Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2014

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. Set expectations accordingly.

Entrepreneur 283

Entrepreneur Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 283

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2017

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. Set expectations accordingly.

Product Development 177

Product Development Cost Developer Product 177

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. Set expectations accordingly.

Intellectual Property 309

Intellectual Property Technical Review Venture Capital Startup 309

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2018

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until real revenue flows. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Join a startup incubator.

Intellectual Property 134

Intellectual Property Technical Review Startup Incubator 134

YoungUpstarts

JULY 6, 2017

ANGEL INVESTOR : These are individuals who offer capital to startups in exchange for equity, partial ownership or convertible debt. This strategy, known as bootstrapping, is ideally suited to businesses which don’t need a large influx of capital early on in order to finance growth and which are already generating revenues.

Syndicate 127

Syndicate Syndication Software Review Angel Investor 127

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2016

I’m not recommending that you saturate your discussions with lingo, but responding with a blank stare once-too-often won’t convince anyone that you can build the next world-changing business or outpace the market. Sweat equity. Equity crowdfunding. Growth-hacking” marketing. It’s a term of respect and endearment.

Software Review 120

Software Review Sweat Equity Accredited Investor Angel Investor 120

Up and Running

MAY 23, 2016

Since the term “cloud computing” was coined in 1996—at least as we have come to understand its meaning—the software as a service industry has exploded. If you use software like LivePlan, you can create this initial “lean plan” in under an hour and then spend your time where it really matters—on validating your idea.

Software Review 74

Software Review Software Delaware Forecast 74

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2015

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until real revenue flows. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Join a startup incubator.

Entrepreneur 120

Entrepreneur Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 120

ConversionXL

NOVEMBER 6, 2019

Running comparative calculations, Arsenault figures that “two senior engineers plus a product manager/marketer for 40 hours per month, times 6 months, would be 720 hours to get to our MVP. now has 350+ customers who spend between $6k to $17k a year to use their software, depending on the size of the company. Qualified.io

Sweat Equity 78

Sweat Equity Software Review Vesting Cofounder 78

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. Our wheelhouse is bootstrapped (or lightly capitalized) SMB SaaS. Bigfoot Capital.

Revenue 60

Revenue Technical Review Software Review Equity 60

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.

Private Equity 94

Private Equity Pre-Money Valuation Equity Startup 94

The Next Web

OCTOBER 3, 2012

Startups die due to a variety of causes. In early 2011, I wrote a post, Startups: Not for the faint of heart , that discussed Parse.ly’s survival through a one-year bootstrapping period after Dreamit Ventures Philly ’09. I have witnessed startup failures that were due to predictable co-founder conflicts.

Cofounder 155

Cofounder Technical Cofounder Technical Review Software Review 155

ConversionXL

NOVEMBER 6, 2019

Running comparative calculations, Arsenault figures that “two senior engineers plus a product manager/marketer for 40 hours per month, times 6 months, would be 720 hours to get to our MVP. now has 350+ customers who spend between $6k to $17k a year to use their software, depending on the size of the company. Qualified.io

Sweat Equity 50

Sweat Equity Software Review Vesting Cofounder 50

SoCal CTO

APRIL 8, 2010

9 Reasons Why Many Smart People Go Nowhere - Life Beyond Code , March 29, 2010 You would have met many smart people who live a mediocre life. It’s the old – 5% of massive market gives us a big number. Employed with a side of startup - A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks , March 8, 2010 Advice on how to balance the two.

Software Review 150

Software Review Startup PR Exit Strategy 150

Hunter Walker

JUNE 10, 2016

We have a marketing coordinator who helps get our voice heard as well as listens to and communicates with voices talking about and to us. We further leverage mailchimp (eblasts), wordpress (website), hootesuite (social media messaging), review sites such as Yelp! We’ve bootstrapped since we launching. MC: Oh wow.

Technical Review 50

Technical Review Equity SBA Software Review 50

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

JUNE 20, 2011

I recently helped a friend broker the sale of his small, bootstrapped company. They’ve heard rules of thumb like “A growing software company is worth 5 times their trailing 12-months revenue.&# In fact, it’s rare that just putting your software into channel alone will be enough! To control a market.

Sales 260

Sales Channel Cofounder Valuation 260

Hunter Walker

JUNE 10, 2016

We have a marketing coordinator who helps get our voice heard as well as listens to and communicates with voices talking about and to us. We further leverage mailchimp (eblasts), wordpress (website), hootesuite (social media messaging), review sites such as Yelp! We’ve bootstrapped since we launching. MC: Oh wow.

Technical Review 48

Technical Review Equity SBA Software Review 48

Duct Tape Marketing

AUGUST 23, 2023

The Impact of Community written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing Marketing Podcast with Lloyed Lobo In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast , I interview Lloyed Lobo. He is the co-founder of Boast.ai, where he leveraged the Community-Led Growth model to bootstrap the company.

Community 54

Community Kuwait Cofounder Bootstrapping 54

Rob Go

DECEMBER 28, 2011

Perhaps it’s been missed by most, but I think it was a remarkable year for this sector within this market. So I thought I’d jot down some of the highlights I have seen from my vantage point in this 2011 Boston Consumer Web Year in Review. market cap. Raised $174M in its IPO in April, current market cap ~$550M.

Technical Review 54

Technical Review Boston Software Review IPO 54

Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 6, 2022

Practical Strategies For Starting A Business written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing. Marketing Podcast with Steve Hoffman. In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast , I interview Steve Hoffman, also known as Captain Hoff. More About Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network: Learn more here.

San Francisco 97

San Francisco Technical Review Incubator Silicon Valley 97

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 7, 2010

At today's roundtable we had some interesting companies and a lot of fundraising discussions, and I will review them shortly. Bottom line, early stage equity is very, very expensive. As a thumb rule, try to get enough validation so that you can get to at least a $2 million pre-money valuation before raising equity capital.

Valuation 119

Valuation Silicon Valley Pre-Money Valuation Bootstrapping 119

sharkseo.com

NOVEMBER 29, 2010

RSS Feed 19 Nov 2010, Posted by admin in Featured , Nohat , 26 Comments SEO Advice for Bootstrapped Startups SEO can provide a hugely valuable source of traffic, if done right – especially for a bootstrapped startup where money is tight. Do not rely on SEO to market your product It sounds contradictory, but its true.

Bootstrapping 49

Bootstrapping SEO Startup Widget 49

Up and Running

MAY 15, 2018

Funding is crucial for improving technology, hiring the right people, and launching a comprehensive marketing strategy to get a foothold in the market. From jewelry to dog food to SaaS (software as a service) products, startups are popping up in virtually every field around the world, despite the risks.

SBA 84

SBA Angel Investor Technical Review Startup 84

Software By Rob

NOVEMBER 16, 2009

This morning Seth Godin published a post titled Debt, equity and a third thing that might work better. That’s when you find one or more (future) customers that help fund your product development in exchange for input into the process and free or highly discounted use of the software. Think 1-3 person teams who release v1.0

Equity 42

Equity Software Review RSS Widget 42

Austin Startup

JUNE 26, 2019

While the journey of JuiceBox Hero is coming to a close, we know that our small but mighty team’s commitment to innovation for women, families, and under-represented markets is far from over. The Skinny: Two years ago I embarked on a mission to bring to market a modern way for parents to find daycares and preschools. We did that?—?and

Silicon Valley 54

Silicon Valley Startup B2C Sweat Equity 54

www.singlefounder.com

OCTOBER 23, 2010

I’d like to take a few minutes to dispel the top five myths of software startups. Often, you will see a large company put enough marketing muscle behind a mediocre product to generate a profit from it. Go ahead and laugh, but over 95% of Moon River Software’s revenue this year has been from consulting services.

Software Review 40

Software Review Software Startup Massachusetts 40

www.vccafe.com

MARCH 11, 2013

VC Cafe highlights everything you need to know from hosting your code in hackathons to open source legal docs. Whether you’re wondering what site search you should use or what is the best email marketing tool, knowledge is power. Inbound Marketing vs Interruption marketing. Email marketing. Market Research.

Software Review 53

Software Review Technical Review Startup 53

Austin Startup

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

I thought the total available market (TAM) was too small and the team wasn’t complete?—?I I usually don’t back a business unless there are founders that can build, sell, and service the new solution that is being brought to market. We also made sure to look at the financial profile of other Software as a Service (SaaS) companies.

Bootstrapping 52

Bootstrapping IPO Business Model Software Review 52

ReadWriteStart

SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

Whether it is in the emerging markets or in the U.S., Whether it is credit or equity, funding is very, very tight. Because customer financing equals revenue, not equity. Shirish had a pricing model question, as well as a set of go-to-market and sales strategy questions. This is important, so please listen up. Kir Devries.

Cloud 115

Cloud Silicon Valley Incubator Finance 115

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 28, 2010

More excerpts from "Do More Faster" Title chapter: " Do More Faster " by David Cohen How should we split the equity? Or, you could try to come up with some formula that uses a bunch of different factors such as experience, market value, contribution to date, and expected contributions in the future. How will decisions get made?

Cofounder 128

Cofounder Founder Equity Dilution 128

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

MARCH 11, 2014

Jason: Okay, so that’s a very small company in which the CEO is pulling out the credit card for meeting software because even people with a hundred people, the CEO is not the person pulling out a credit card for the meeting software. And then you and the CFO and the marketing guy and. Edwin: I tend to disagree. Edwin: Yes.

Technical Cofounder 220

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Software Review Management 220

Software By Rob

FEBRUARY 2, 2011

“Marketing sources have a half-life.&#. Aside from the weekly trough on Saturday there is very little fluctuation month to month (what can I say, I guess reading Software by Rob is not everyone’s favorite Saturday night activity). Advertising doesn’t build traffic “equity.&# The Interesting Part.

Viral 55

Viral Software Review RSS Bootstrapping 55

Austin Startup

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

This is a huge recruiting year for data.world as we’ve found our product-market fit in the enterprise. data.world and our modern catalog for data and analysis is a new category of software, much like Bazaarvoice and Coremetrics created new categories before, and the brilliant book Play Bigger helped us find it. in honor of my mother.

Software Review 48

Software Review Sales Cofounder Analytics 48

rapidrollout.wordpress.com

OCTOBER 23, 2010

How can I go about looking for a (very) good programmer willing to do this as sweat equity? First Things First: Your Requirements You seem to feel that your project isn’t ready to move forward without a software developer (a “programmer&# , as you say). The alternative is to offer them equity in your company.

Technical Review 40

Technical Review Fractional CTO Partner CTO Hire 40

Hearpreneur

JUNE 14, 2017

We’ve continued bootstrapping since then — today we are a $2.5 The market is over bloated with solutions of all sorts claiming that they’ll improve your business routine, but very few of them succeed at that. Thanks to Nick Chandi, SlickPie Accounting Software ! #8 Thanks to Nick Gray, Museum Hack ! Image Credit: Jeff Quinn.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur South Africa PR Thailand 126

venturehacks.com

FEBRUARY 24, 2010

It’s more important than your product, market, and investors. What you don’t know Business founders who don’t code use bad proxies for picking technical co-founders (&# 10 years with Java!&# ). However, neither one of us has a coding background. Picking a co-founder is your most important decision.

Cofounder 101

Cofounder Founder Technical Cofounder Technical Review 101

sivers.org

JUNE 25, 2010

They log in to translate the documents, one at a time, marking each finished when done, which sends the file back to the company for review.” Also important: Only go for providers who have great reviews from many past customers. Decline bids from providers without many great reviews. The translator rejects or approves.

CTO Hire 84

CTO Hire Hiring Software Review Technical Review 84