for Forbes. Now, on to today's roundtable: Parallel6.

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Strategy Roundtable: Do Not Spray and Pray

ReadWriteStart

To do a solid holiday season he will need to balance the inventory and marketing budgets, and getting stuck in a complex situation with inventory being stuffed in the retail channels with bad terms will be a kiss of death. Now, the Web self-service software market is very crowded with major players like RightNow already deeply entrenched.

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Strategy Roundtable: Try To Get At Least $2M Pre-Money In Seed Round Valuation

ReadWriteStart

Sub-$2 million pre-money, it is better to bootstrap. First up was Siobhan O'Brien with OnTrack Imaging , a medical diagnostic imaging venture catering to the horse owners and trainers market. The equine diagnostic equipment market adds up to over a billion dollars, and Siobhan wants a piece of it. Photo by lco.

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