Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2020

Being the leader doesn’t mean more equity, nor does it mean the leader will necessarily be CEO. A sales fanatic on the founder team helps to contain that risk. The combination of technical insight, founder authority, and sales experience is a hard-to-beat advantage in a competitive market. The industry veteran.

Technical Cofounder 308

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Stock Options 308

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 1, 2020

Forms of funding. ? Equity investment. Equity investment is the most popular and most talked-about avenue for startup funding. These investments are made instead of shares or equity in your startup. Bootstrapping. I always recommend that you start with bootstrapping. Equity investors. Sources of Funding.

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Startup Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Seed Stage 150

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2022

Most entrepreneurs struggle with many startup founders quandaries in building their business, and these key dilemmas are probably the biggest source of pain and failure for the entrepreneur lifestyle. Should you start a company solo or find co-founders to help you? The co-founder relationship dilemma.

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Founder Hockey Stick Cofounder Liquidity Event 325

ReadWriteStart

DECEMBER 15, 2022

It also helps bootstrap new startup businesses. It provides the freedom to partner with entrepreneurs and reduce the costs of agency work in exchange for equity in their startup. This allows the studio to retain a larger stake in internally funded startups and gain equity in other startups through partnerships.

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Incubator Startup Software Developers Software Development 188

The Startup Magazine

JUNE 14, 2019

Bootstrapping going by the author of the Ulysses, James Joyce implies forcing your way to the top from the lowest of ranks by the aid of your bootstraps. Bootstrapping is a common way to fund a prospect. What it means is that you will partake of the venture’s future success for playing a role as its founder and funder.

Balance Sheet 128

Balance Sheet Limited Liability Company Bootstrapping Startup 128

Austin Startup

NOVEMBER 25, 2018

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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Bootstrapping Austin Equity Cofounder 48

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Marty Zwilling.

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Sweat Equity Technical Review Bootstrapping Equity 239

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2014

When someone asks me for the best way to fund a startup, I always say bootstrap it, meaning fund it yourself and grow organically. Bootstrapping avoids all the cost, pain, and distractions of finding angels or VCs, and allows you to keep control and all your hard-earned equity for yourself. Reinvest gross profit. Marty Zwilling.

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Bootstrapping Startup Merger Salary 278

SoCal CTO

MARCH 12, 2012

- Make sure you go through the 32 Questions Developers May Have Forgot to Ask a Startup Founder. Here are a few perspectives on the topic of finding technical cofounders: In Building a sweat equity team , Joel on Software tells us: You simply need to network. Do you have dollars to pay for development? Go to user groups.

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Technical Cofounder Cofounder CTO Hire Los Angeles 211

David Teten

AUGUST 19, 2019

I’ve been a traditional equity VC for 8 years, and I’m now researching new business models in venture capital. Though RBI will displace some traditional equity VC, its much bigger impact will be to expand the pool of capital available for early-stage entrepreneurs. .

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Revenue Term Sheet Founder Technical Review 60

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2012

For example, with any outside investment, you give up some ownership and control, and with bootstrapping your growth curve will likely be longer and more organic. Yet, I find that startup founders often fixate on one or two sources, often to the detriment of their business. Bartering services for equity. Friends and family.

Technical Review 257

Technical Review Bootstrapping Venture Capital Incubator 257

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Marty Zwilling.

Sweat Equity 255

Sweat Equity Technical Review Entrepreneur Bootstrapping 255

ReadWriteStart

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

When starting a business, it’s typical to look for venture capital, angel investors, and even co-founders to help get the company up and running. Instead, knowing how to bootstrap your startup might be a better option. How to Bootstrap Your Startup. When launching a bootstrapped startup , you may need to get creative.

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Bootstrapping Startup Cofounder Angel Investor 145

www.entrepreneur.com

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Human Resources Play Video Shark Tanks Barbara Corcoran on Bootstrapping a Growing a Business (Video). What is Sweat Equity Worth? Determining how to value sweat equity is key when negotiating with investors and employees. Entrepreneurs often ask me how to value the sweat equity invested in their startup. July 31, 2007 |.

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Sweat Equity Equity Fractional CTO CTO 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 8, 2016

They don’t realize that according to statistics , more than 90 percent of satisfied entrepreneurs use bootstrapping, since other people’s money always comes with strings, most of them negative. Most entrepreneurs never forget for a moment that having investors means owing money, even if they can legally argue that equity is not debt.

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Bootstrapping Advisory Board Startup Venture Capital 120

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

When you accept outside money, particularly a private equity (PE) investment, however, that changes. In this article, I’ll provide some personal stories of how investors have navigated the balance between raising private equity capital and not losing control of their startup. Rule 1: Bootstrap until you have a viable product.

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Private Equity Pre-Money Valuation Equity Startup 94

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2018

Being the leader doesn’t mean more equity, nor does it mean the leader will necessarily be CEO. A sales fanatic on the founder team helps to contain that risk. The combination of technical insight, founder authority, and sales experience is a hard-to-beat advantage in a competitive market. The industry veteran.

Technical Cofounder 144

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 144

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 15, 2014

Based on the Startup Environment Index from the Kauffman Foundation and LegalZoom a while back, personal money, or bootstrapping, continues to be the primary startup funding source. Even a small investor in the early days will take a large equity percentage, due to that pesky valuation challenge. Marty Zwilling.

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Bootstrapping Entrepreneur Startup Burn Rate 276

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 23, 2013

When someone asks me for the best way to fund a startup, I always say bootstrap it, meaning fund it yourself and grow organically. Bootstrapping avoids all the cost, pain, and distractions of finding angels or VCs, and allows you to keep control and all your hard-earned equity for yourself. Reinvest gross profit. Marty Zwilling.

Equity 241

Equity Bootstrapping Startup Merger 241

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2011

For example, with any outside investment, you give up some ownership and control, and with bootstrapping your growth curve will likely be longer and more organic. Yet, I find that startup founders often fixate on one or two sources, often to the detriment of their business. Bartering services for equity. Friends and family.

Technical Review 233

Technical Review Bootstrapping Startup Venture Capital 233

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2014

Being the leader doesn’t mean more equity, nor does it mean the leader will necessarily be CEO. A sales fanatic on the founder team helps to contain that risk. The combination of technical insight, founder authority, and sales experience is a hard-to-beat advantage in a competitive market. The industry veteran.

Technical Cofounder 245

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 245

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 28, 2010

Do More Faster: TechStars Lessons to Accelerate Your Startup is the new book by David Cohen , founder and CEO of TechStars, and Brad Feld , managing director of Foundry Group. Below is his chapter, Avoid Co-Founder Conflict. A perennial favorite is to decide that each founder should own an equal share. Can any of us be fired?

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Cofounder Founder Equity Dilution 128

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 23, 2017

Deciding whether to increase money or trade equity in the business for much needed assistance, could be a tough call. I raised money and traded equity, but with my venture, I had to make one of the toughest decisions, to build it with some assistance of co-founders. Find the right co-founders.

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Cofounder Sweat Equity Equity Dilution 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2016

Ron Conway , of SV Angels, and Reid Hoffman , LinkedIn's founder, are names often mentioned in this category. Sweat equity. Startup founders typically invest some real dollars into their new startup as well as months or years of their time with no salary. Equity crowdfunding. Deep-dive meeting. Ramen-profitable.

Software Review 120

Software Review Sweat Equity Accredited Investor Angel Investor 120

Gust

OCTOBER 26, 2014

When someone asks me for the best way to fund a startup, I always say bootstrap it, meaning fund it yourself and grow organically. Bootstrapping avoids all the cost, pain, and distractions of finding angels or VCs, and allows you to keep control and all your hard-earned equity for yourself. Reinvest gross profit.

Bootstrapping 176

Bootstrapping Startup Merger Salary 176

ReadWriteStart

AUGUST 16, 2012

The concept is hardly to news to countless startup founders who find themselves facing intense pressuresto survive and grow their companies in extraordinarily challenging conditions. Without any brand equity and very little capital, our startup, like many others, attracted only mediocre talent in our early stages.

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Founder Bootstrapping Startup Early Stage 152

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2021

Thus, in my role as mentor to young entrepreneurs, I always recommend that you first take a hard look at your own values and priorities, before jumping into any new startup, as the founder, or even as a side hustle. Bootstrapping is always a great alternative, since you can retain full ownership and make all your own decisions.

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Startup Exit Strategy Cofounder Equity 399

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021

Unfortunately, most of us don’t have enough resources to bootstrap our own startups, so we are completely dependent on investors to help turn great ideas into great businesses. As you may have seen on the Shark Tank TV show, offering a tiny equity amount for a large investment will not endear you to investors.

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Intellectual Property Equity Bootstrapping Valuation 352

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2023

External investors will demand a financial forecast, but it’s equally valuable to you, even if bootstrapping. Controlling cash flow is critical as founders move from working “in” the business to working “on” the business. Be willing to give up 20 to 33 percent of your equity to support this.

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Forecast Burn Rate Widget Business Plan 290

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 26, 2010

When someone asks me for the best way to fund a startup, I always say bootstrap it, meaning fund it yourself and grow organically. Bootstrapping avoids all the cost, pain, and distractions of finding angels or VCs, and allows you to keep control and all your hard-earned equity for yourself. Reinvest gross profit. Marty Zwilling.

Bootstrapping 240

Bootstrapping Merger Salary .Net 240

Gust

JUNE 17, 2012

For example, with any outside investment, you give up some ownership and control, and with bootstrapping your growth curve will likely be longer and more organic. Yet, I find that startup founders often fixate on one or two sources, often to the detriment of their business. Bartering services for equity. Friends and family.

Technical Review 164

Technical Review Bootstrapping Venture Capital Incubator 164

David Teten

AUGUST 19, 2019

This structure offers some of the benefits of traditional equity VC, without some of the negatives of equity VC. I’ve been a traditional equity VC for 8 years, and I’m now researching new business models in venture capital. For background, see Revenue-Based Investing: A New Option for Founders who Care About Control.

Revenue 60

Revenue Technical Review Software Review Equity 60

Duct Tape Marketing

AUGUST 23, 2023

He is the co-founder of Boast.ai, where he leveraged the Community-Led Growth model to bootstrap the company. He is also the co-founder of Traction, a community empowering over 100k innovators through connections, content, and capital. He is the co-founder of Boast.ai Then another time was when we were bootstrapping both.

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Community Kuwait Cofounder Bootstrapping 53

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2014

The only way an entrepreneur can really dodge this issue is to totally fund the startup with personal funds (bootstrapping). Loans are a safer option than equity. Offering debt is better than offering direct equity, especially in early stages when you have no valuation for setting equity percentages.

Founder 254

Founder Cram Down Angel Investor Equity 254

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

Being the leader doesn’t mean more equity, nor does it mean the leader will necessarily be CEO. A sales fanatic on the founder team helps to contain that risk. The combination of technical insight, founder authority, and sales experience is a hard-to-beat advantage in a competitive market. The industry veteran.

Technical Cofounder 120

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Stock Options 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2020

The only way an entrepreneur can really dodge this issue is to totally fund the startup with personal funds (bootstrapping). Loans are a safer option than equity. Offering debt is better than offering direct equity, especially in early stages when you have no valuation for setting equity percentages.

Management 308

Management Cram Down Angel Investor Equity 308

Hunter Walker

JUNE 10, 2016

These people are true founders and entrepreneurs just like any venture backed company. We’ve bootstrapped since we launching. But, based on our sales and the amount we we’re looking to raise, $60-$120K, it could have meant giving up over 40% equity. Hunter Walk: Can you share the founding story of ArtJamz ?

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Technical Review Equity SBA Software Review 50