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. Consider licensing your product or intellectual property, and “white labeling.”

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Intellectual Property Technical Review Venture Capital Startup 309

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2020

It’s more possible to bootstrap today than a few years ago, as the cost of entry continues to go down. It’s equally easy to go online and incorporate your new entity, register some intellectual property and have some fun with social media for marketing and interacting with customers.

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Hockey Stick Bootstrapping Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 423

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. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Consider licensing your product or intellectual property, and “white labeling.”

Intellectual Property 134

Intellectual Property Technical Review Startup Incubator 134

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

JULY 12, 2010

Software patents are especially useless for small, bootstrapped startups. Innovative design and intellectual property are no longer long-term competitive advantages. There's too much energy, availability, intelligence and opportunity in the world to hide behind outdated notions of intellectual property.

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Intellectual Property Bootstrapping Software Review Open Source 319

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. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Consider licensing your product or intellectual property, and “white labeling.”

Entrepreneur 120

Entrepreneur Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 120

Up and Running

AUGUST 17, 2022

It might be adding the right people to your team, refocusing your market, beefing up intellectual property protection, validating your business with early sales, or something else. And if funding of any kind isn’t in the cards, you shouldn’t discount bootstrapping your business. Embrace rejection.

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Venture Capital Intellectual Property Angel Investor Bootstrapping 146

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 19, 2021

The market may be large and growing, but you need some “secret sauce” or intellectual property to keep the big guys from jumping in, once they get the picture. In fact most of the others avoided all these rejections by simply using their own money (bootstrapping), or using the old standby funding source of friends, family, and fools.

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Intellectual Property Bootstrapping Venture Capital Revenue 429

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 29, 2024

Whether it’s through bootstrapping, seeking angel investors, or applying for grants, explore all options available to you. It’s crucial to protect your intellectual property as well, including trademarks, patents, and copyrights. Securing funding can also be a critical step for your venture.

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Intellectual Property Angel Investor Business Model Bootstrapping 132

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2023

By far, the majority of new businesses I know are self-funding (bootstrapped) from your own savings and prior assets. Make sure the name and trademarks you want are available, as well as web site address, social media tags, and any other intellectual property. Explore multiple sources based on your level of need and risk.

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Intellectual Property Social Media Angel Investor Metrics 245

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2023

Prior to the growth stage, your company valuation is limited to goodwill based on intellectual property and team experience, since you have no revenue. If you want to avoid all these stage and investment considerations, you can always bootstrap the business (fund it yourself, and grow organically).

Angel Investor 313

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 313

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 6, 2016

It’s more possible to bootstrap today than a few years ago, as the cost of entry continues to go down. It’s equally easy to go online and incorporate your new entity, register some intellectual property and have some fun with social media for marketing and interacting with customers.

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Bootstrapping Hockey Stick Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 120

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. They need to believe your valuation, based on current revenue and intellectual property, and feel the equity offered gives them a real return for the risk.

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Intellectual Property Equity Bootstrapping Valuation 352

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2015

Most founders bootstrap product development. Intellectual property is a business issue, not a technical issue. Outside investors are most interested in scaling a proven business model, not research and development. Fabulous solutions require great technology. Patents are not worth the effort, since big companies will win.

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Technical Review Intellectual Property Cofounder Bootstrapping 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2020

Prior to the growth stage, your company valuation is limited to goodwill based on intellectual property and team experience, since you have no revenue. If you want to avoid all these stage and investment considerations, you can always bootstrap the business (fund it yourself, and grow organically).

Angel Investor 370

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 370

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2020

Keep the initial scope within bootstrapping limits. Define your “ secret sauce ” or intellectual property, and advertise it as well as protect it. From my experience, these drivers are fraught with risk and unhappiness. Think first about where you have a natural advantage , or a unique insight or critical purpose.

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Intellectual Property Small Business Administration Bootstrapping Differentiation 313

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 29, 2019

The right answer to this question is that you bring some new intellectual property to the table – like a patent or other secret sauce. In the real world, evidence indicate the vast majority of new ventures are self-funded, or bootstrapped. Why doesn’t this product or service already exist?

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Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Bootstrapping Salary 317

Steve Blank

MAY 26, 2009

Intellectual Property At the next class I said, “You all ought to get out and start talking to customers on day one, and get early feedback on your idea. You don’t need to worry about any Intellectual Property (IP) issues. Bootstrap for years! You can bootstrap without VC money. Just get out of the building.”

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Vertical Silicon Valley Intellectual Property RSS 149

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

JUNE 20, 2011

I recently helped a friend broker the sale of his small, bootstrapped company. In this case, all the typically-valuable things like “multiples&# or intellectual property or the customer base or the product-market fit or the market size are irrelevant. To “build&# a product.

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Sales Channel Cofounder Valuation 260

Up and Running

DECEMBER 29, 2015

It might be adding to the team, refocusing your market, beefing up intellectual property protection, validating your business with early sales, or something else. Think about bootstrapping. Don’t give up on bootstrapping if you have an opportunity to pursue. Focus on the parts of it most likely to generate early revenue.

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Bootstrapping Intellectual Property Venture Capital Angel Investor 92

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2019

Ideally the solution embodies intellectual property that you own, giving you a sustainable competitive advantage. Even if you don’t need external investors, and intend to bootstrap the new venture yourself, you may use the points here to assess your own investment. Problem or need uniquely addressed by your solution.

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Intellectual Property Cofounder .Net Bootstrapping 183

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2018

Prior to the growth stage, your company valuation is limited to goodwill based on intellectual property and team experience, since you have no revenue. If you want to avoid all these stage and investment considerations, you can always bootstrap the business (fund it yourself, and grow organically).

Angel Investor 184

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 184

crowdSPRING Blog

DECEMBER 3, 2010

Bootstrapping is Bullshit – [link]. Why Intellectual Property Rights Are So Important – [link]. Entrepreneurs Are Living The Dream, But Are They Happy? – [link]. “be better, be different or be cheaper. And the last is no fun&# (Seth Godin) – [link]. Will Freemium Work for You? – [link].

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Social Media Small Business Design Media 93

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2010

Failing fast may be an out for our bootstrapped lives, but it’s not an option.&# Think about that. If not, are there buyers of the intellectual property? Paying customers. My business has a bunch of them, and a lot more users who really depend on our service. They’re relying on us.

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Silicon Valley Bankruptcy Intellectual Property Reputation 308

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 2, 2013

The market may be large and growing, but you need some “secret sauce” or intellectual property to keep the big guys from jumping in, once they get the picture. In fact most of the others avoided all these rejections by simply using their own money (bootstrapping), or using the old standby funding source of friends, family, and fools.

Intellectual Property 244

Intellectual Property Startup Bootstrapping Venture Capital 244

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Intellectual property is one of the most valuable assets acquirers seek in startups. Whether a brand new bootstrapped startup or corporate giant, your altitude, sustainability, and traction has everything to do with your team. IP & Technology. Sometimes they sue instead. Or push regulations. Others will buy you.

Intellectual Property 102

Intellectual Property IP Acquisition Startup 102

SoCal CTO

JULY 13, 2011

This site aggregates and filters content from thought leaders who talk about topics such as Marketing , Sales , Design , Revenue , Hiring , Social Media , Business Models , Metrics , PR , Venture Capital , Angel Investors , Bootstrapping , Incubators , Agile and many others.

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Intellectual Property Aggregator Startup IP 175

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 1, 2012

The market may be large and growing, but you need some “secret sauce” or intellectual property to keep the big guys from jumping in, once they get the picture. In fact most of the others avoided all these rejections by simply using their own money (bootstrapping), or using the old standby funding source of friends, family, and fools.

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Intellectual Property Bootstrapping Venture Capital Business Plan 261

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 24, 2018

From accounting questions and structuring to dealing with intellectual property, speaking to someone with serious legal expertise is a solid place to start before getting too ‘into the weeds” of doing business. Unless you have some serious startup capital, chances are you’re going to want to bootstrap as much as you possibly can.

Intellectual Property 124

Intellectual Property Due Diligence Startup Social Media 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 4, 2014

Prior to the growth stage, your company valuation is limited to goodwill based on intellectual property and team experience, since you have no revenue. If you want to avoid all these stage and investment considerations, you can always bootstrap the business (fund it yourself, and grow organically).

Angel Investor 232

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 232

www.inc.com

OCTOBER 23, 2010

500|5000 The 2010 Inc. 500|5000 List The 2010 Top Lists Inc. 500|5000 Conference Honorees Resources Press Apply 2011 ); Topics > Leadership and Managing > Human Resources > Job Descriptions > How to Hire a CTO When its time to add a technologist to your slate of executives, what are the best practices to follow?

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Fractional CTO CTO CTO Hire Hiring 42

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2016

Reveal “secret sauce” before filing intellectual property. In reality, the most common startup success results from bootstrapping, and too much money leads to poor control and sloppy decisions. Filing a provisional patent costs very little if you do it yourself, and it holds your place in line for a year.

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Intellectual Property Due Diligence Non-Compete Startup 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 25, 2016

Investors are wary of startups with no intellectual property, even with a first-mover advantage. If all else fails, I recommend bootstrapping your own efforts, at least until you get enough traction to relieve the qualms of accredited investors. Secret sauce' or competitive advantage is not clear.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Accredited Investor Angel Investor Reputation 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2016

For a new startup, the best way to assure survival is to file patents or other intellectual property to keep future competitors from copying your success. I always tell entrepreneurs that even if you are bootstrapping and not looking for investors, it’s still important to apply external investor thinking to your new venture.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Matching Angel Investor Bootstrapping 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2011

The market may be large and growing, but you need some “secret sauce” or intellectual property to keep the big guys from jumping in, once they get the picture. In fact most of the others avoided all these rejections by simply using their own money (bootstrapping), or using the old standby funding source of friends, family, and fools.

Intellectual Property 242

Intellectual Property Startup Bootstrapping Venture Capital 242

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2016

Prior to the growth stage, your company valuation is limited to goodwill based on intellectual property and team experience, since you have no revenue. If you want to avoid all these stage and investment considerations, you can always bootstrap the business (fund it yourself, and grow organically).

Matching 120

Matching Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers 120

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 7, 2015

Many companies are successfully bootstrapped from the outset and the list of major expenses fairly predictable, for example salaries and office rent. By Will Reynolds, CEO of SecureDocs. Starting a business does not have to be particularly expensive.

Cap Table 100

Cap Table Intellectual Property Salary Bootstrapping 100

www.inc.com

JULY 9, 2010

500|5000 The 2010 Inc. 500|5000 List The 2010 Top Lists Inc. 500|5000 Conference Honorees Resources Press Apply 2011 ); Topics > Leadership and Managing > Human Resources > Recruiting and Hiring Employees > How to Attract Talent to Your Start-Up At a start-up, you need employees that are in it for the long haul and fit your unique culture.

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Intellectual Property Los Angeles San Francisco New York 55