Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. It always reduces risk to plan your business first. Set expectations accordingly.

Intellectual Property 309

Intellectual Property Technical Review Venture Capital Startup 309

ReadWriteStart

DECEMBER 15, 2022

It also helps bootstrap new startup businesses. This is especially the case if expecting the agency’s client work to provide the bulk of its revenue during the early stages of operations. A digital agency also performs project work for third-party clients simultaneously with incubating new startups.

Incubator 188

Incubator Startup Software Developers Software Development 188

The Startup Magazine

SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

While the rewards may be a boon to their company in the short term, the consequences of accepting outside funding too early can be debilitating. There’s a reason why I refer to early-stage VC funding as vulture capital, and to be honest it’s pretty accurate. This is why I made the decision to bootstrap HighRadius.

Early Stage 85

Early Stage Venture Capital Bootstrapping Pre-Money Valuation 85

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2018

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. It always reduces risk to plan your business first. Solicit funds from friends and family.

Intellectual Property 134

Intellectual Property Technical Review Startup Incubator 134

ReadWriteStart

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

Instead, knowing how to bootstrap your startup might be a better option. How to Bootstrap Your Startup. When you bootstrap your startup, you retain full control of the new business. If bootstrapping is right for your small business, the following tips can help you through the process. Embrace Slow Growth.

Bootstrapping 145

Bootstrapping Startup Cofounder Angel Investor 145

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2015

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. It always reduces risk to plan your business first. Solicit funds from friends and family.

Entrepreneur 120

Entrepreneur Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2023

You are now entering the rollout stage , with money required for marketing, hiring a full-time team, and a production process. At this point, most Angel investors and a few early-stage VCs will be happy to talk, assuming you have the business model validated, and a large opportunity. Congratulations!

Angel Investor 313

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 313

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. Following is my prioritized larger list of sources, with some “rules of thumb” which may save you a lot of time and energy: Bootstrapping. Friends and family.

Technical Review 257

Technical Review Bootstrapping Venture Capital Incubator 257

Genuine VC

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

Chad is the CEO of thoughtbot, a consulting firm that makes web + mobile apps for early-stage startups. The stats behind what Bryan and the team had accomplished while bootstrapping the business were incredible, including signing up over 1,000 paying accounts and analyzing over 30,000 code repositories EVERY DAY.

Software Review 191

Software Review Chad Ruby PHP 191

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2022

As an entrepreneur, you need to start early to implement the discipline and business practices that will lead to success. Even though everyone has an opinion on good early stage practices, I was impressed with the actionable blueprint in the classic book by Scott Duffy, “ Launch! Pretend your family doesn’t matter.

Early Stage 307

Early Stage Bootstrapping Revenue Framework 307

The Startup Magazine

NOVEMBER 28, 2018

The FUND Conference brings together over 100 startups to present their early-stage products and pitches in front of hundreds of investors and industry leaders. We bootstrapped our minimum lovable product and it will launch in December 2018 with eight brands, plus we have more partners in the pipeline.

Technical Review 153

Technical Review Software Review Illinois Due Diligence 153

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2021

If the entrepreneur wants total control of their own venture, with no one looking over their shoulder, they should work within the limits of their own resources, a process called bootstrapping. Investors will expect at least one seat on the board, and expect a board report from you each month on key items.

Term Sheet 433

Term Sheet Advisory Board Liquidation Preference Startup 433

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. Following is my prioritized larger list of sources, with some “rules of thumb” which may save you a lot of time and energy: Bootstrapping. Friends and family.

Technical Review 233

Technical Review Bootstrapping Startup Venture Capital 233

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2023

While exploring all these alternatives, don’t forget that the right investor in a majority of cases may be you, through bootstrapping and personal credit. The right investor also changes as you move through the different startup stages. It works best for solutions that have social value and mass appeal.

Angel Investor 246

Angel Investor Stealth Bootstrapping Early Stage 246

SoCal CTO

MAY 21, 2012

Many of the factors are not obvious and include building mystery to drive margin, why boring B2B companies often win but are challenging in other ways, how bootstrapping wins, integrating metrics from the start and many other similar lessons. What parts Agile addresses and the big problems with Agile for early-stage startups?

Fractional CTO 175

Fractional CTO CTO Hire Startup Social Network 175

Professor VC

MARCH 10, 2009

Bootstrapping 101. I moderated a panel discussion last night on one of my favorite topics, bootstrapping, as part of our Silicon Valley Center for Entrepreneurship Eminent Speaker Series at San Jose State. They have a standard presentation on bootstrapping, which they present around the country. Bootstrapping 101.

Bootstrapping 28

Bootstrapping San Jose Silicon Valley Software Review 28

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 9, 2019

A startup that begins to generate cash in the early stages of operation will often make the mistake of confusing income with available cash. Early profits should be directed back into your tech startup to boost growth and business stability. Don’t mix profits and cash. Establish Financial Goals.

Technical Review 81

Technical Review Bootstrapping Startup Finance 81

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2019

They don’t get excited by early stage research, development, or marketing hype. In reality, the most successful funding decision I still see is called ‘bootstrapping,’ or self-funding. Crowdfunding is not the best platform here. Consider the need for multiple rounds of funding.

Non-disclosure Agreement 299

Non-disclosure Agreement Angel Investor Bootstrapping SEC 299

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2020

You are now entering the rollout stage , with money required for marketing, hiring a full-time team, and a production process. At this point, most Angel investors and a few early-stage VCs will be happy to talk, assuming you have the business model validated, and a large opportunity. Congratulations!

Angel Investor 370

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 370

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 22, 2020

While exploring all these alternatives, don’t forget that the right investor in a majority of cases may be you, through bootstrapping and personal credit. The right investor also changes as you move through the different startup stages. It works best for solutions that have social value and mass appeal.

Stealth 434

Stealth Startup Angel Investor Bootstrapping 434

YoungUpstarts

MAY 6, 2019

In this article, we will discuss why it is important to understand the whole startup stages concept before you start a business to get the most benefit. Early Stage. This startup stage starts from the day you decide to work on a startup idea. Here is the complete list of points available in early stage startup.

Startup 104

Startup Technical Cofounder Merger Early Stage 104

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

We back very early stage companies and work alongside executive teams as their build their teams, launch their products, announce their companies and raise their first downstream capital rounds. The biggest change for us in early-stage investing is that we now need to commit earlier.

Pre-Money Valuation 471

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Venture Capital Early Stage 471

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. Following is my prioritized larger list of sources, with some “rules of thumb” which may save you a lot of time and energy: Bootstrapping. Friends and family.

Technical Review 164

Technical Review Bootstrapping Venture Capital Incubator 164

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2023

This is the primary source of non-personal funds for very early-stage startups. These days, the costs to start a business are at an all-time low, and over 80% of startups are self-funded (also called bootstrapping). If your friends and family don’t believe in you, don’t expect outsiders to jump in. Fund your startup yourself.

Equity 266

Equity Startup Small Business Administration SBA 266

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 12, 2021

Even if you intend to bootstrap the business, or have an anticipated funding source, it pays to start early in lining up an alternative. These programs don’t usually ask for equity, and they are particularly targeted to the early stages of your business to facilitate growth and survival.

Dilution 404

Dilution Incubator Bootstrapping Government 404

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 7, 2010

Bottom line, early stage equity is very, very expensive. So at any point, if you are trying to raise money, and you are hearing from investors that you are too early and have too little validation, it may be a good thing. Sub-$2 million pre-money, it is better to bootstrap. We will work on that with her. Trendy Loot.

Valuation 119

Valuation Silicon Valley Pre-Money Valuation Bootstrapping 119

www.readwriteweb.com

OCTOBER 7, 2007

This is typically called “bootstrapping&# and it is fraught with potential pitfalls and dangers. What is bootstrapping? So, what does it mean to bootstrap a company? Bootstrapping involves launching a business on a low budget. Why bootstrap? Either way, bootstrapping is a viable model.

Bootstrapping 41

Bootstrapping Offshore Startup EC2 41

SoCal CTO

MARCH 1, 2010

And while I’m at it, a great post by Steve Blank No Accounting For Startups looking at early stage score keeping. StartupList — a new way to reach angels - Venture Hacks , February 3, 2010 AngelList is a curated list of angel investors, representing $80M going into early-stage startups this year.

Acquisition 150

Acquisition Cofounder Technical Cofounder Cost 150

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2019

As an entrepreneur, you need to start early to implement the discipline and business practices that will lead to success. Even though everyone has an opinion on good early stage practices, I was impressed with the actionable blueprint in the classic book by Scott Duffy, “ Launch! Pretend your family doesn’t matter.

Early Stage 317

Early Stage Bootstrapping Revenue Framework 317

Spencer Fry

APRIL 17, 2017

Days before the conference started, I was asked (and felt honored) to lead two workshops on bootstrapping vs. raising money. Having started and sold 3 successful bootstrapped businesses, and am now running 1 venture capital backed business ( Coach ), this is a topic I know a thing or two about. What's “good” about bootstrapping.

Bootstrapping 63

Bootstrapping Cap Table Liquidation Preference Cofounder 63

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2020

This is the primary source of non-personal funds for very early-stage startups. These days, the costs to start a business are at an all-time low, and over 80% of startups are self-funded (also called bootstrapping). If your friends and family don’t believe in you, don’t expect outsiders to jump in. Fund your startup yourself.

Equity 436

Equity Small Business Administration SBA Syndicate 436

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

Rule 1: Bootstrap until you have a viable product. million early-stage raise that involved pitching to over a dozen PE firms, which took months to negotiate. Background: Recording Excellence , an online music mixing startup, closed a small PE early-stage funding round a few years ago.

Private Equity 94

Private Equity Pre-Money Valuation Equity Startup 94

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 1, 2010

For example, with any outside investment, you give up some ownership and control, and with bootstrapping you growth curve will likely be longer and more organic. Following is my prioritized larger list of sources, with some “rules of thumb” which may save you a lot of time and energy: Bootstrapping. Friends and family.

Technical Review 149

Technical Review Bootstrapping Startup Venture Capital 149

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2023

External investors will demand a financial forecast, but it’s equally valuable to you, even if bootstrapping. Thus, financial projections for up to five years are a necessary element in every business plan. How else will you be able to convince yourself and your team that your business is viable?

Forecast 290

Forecast Burn Rate Widget Business Plan 290

Version One Ventures

APRIL 30, 2013

To increase your chances of venture capital financing, you’ll need to lower the risks as much as possible, such as: Bootstrapping as long as you can to get a working prototype into the market. It feels like we are still in the early stage of the hardware revolution. Following an iterative manufacturing process.

Venture Capital 128

Venture Capital Software Review Incubator Startup 128

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). Offering debt is better than offering direct equity, especially in early stages when you have no valuation for setting equity percentages. Loans are a safer option than equity.

Management 308

Management Cram Down Angel Investor Equity 308

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

Many first-time entrepreneurs find themselves unable to bootstrap their startups, and also unable to find early funding at the venture capital level or even with angel investors. Their only recourse is that first tier of investors, fondly called Friends, Family and Fools.

Sweat Equity 274

Sweat Equity Elevator Pitch Startup Equity 274