Browsing Tag
Bootstrapping
23 posts
7 Creative Financing Options for New Businesses and Startups
It takes money to make money. But financing isn't always easy — especially if you're the proud founder of a brand new business. Traditional banks and financial institutions set a high bar for borrowers. They want to see years in business, consistent revenue and excellent credit scores, and those are things that most new businesses...
This Entrepreneur Shares How She Bootstrapped Her Startup (and How You Can, Too)
There are several different ways a startup founder might fund his or her business, including series funding, crowdfunding, loans, venture capital and angel investments. Bootstrapping is another option. As an entrepreneur, investment advisor and consultant to startup founders, I understand that each startup is different. There is no one “best” way to fund your business....
What You Must Know Before Raising Investment for Your Business
The following is excerpted from “Investor Ready,” courtesy of Julie Barber, CEO of Spark! Consulting www.areyouinvestorready.co.uk Before you dive into planning your investment approach, there are some important things to think about. StartupNation exclusive discounts and savings on Dell products and accessories: Learn more here Do you really need investment? You may well reply, “Of...
5 Reasons Why Bootstrapping Your Business Helps Improve Customer Service
Brands have always waged war over customers’ attention, trust and loyalty. They’ve competed on just about everything — from features and specifications to special discounts and service plans. But in today’s marketplace, product and pricing often take the backseat in favor of customer experience and customer service. That’s to be expected in a buyer-centric economy....
5 Leading Entrepreneurs Share Their Best Advice for Bootstrapping a Business
About 42 percent of startups fail because there’s no market need for their product, and almost 30 percent don’t make it because they run out of money. So, what does it really take to succeed in business, especially when you’re bootstrapping? We asked these top entrepreneurs and advisors in The Oracles, including Hint Water’s Kara Goldin, investor Tai...
The Art of Bootstrapping: How to Start a Business with Little to No Money
Bootstrapping is a term that has long been applied to entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial process. According to Dictionary.com, when used as a verb, bootstrapping means to “help oneself without the aid of others.” In the business world, it’s often a reference to the financial end of starting up a business with very little capital, little...
6 Funding Ideas for a First-Time Startup Founder
Finding cash for your new business venture may seem like a daunting task. With some high-profile startups boasting angel investment amounts in the millions, is it even likely that an unknown, fledgling business like yours can find funding to get off the ground? The quick answer is yes, although it may take some ingenuity and...
Is Venture Capital The Right Choice For Your Startup? Maybe. Here’s Why
Not every company is one that can be backed by venture capital. Pursuing venture capital investment in your startup is a decision that you’ll make based on your company strategy. If your business requires lots of capital and will need to scale quickly to beat potential competitors to gain market share, then VC financing is...
Why Transparency Should Be a Key Pillar of Your Business Strategy
As entrepreneurs, we all love a good challenge. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t bother trying to start a business in the first place. But starting a business is one thing, and bootstrapping one is another; especially when competing against corporations with multi-million dollar budgets. While it may be a daunting challenge, it’s not an impossible one. In fact,...
How Many Errors Can Your Startup Survive in the First Year?
As any aspiring entrepreneur knows, around 80 percent of companies fail within their first year of business. This does not have to be the case for your startup. Consider the points outlined below to maximize your chances of surviving your first year and prospering in the future. Are your decisions based on feeling or data?...
3 Tips For Bootstrapping Your Business Like a Boss
A couple of years ago, I shared my story of how I bootstrapped the purchase of my small business. Nearly a decade has passed since that moment in time and in retrospect, I am still so satisfied with my decision and that I was able to make bootstrapping work in my favor. Sure, it might...
The 5 Best Ways to Fund Your Startup This Year
While it would be cool to pitch for investment on "Shark Tank," not everybody can, or needs to. So don’t worry if you don’t get the chance. The vast majority of startups get their initial capital through other means. If you plan to launch your business this year, know that more options exist than ever...
Women in Tech: Kickstart Your Dream with Confidence [Book Excerpt]
The following excerpt is from "Geek Girl Rising: Inside the Sisterhood Shaking up Tech" by Heather Cabot and Samantha Walravens. Copyright © 2017 by the authors and reprinted with permission of St. Martin's Press, LLC. The segment below highlights the journey of female entrepreneur, Yunha Kim, co-founder of Locket, a company that transformed the way Android mobile phone users...
4 Realities of Bootstrapping a Business From Nothing
I started my business back in 2010 with absolutely no money. The first month I decided to try freelancing I made $5. Granted, back then, freelancing was still seen as something you did when you couldn’t find a job and blogging wasn’t really a trend yet. Regardless, I started a business from nothing and have...
Financing: 4 Business Trends to Look for in 2017
If you have plans to launch a business of any size this year, one of the most important decisions you'll need to make is how you'll be financing your business. In 2016, we saw the rise of crowdfunding and other online lending options — business financing trends that we anticipate will continue into the next year....
Bootstrap: Four Lessons I Learned After I Bought My Business
Bootstrapping: It ain't easy! It’s a fairly well known fact that I didn’t start MyCorp – though I’ve worked with the company in different roles since its beginning, I bought the company and became its CEO back in 2009 when its then owner, Intuit, chose to divest and go in another direction. The trouble with...
Legal Questions: Where to start when launching a business
Choosing the Right Business Structure, Where to Launch, & Other Legal Questions Starting a business creates a lot of questions for you as the owner. What should you sell? Who are your customers? Will this even work? But there are other essential questions that you need to find answers to before you even open your...
Things Investors Say When Really What They Mean is, “No”
One lesson I learned the hard way as a founder is that investors never like to say “no.” They especially don’t like to say “yes,” but “no” is almost as difficult to get out of them. Why? Well, because they never want to completely close the door on what could eventually be a massive missed...
Financing Options for a Small Business
Finding the Right Funding Financing your business is one of the first critical decisions you'll make. A while back, we were approached by "Brian," an Entrepreneur who started a company with a combination of funds from his personal savings account and credit cards. He was looking for a venture capital investment, but part way into his...
Financing Options for a Small Business
Finding the Right Funding Financing your business is one of the first critical decisions you'll make. A while back, we were approached by "Brian," an Entrepreneur who started a company with a combination of funds from his personal savings account and credit cards. He was looking for a venture capital investment, but part way into his...