A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks
APRIL 29, 2013
” Easy for them to say, but what about a bootstrapped, profit-driven business? Profit-seeking bootstrapped companies cannot afford those delusions. But a bootstrapped company’s cash-flow won’t allow it, even if the math would work in the long run. ” Here’s my way.
A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks
JULY 12, 2010
Software patents are especially useless for small, bootstrapped startups. In all the interviews you've read about founders' success, how many credit their MBA program? Except in certain industries (e.g. food, drug, medical), I'm unaware of companies who stave off quality competitors through patent holdings. How many even have MBAs?
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A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks
OCTOBER 11, 2010
Ask a technical founder about his startup, and he'll proudly describe his stunning software — simple, compelling, useful, fun. Four uncomfortable seconds later, a smile breaks across the founder's face. This is Part 5 of the 5-part series: 5 lessons from 150 startup pitches. Infection built-in, not bolt-on. Frightening honesty.
A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks
MAY 8, 2012
We’ve been bootstrapping up to this point. While I was bootstrapping WP Engine I constantly heard that we’re hamstrung by not taking an investment; after raising a Series A a different set of people expressed their disappointment that I had “sold out.” Are you proud of bootstrapping? What sounds like fun?
A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks
JANUARY 31, 2012
” It’s the founder who says she doesn’t need to talk to customers before embarking on a $100,000 development project because “my customers are idiots.” If you’re bootstrapping, getting that $1000/mo right now in bottom-line money is in fact the better choice.
A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks
NOVEMBER 13, 2012
Burgeoning Startup Founder writes: After a year of work, my startup is now doing about $6,000/mo in revenue and $3,000/mo in profit. Since you’re bootstrapping, “cash now” is far more valuable than “cash later.” This is part of an ongoing startup advice series where I answer (anonymized!)
A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks
AUGUST 16, 2010
Let's get the self-aggrandizing plea for attention out of the way: Please vote for my SxSW panel entitled "A Bootstrapped Geek Sifts Through the Bullshit.". He's is biased, of course, because he leads the 200+ company Y-Combinator incubator, but his predictions have already come true for many founders I know personally.
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